A mission statement is not an in-depth guide for every decision, or an elaborate plan of how to live your life. Rather, it is a companion which shows you the way you’d like to live your life. A piece of writing can push you in the right direction. At its best, it is grounded in our deepest values and principle-centred, focused in on our inner desires.
The process of writing the statement is fairly simple. We should write of how we’d like to live our life in a broad sense. Not being ambiguous, but being vague enough that this statement is timeless, based on values, rather than events or positions.
It can be short, like that of Nike:
“bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”
Or it can be broader, charting each area of your life.
My mission is to live with integrity and to make a difference in the lives of others.
To fufill this mission:
I have charity: I seek out and love the one-each one-regardless of his situation.
I sacrifice: I devote my time, talents, and resources to my mission.
I inspire: I teach by example that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father and that every Goliath can be overcome.
I am impactful: What I do makes a difference in the lives of others.
These roles take priority in achieving my mission:
Husband - my partner is the most important person in my life. Together we contribute the fruits of harmony, industry, charity, and thrift.
Father - I help my children experience progressively greater joy in their lives.
Son/Brother - I am frequently “there” for support and love
Christian - God can count on me to keep my covenants and to serve his other children
Neighbour - The love of Christ is visible through my actions toward others.
Change agent - I am catalyst for developing high performance in large oraganisations.
Scholar - I learn important new things everyday
Please note that this is not my personal mission statement, just an example :)
In the end, this statement can change as your perspective matures, or as experiences foster a new perspective. While the final product is important, it’s equally valuable to focus on the process of creating it, as we contemplate how we truly want to live our life.