As student leaders, you are each fairly familiar with the mission statements of your organizations. Additionally, you understand that the mission statement serves as the roadmap to keep your organizations on track to accomplishing your goals. The same can be said for a personal mission statement. Today, we will discuss the why and how of why personal mission statements are necessary for everyone to maintain their focus towards their goals.
So, let’s take a moment and breakdown the meaning of “mission.” The Society of Human Resource Management (2018) defines it as follows, “a mission statement is a concise explanation of the organization’s reason for existence.” In the same vein, “a personal mission statement defines who you are as a person and identifies your purpose, whether that’s in the office or simply in life. It explains how you aim to pursue that purpose, and why it matters so much to you” (Miller, 2019). Simply put, your mission statement should represent your why. Now that we understand exactly what a personal mission statement is, let’s review a few tips to help us create our own. Check out these five quick and easy steps from Randall Hansen (2017) to get you on your way!
- Take a moment to identify and jot down a few of your past successes. Think of four or five experiences where you felt successful. This could have occurred at home, work, school, or your community. Once you write them down, search for commonalities. Do you see a theme present among your examples?
- Cultivate a list of all the attributes you believe represent you as a person and what your priorities are. After completing the list, attempt to identify one value that is the most important to you.
- Create a list of all the ways you can make a difference. In a perfect world, how would you make the largest impact?
- Identify your goals. Focus on thinking about your priorities and the goals you have set for yourself. Once you have determined your goals, divide them into short-term and long-term goals.
- Time to start writing! Hopefully, completing the first four steps gave you a better understanding of yourself.
The biggest takeaway is that a personal mission statement is just that, personal. It is important to be honest with yourself when you are cultivating your statement. You do not have to share it with others, but it might be helpful to share it with a friend or two for feedback. That will allow you to ensure it truly is a snapshot of you and your values. Lastly, it is important to remember the fluidity of this document. Nothing is permanent and things are always evolving. You should take the time to reassess your mission statement.
The steps included above will give you an idea of how you can develop a personal mission statement. If you have any questions, please feel free to connect with us virtually. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Written by Tassany Henderson (tassany.c.henderson@vanderbilt.edu)
Sources:
Hansen, B. R. (2020, March 19). The Five-Step Plan for Creating Personal Mission Statements. LiveCareer. https://www.livecareer.com/resources/careers/planning/creating-personal-mission-statements
How to Write a Personal Mission Statement. (2019, January 10). Daveramsey.Com. https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/mission-statement-101#:%7E:text=A%20personal%20mission%20statement%20defines,matters%20so%20much%20to%20you.
Mission & Vision Statements: What is the difference between mission, vision and values statements? (2018, April 10). SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/isthereadifferencebetweenacompany%E2%80%99smission,visionandvaluestatements.aspx
