A Personal Mission Statement? What Is It? How Will It Help Me? Tools to Build One.

A PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT? WHAT IS IT?

It is a brief description of who you are and what you wish to accomplish including what actions you will take and the time frame you will do it all in.

There are many ways to write them and many versions, but basically they consist of two parts:

1. What do I want to accomplish?
2. What strenths and talents do I have that I want to use and build on?
   

Stephen Covey describes a personal mission statement as, "an adventure of self-discovery" a chance to " connect with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction in fulfilling it".

It is a statement that can guide how you live your life and is deeply rooted in your values and signature strengths.

HOW WILL IT HELP ME?

• Writing one helps you focus on what matters most to you in your life.
• Research shows that just the act of sitting down and writing out your thoughts leads to greater accomplishment.
• Awareness of your values and strengths gives you the opportunity to make more satisfying life choices.
• Living your mission will increase your effectiveness in life because you will use your strengths and talents and seek out ways to express them.
  

As Earl Nightengale says, "People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. It is as simple as that."

GREAT TOOLS ON THE INTENET TO HELP YOU WRITE ONE:

There are two very helpful websites that have tools to help you write your own personal mission statements: www.franklincovey.com and www.nightengale.com

Both have tools where you answer a series of questions that lead you to identifying core values, choosing actions that express those values, and setting goals. They also have products they want you to learn about, but the mission statement process is free and very helpful.

USEFUL BOOKS: If you prefer to read and use a book to help you accomplish this, here are two classics to get you going:

• Covey, Stephe R. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press First Edition, 1989.


• Jones, Laurie Beth, The Path: Creating YOur Mission Statement for Work and for Life
  Hyperion, 1998.