Finding Your Purpose
What's your mission statement?
Not the one from your workplace or your community group. What is your own personal mission statement?
Most people don’t know theirs and haven't even thought of making one. It’s a pretty big question to ask yourself, I mean, it's your reason for being on this planet!
I work on discovering this with my coaching clients. We dive into your purpose and then how you can express that purpose through an action statement.
Your mission statement is broader than just your career, this statement encompasses ALL aspects of your life.
In his book ‘The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People’, Stephen R Covey, says, “A personal mission statement focuses on what you want to be (character) and to do (contributions and achievements) and on the values or principles upon which being and doing are based.”
Your purpose or mission statement is then used as a guide to help you make decisions in life. It's used as an anchor to pull you back to what’s most important to you. You can measure opportunities that pop up in life against your mission statement to make sure it's aligned with your purpose or not.
According to Covey, your personal mission statement then “becomes a personal constitution, the basis for making major, life-directing decisions, the basis for making daily decisions in the midst of the circumstances and emotions that affect our lives. It empowers individuals with the same timeless strength in the midst of change.”
Do you struggle with change?
I definitely do, I struggle with things I can’t control, I mean, we all kinda struggle with that, right? Ironically enough, change is the only constant thing in our universe, yet we all seem to fight against it. When you have a personal mission statement, it allows you a bit of ease with the change, instead of wasting precious energy in the fight against it.
The key to ease of change is a solid sense of who you are, what you care about, and what you value. Our current environment is changing at such an increasing pace, that sometimes it feels overwhelming. It can burn us out, make us reactive, and even just freeze up, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Logotherapy is a theory that is founded on the belief that human nature is motivated by the search for a life purpose, where you pursue the meaning for your life, developed by Victor Frankl. The basic components of this theory are:
A healthy core – Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones.
Enlightenment to internal resources – We have our own internal resources and tools. Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
Life doesn't owe you – Life offers you purpose and meaning; it does not owe you a sense of fulfillment or happiness. We have the freedom to find meaning in what we do, and what we experience.
“I live with integrity and contribute to the lives of others”
Once you have a sense of your mission you have the vision and the values which direct your life. You have the foundation from which you set your goals.
Your mission statement becomes the outward expression of your vision and values.
I recently spent some time developing my own personal mission statement. I thought about all the different roles of my life; daughter, sister, friend, coach, community member, colleague, aunty. It took some time to create one that fits with all these different parts of my life. This is what I came up with –
“I live with integrity and contribute to the lives of others”
To fulfill this mission I –
live in the present – I chose to be available and present every day for myself and others.
inspire – I inspire others through authentic communication and being intentional, leading by example.
am impactful – what I do makes a difference in the lives of others.
have balance – I make time for myself, I refuel my fire, and connect to my true self.
am my word – what I say and do match consistently.
CREATING YOUR OWN MISSION STATEMENT
You can start today by writing your own personal mission statement. Begin to give expression to what you want to be and what you want to do in your life.
Questions to consider:
What are the roles you play in your life?
What do you want to be and do in those roles?
What legacy do you want to leave behind?
Your personal mission statement will come from your heart, not your head. Going through this process will change you because it forces you to think through your priorities deeply, carefully, and to align your behavior with your beliefs.
Remember, you are the leader of your life.