Personal Mission Statement

Welcome to the Personal Mission

Statement tutorial!

What is a Personal What is a Personal Mission Statement?Mission Statement?

A personal mission statement can best be A personal mission statement can best be defined as a list of guiding principles that helps defined as a list of guiding principles that helps you to live your life. As you do your own mission you to live your life. As you do your own mission statement, you will find that you begin to statement, you will find that you begin to discover more about yourself. This exercise is the discover more about yourself. This exercise is the beginning of Self-Discoverybeginning of Self-Discovery

((and should/can be included in your Personal Profileand should/can be included in your Personal Profile))

The Functions of a Personal Mission Statement

Your Personal Mission Statement should:l Define your ambitions, your goals in life; your “life missions”.l Define your talents and decipher ways to apply them to your

goalsl State your own beliefs and opinions

Your mission statement, as a whole, should act as the criteria upon which you base your decisions. Therefore, you should keep your mission statement for future reference, and make changes to it as you see fit.

The Value of Creating The Value of Creating a Personal Mission a Personal Mission

StatementStatement •It forces you to think deeply about It forces you to think deeply about your life and your purposes in lifeyour life and your purposes in life•It makes you think about your It makes you think about your values and your aspirationsvalues and your aspirations•It helps you to set guidelines for lifeIt helps you to set guidelines for life•It provides you with principles to It provides you with principles to live by!live by!•It is inspirational!!!!It is inspirational!!!!

QUESTIONS ANSWEREDQUESTIONS ANSWERED

To complete a personal mission statement is to really To complete a personal mission statement is to really accomplish something…but what is a completed accomplish something…but what is a completed mission statement? A completed mission statement mission statement? A completed mission statement usually answers these 4 questions:usually answers these 4 questions:

l What do I value in life?What do I value in life?l What are my talents?What are my talents?l What do I want from my life?What do I want from my life?l At the end of my life, what do I want to have At the end of my life, what do I want to have

accomplished?accomplished?

Understand, so far?

Before we go any further, do you have a clear understanding of what a personal mission statement is? If so,

proceed to the next slide

Things to Think About Before we move on to the tutorial, here are

some ideas to keep in mind• This is your own personal mission statement.

No one has to see it, if you do not want them to (including your teacher)

• There is no set length to a mission statement. You can be as brief (1/2 page) or as detailed as you like (no more than 3 pages); it’s entirely up to you (obviously within the stated limits)

• Idealistic goals and aspirations are Idealistic goals and aspirations are generally unrealistic. When generally unrealistic. When thinking of your goals, try to avoid thinking of your goals, try to avoid things like “I want to win the things like “I want to win the lottery”.lottery”.

• Keep the 4 questions that should Keep the 4 questions that should be answered in mind throughout be answered in mind throughout the processthe process

Now, onto the tutorial... Now, onto the tutorial...

This tutorial will guide you through a simplified version of the This tutorial will guide you through a simplified version of the mission statement process. It will explain each step of the process, mission statement process. It will explain each step of the process, give you the questions that should be asked, give examples, and give you the questions that should be asked, give examples, and culminate in an example of a finished mission statement. You culminate in an example of a finished mission statement. You should be working on your own mission statement (IN A MS WORD should be working on your own mission statement (IN A MS WORD document) as you go through this tutorial. We’ll use a symbol to document) as you go through this tutorial. We’ll use a symbol to remind you when to take some notes.remind you when to take some notes.

Whenever you see this symbol remember to take down a few notes.Whenever you see this symbol remember to take down a few notes.

This mission statement process can be completed in 7 simple This mission statement process can be completed in 7 simple steps. Here they are...steps. Here they are...

STEP 1 - YOUR PRINCIPLESSTEP 1 - YOUR PRINCIPLES

You should begin by thinking about your You should begin by thinking about your own personal principlesown personal principles

PRINCIPLE: Guidelines for human PRINCIPLE: Guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent valueenduring, permanent value

Generally, any idea that you truly believe to add overall Generally, any idea that you truly believe to add overall fulfillment to your life, and are words that you live by fulfillment to your life, and are words that you live by (affects how you live your life), can be considered a (affects how you live your life), can be considered a principle. principle. •In a MS Word document, make a list of your personal In a MS Word document, make a list of your personal principles principles

Ex. Ex. My PrinciplesMy Principles•acquire knowledge from your mistakesacquire knowledge from your mistakes•have no regretshave no regrets•remember your values when you make decisionsremember your values when you make decisions•gain wisdom from your beliefsgain wisdom from your beliefs

STEP 2 - Your ValuesSTEP 2 - Your Values

Next, you should think about your values. Next, you should think about your values. What are some of your things that you What are some of your things that you value? Values can be anything from value? Values can be anything from accomplishments to beliefs to character accomplishments to beliefs to character traits.traits.

Ex. My Values• Life• Knowledge• My views• originality

• Spiritual life• Wisdom• Self-accomplishment• Piece of mind

The more your values align with your principles, the more effective they are. Make a list of your personal values IN YOUR MS WORD DOCUMENT

Ex. Ex. My AspirationsMy Aspirationsu Experience lifeExperience lifeu Gain a wider Gain a wider

overall overall perspective about perspective about the worldthe world

u Acquire knowledgeAcquire knowledgeu Express yourselfExpress yourselfu Feel that you have Feel that you have

truly livedtruly lived

STEP 3 – Your Aspirations

What do you aspire to do in life? What do you want to accomplish? What are your goals? All these questions allude to one thing: What is your purpose in life? Make a list of your personal aspirations.

STEP 4 – Your Strengths STEP 4 – Your Strengths and Talentsand Talents

You play a lot of roles in life. You may You play a lot of roles in life. You may be a student or a teacher, a brother be a student or a teacher, a brother or a sister, a motivator or a role or a sister, a motivator or a role model: these are the exciting roles model: these are the exciting roles that you play in life. With these roles that you play in life. With these roles in mind, think of the traits that in mind, think of the traits that enable you to do certain things and enable you to do certain things and to make a contribution in life.to make a contribution in life.

What are your strengths and What are your strengths and talents?talents?

Ex. My Strengths & Talents

• I have talents in the writing field

• I have originality• I am strong-willed• I am intelligent

(insert answers into MS word document)

Step 5 – Your Habits and Step 5 – Your Habits and TendenciesTendencies

Every person is different. Everyone acts, Every person is different. Everyone acts, reacts, and does things in their own way. reacts, and does things in their own way. These parts of a person’s character can These parts of a person’s character can be called habits and tendencies. Just as be called habits and tendencies. Just as you have strengths and talents that enable you have strengths and talents that enable you to do things, you may have habits and you to do things, you may have habits and tendencies that keep you from doing other tendencies that keep you from doing other things.things.

What are your habits and What are your habits and tendencies?tendencies?

…your habits and tendencies are usually the things that are standing in your way, that are keeping you from becoming the person you want to be.

Ex. My Habits and Tendencies• Narrow-minded• Disorganized• Selfish(insert answers into MS Word document)

Step 6 – Your “Hero”Step 6 – Your “Hero”

Who is someone that you admire?Who is someone that you admire?

Who do you want to be like? Who do you want to be like?

Who is your “hero?” Who is your “hero?”

Think about someone in your life Think about someone in your life that you really admire, and list their that you really admire, and list their good qualities. Pick out the qualities good qualities. Pick out the qualities that you wish to gain from themthat you wish to gain from them

Who is your hero?Who is your hero?

……let that person be your example, an example of the person let that person be your example, an example of the person you want to become. You can include qualities that you you want to become. You can include qualities that you already have.already have.

Ex. Ex. My HeroMy Hero I pick my mom, she is my hero. I want to have her courage and I pick my mom, she is my hero. I want to have her courage and

determination. I want to have her wisdom, and her intelligence. Most determination. I want to have her wisdom, and her intelligence. Most of all, I hope to have her good heartof all, I hope to have her good heart

((insert answers into MS Word documentinsert answers into MS Word document))

Step 7 – The First Draft By now you should have all the

information you need for your very first draft of your personal mission statement (in a MS Word document). It is just a matter of putting it all together. There is no “right” way of doing this, you just have to put all the ideas into proper sentences and consider the length requirements.

Here are some helpful tips for Here are some helpful tips for writing your draft:writing your draft:

n First and foremost, remember that your personal mission First and foremost, remember that your personal mission statement is something that you are going to be referring to often statement is something that you are going to be referring to often so do it on something easily accessible…like a MS Word so do it on something easily accessible…like a MS Word document!document!

n Make sure that it is adjustable. As time goes by, your values may Make sure that it is adjustable. As time goes by, your values may change, or something else may change, so make sure that you change, or something else may change, so make sure that you are able to make changes to your personal mission statement. It are able to make changes to your personal mission statement. It would be a good idea to have it SAVED on to your student numberwould be a good idea to have it SAVED on to your student number

n Although the seven (7) steps are within a specific order, there is Although the seven (7) steps are within a specific order, there is no order to how you write it. Write in any order you like.no order to how you write it. Write in any order you like.

n Try to get in as many ideas into each sentence as possible. That Try to get in as many ideas into each sentence as possible. That way, you avoid writing a novel (consider length requirements)way, you avoid writing a novel (consider length requirements)

n Don’t worry about any mistakes.Don’t worry about any mistakes.

Here is a finished mission statement that you can use as a model:Here is a finished mission statement that you can use as a model:

I would like to truly experience life an gain a wider overall I would like to truly experience life an gain a wider overall perspective about the world. I would like to acquire knowledge perspective about the world. I would like to acquire knowledge from my mistakes and have no regrets. I would like to apply my from my mistakes and have no regrets. I would like to apply my natural talents in a writing field and truly express myself, my natural talents in a writing field and truly express myself, my view, and my originality. I would like to remember my values view, and my originality. I would like to remember my values and not let my narrow-mindedness affect my decisions. I would and not let my narrow-mindedness affect my decisions. I would like my intelligence and strong will to lead me to success. I like my intelligence and strong will to lead me to success. I would like to hide my disorganization and selfish nature by would like to hide my disorganization and selfish nature by acquiring my mother’s determination and courage. I would like acquiring my mother’s determination and courage. I would like to keep my heart pure, like my mother, my hero. I would like to to keep my heart pure, like my mother, my hero. I would like to be a faire and non-judgemental person. I would like to pursue be a faire and non-judgemental person. I would like to pursue my spiritual life and gain more wisdom from my beliefs. I would my spiritual life and gain more wisdom from my beliefs. I would like to feel a sense of self-accomplishment and peace of mind like to feel a sense of self-accomplishment and peace of mind that I may feel I have truly lived.that I may feel I have truly lived.

YEAH!

This concludes the personal mission statement tutorial. You now have the tools to complete your own personal mission statement. Go and do one (IN YOUR MS WORD document!), it will be good for you.