... compose a mission statement. It doesn’t mean your life will follow the exact pattern, but you will still have set a course for who you believe yourself to be.
-- Oprah Winfrey

Every business has a mission, a purpose, a reason for being, and this mission tells stakeholders the needs it addresses, what it values, and how it does its business – all in a mere few sentences. Without such a statement, no one who had any interest in the company – from stockholders and CEOs to employees and their families – would be on the same page, nor could the company effectively plan for its future.

Consider that perhaps our lives can be treated like that of a business, and in order to ensure our continued success – or at least our sustainability – we should develop personal mission statements that will keep us from living haphazardly and too far from the realm of reality. Consider drawing up a personal statement that seriously answers the question, “why do I exist?” A statement of purpose that is alive and upbeat because you are, thoughtful and convincing, inspiring enough that it will draw support and commitment from others, and short enough for you to remember and spout off when asked what you do makes for a powerful one and sets you far above those who go wherever the wind blows and simply take life as it comes.

Of course developing your personal mission statement would suggest that you at least have some idea of who you are, what you can offer, and what you value. Knowing what is true about yourself; being tuned in to your talents and gifts, strengths and weaknesses; and understanding your needs and beliefs and their points of origin are all necessary for constructing a personal mission statement. Without knowledge of these components, you’re simply putting a puzzle together without the inside pieces.

Barring that you’re fully aware of the above (and if you’re not, now’s as good a time as any to get started. You don’t want to be 80 years old and either not know who you are or simply resigned to being whoever rose with the sun.), your statement of purpose should be written clearly and concisely, and once you’ve got it in stone, you can set your goals and daily activities along its path.

Regularly review your personal statement to purge staleness and irrelevance, and remind yourself that doing anything other than actualizing your mission can be detrimental to your survival and success and should be eliminated quickly. Keep your mission front and center at all times and see what your future unfolds.

Sadiqqa © 2007