Mission & Vision Statements “Let your life speak.” -Old Quaker saying Adapted from Personal Mission Statements from Vantage HRS for the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services

What is a personal mission statement? INSIGHT #1: A personal mission statement is personal… If your personal mission statement is going to have value for you, you have to make it personal. This is not something that you are doing for your parents, friends, or teachers. This is your chance to explore what you want to do with your life and the figure out how to get there. Mission Statement

Key Considerations… Keep an open mind : Mission statements can sound corny, grandiose, and flowery, but the words you choose can also motivate you tremendously. This is an “inside job”: Don’t waste time comparing yourself to others. Exercise patience: It can take years to clarify your mission and purpose…this is just the beginning of the journey! Mission Statement

Listen to your Inner Voice Quotes to Ponder “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you...” “I must to my life telling me who I am. I must listen for the truths and values at the heart of my own identity, not the standards by which I must live— but the standards by which I cannot help but live if I am living my won life…” There is a great gulf between the way my ego wants to identify me, with its protective masks and self- serving fictions, and my true self.” Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation Mission Statement

INSIGHT #2: A personal mission statement is a mission… Webster’s defines a mission as… “any important task or duty that is assigned, allotted, or self-imposed” “an important goal or purpose that is accompanied by strong conviction; a calling or vocation” As you consider your mission statement, think of it as an objective or duty that is unique to you and you alone. Mission Statement What is a personal mission statement?

Your personal mission statement should be based in what matters to you the most, what you want to do with your life. Consider the following quotes… What is your purpose in life? Life purpose is the reason we’re on this planet. It is the thing we are meant to accomplish, the gift we are meant to bring. Co-Active Coaching, pg. 241 The parts of our mission here on Earth are shared by all human beings: e.g., we were all sent here to bring more gratitude, more kindness, more forgiveness, and more love into the world. We share this mission because the task is too large to be accomplished by just one individual…” How to Find Your Mission in Life Mission Statement What is your mission in life?

Your personal mission statement comes from inside. It should be tied into what matters most deeply to you. Take a piece of paper and write down what you are most passionate about in life. Think about why you are drawn to it. It doesn’t have to be something big or even something that others would consider important. It just has to be important to you! Mission Statement Exercise 1: What are you passionate about?

Questions to ask yourself about your… VALUES: What motivates me as a person? As a student? OBJECTIVES: What do I expect to be the outcome/impact of my efforts? LONG-LASTING IDEALS: What habits, attitudes, or methods mark my most successful achievements? What are my plans for developing improving, enhancing myself? Exercise 1: What are you passionate about? Mission Statement

Objective What are you here for? Values Why is your purpose yours? Long-term ideals What has made you and will continue to make able to achieve your objective? Exercise 2: Writing Your Personal Mission Statement

Tips to consider… Clearly convey your personal values Inspire yourself toward your goals/objectives Use long-lasting values, not fashionable statements (be timeless) Keep your statements clear and easy to understand Exercise 2: Writing Your Personal Mission Statement Mission Statement

Mission statements convey PURPOSE Mission statements drive our LIVING Vision statements convey DESTINATION Vision statements drive our PLANNING Mission vs. Vision Mission & Vision Statement