I’ve been reading Stephen Covey’s book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. In it he talks about the importance of developing a Personal Mission Statement. This is a missive of your goals, values and desires. It is the person you wish to be.
As a result of reading this book, I have begun to draft my own Personal Mission Statement. As Covey says, “I am the programmer, thus I write my own program.” I must decide and design what I stand for in my life. Am I REACTIVE or PROACTIVE?
Your Personal Mission Statement is your personal constitution; the standards by which you live your life. When the world around you is in chaos, you are still solidly grounded by virtue of your foundation.
You are not swayed and persuaded from what you value most. Defining who you are at your core can take weeks or months. It requires great introspection and deep objectivity. Just like the constitution our country is governed by, it is a set of distinct principles. It is “a complete and concise expression of your innermost values and directions” according to Covey.
Your mission statement becomes a solid expression of your vision and values. It causes you to think deeply through your priorities. It is total self-awareness and extremely empowering.
To write your Personal Mission Statement, break your life down into specific roles areas. Identify goals for each of those areas. These roles might include your career, personal (wife, husband, Mother, Father, friend, neighbor), community roles, i.e., public service, political, or volunteering. What about those roles are important to you?
After you identify your roles, then you decide on long term goals. These roles and goals are unique to you. Do not develop these roles and goals in order to gain acceptance from some outside force. Focus on results rather than activity. Identify where you are now and then where you want to go.
“Roles and goals give structure and organized direction to your personal mission,” says Covey. Start out with identifying two or three important results you wish to accomplish in each area of your life. From there, begin to draft you mission statement.
In my next posting, I’ll tell you HOW to draft your Personal Mission Statement.
Tags: 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, Chaos, Concise Expression, Constitution, Desires, Introspection, Missive, Mother Father, Neighbor, Objectivity, personal mission statement, personal mission statements, Priorities, Programmer, Roles And Goals, Self Awareness, Stephen Covey, stephen R Covey, Term Goals, Virtue, Wife Husband
