The Power of Creating a Personal Mission Statement

James Cash Penney, the founder of JC Penney, created his around a simple mission statement: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you” — the Golden Rule.

Mr. Penney said, “Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals, and I'll give you a stock clerk.”

He understood the importance of having goals that reflect your mission. Having a clear mission allowed him to stay focused and build a successful business in which he could take pride. 

Missions statements are created to answer two questions: “Why do we do what we do?” And, “How can we do it?” 

Just as it’s important for your business to have a mission statement, it’s just as important to have a personal mission statement. Having a clear vision of your mission will enable you to reach your goals without compromising your values. 

So, how do you create a personal mission statement? Here are some things to consider:

1.) Determine what values are most important to you. This should be more than just about making money. Dig deep and explore your core values. What do you never want to compromise?

2.) Look at others whom you admire. Think of someone you admire - it may be a historical figure, a public figure, or even a friend or a family member. What qualities make them admirable in your eyes? Try to adopt those qualities into your mission statement. 

3.) Look in the mirror. Take a good long look at the person you see. How do you view yourself? How do others view you? What is working for you? Incorporate the characteristics that you are most proud of into your mission. Also, look at what you could do to improve. Incorporate character traits that you are currently lacking but are desirable to you. You’ll be surprised how well you improve on something once it is stated in your mission. 

4.) Hone in our your purpose. This one can be hard but think long and hard about this one. What is it that you are here for? It may be to build an empire. It may be to inspire others to live a better life. Or, it may be to work hard and take care of your loved ones. Your purpose is your choice, but make sure to be clear and decisive when determining what it is. 

5.) Create specific outcome-focused goals. Now that you’ve determined what’s important, whom you want to model, whom you want to be, and what your purpose is, it’s time to set some goals. When creating goals, be very specific and write them down. Create both short-term and long-term goals. Create goals for multiple areas of your life: business, relationships, financial, spiritual, health, and happiness. 

For example, here’s my mission statement:

Most important values to me: To live my life with integrity, humility, and grace.

Living like those I admire: To believe in others and mentor others - as others have believed in me and mentored me. 

Looking in the mirror: To give more than I take. To be thankful for the little things, and remember that every day is a gift. To put God first, family second, and business third.

Honing in on my purpose: To educate and motivate the go-getters and the go-givers, not for glory or money, but because we all need help.

Goals: To always be working to improve my spiritual life and my personal relationships. To exercise every day and eat healthy food to fuel my body. To grow my business and be innovative with new ideas to make a positive impact on as many individuals as possible.

Remember to always continue crafting and improving your mission statement. This is something you live by, and it truly holds power. We'd love to hear your personal mission statement with us in the comments. 

Moving Forward, 

Jeff Roach

Office: 214-206-1169

Cell: 817-897-0681

Email: [email protected]

Website: brooketraining.com 

*Some of the information from this article was inspired by this source: Live Bold and Bloom.