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3 Tips for How To Write a Personal Mission Statement

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Look round the habitable world, how few Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursue!

Benjamin Franklin
Importance of Personal Mission Statement
Look round the habitable world, how few Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursue! Benjamin Franklin

Having a meaningful personal mission statement is an important part to mindful and fulfilling life. Benjamin Franklin pointed out that few know their purpose, and even if they do know it, even fewer pursue it. These ‘how to write a personal mission statement’ tips will help you in identifying your purpose and creating your personal mission statement.

The three tips identified here are simple, and yet very powerful. They will help you in writing a good personal mission statement that you can reference over and over. They consist of the following three steps:

  1. Identify what you want to be remembered for
  2. What character traits you would like to see in yourself
  3. List the accomplishments you would like to achieve

Simply taking the steps will put you among what Benjamin Franklin called the ‘few’ that know their purpose and knowing it pursue it.

The masterpiece of man is to live to the purpose.

Benjamin Franklin
live to the purpose.
The masterpiece of man is to live to the purpose. Benjamin Franklin

Imagine Your Ideal Life

Begin with imagining yourself at your 80’s birthday party. Imagine all of your closest friends and family attending. Its a big celebration and everyone is there to wish you a Happy Birthday and say something wonderful about you and your accomplishments. Think about what you would like to hear about yourself at that time.

This exercise will help you think through the type of person you would like to be. Think through what you would want to achieve, and how you would like to be remembered. Follow the next three tips for writing a powerful and meaningful mission statement.

  1. What would you like to be known and remembered for?
  2. What type of comments about your character would you be most pleased to hear?
  3. Which accomplishments in your life would you be extra proud of?

Tip 1 Identify What You Want To Be Remembered For

Thinking back to the 80th birthday party. The first question you should answer is what you would like to be known and remembered for.

Everyone has different dreams and aspirations. Therefore your legacy is as unique and as individual as you are. This means, there are no wrong answers.

Once you figure out what you want to be remembered for, write a statement that inspires and guides you on your path through life. This statement should reflect your legacy.

Examples of Personal Mission Statements

  • Live a life filled with compassion and love towards all living things.
  • Live a life focusing on what is most important, do not live in the past nor in the future, be present in each moment.
  • Inspire others with my actions and never forget who I am
  • Don’t take life too seriously and help others experience joy.
  • Learn something new every day and share love and knowledge with others.
  • Positively impact the life of every person I meet.
  • Encourage and help others believe in possibilities. 

Reminder, there is no such thing as a wrong mission statement. Whatever you choose to write needs to be meaningful to you.

Putting the Information Into Practice

In the Effluo Quarterly Planner this portion of the mission statement is located on the top of the page block.

Tip 2 Identify Your Core Values

Once your personal mission statement is written, next step in ‘How to write a personal mission statement’ is identifying your core values.

Think back to your 80th birthday party. When you think of what comments you would like to hear about your character when people are describing you, these are the core values you want to focus on writing down.

Knowing your core values and what character traits you want to see in yourself will guide you in your character development. These can also be used in your daily affirmations.

Examples of Core Values

Putting The Information Into Practice

In the Effluo Quarterly Planner this portion of the mission statement is located in the Be… section of the mission statement. List the qualities you value and would like to see in yourself.

List of Core Values
List of Core Values

Tip 3 List Your Accomplishment and Achievements To Reach

Once your personal mission statement and core values are written down, the final step in ‘How to write a personal mission statement’ is identifying the accomplishments and achievements that you would like to reach.

Think back to your 80th birthday party. What achievements in your life would you be most proud of? These are your accomplishments and achievements that you should be focusing on. These will become your goals that you will want to focus on.

To help in identifying the achievements, think through the different roles that you play in your life. You can be a parent, a student, a child, an employee, an employer… etc. As you are writing down your achievements, consider the achievements in different areas of your life.

Examples of Accomplishments and Achievements

  • Visit every continent
  • Run a marathon
  • Start my own business
  • Become a CEO of a company
  • Reach financial independence

Putting The Information Into Practice

In the Effluo Quarterly Planner this portion of the mission statement is located in the Accomplish & Acquire section. This is where you can list the goals you see yourself achieving.

Accomplish and acquire
Accomplish and acquire

Review and Reflect on Mission Statement Regularly

Let us, then, be up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity.

Benjamin Franklin
Life purpose
Let us, then, be up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity. Benjamin Franklin

Once the mission statement is written, values and goals are identified, do not set it away and forget it. Review your mission statement regularly.

As you go through your life you will set different goals. For every new goal you set, ask yourself how it fits into your mission statement and if the goal complements your values. 

Use this as a guiding post for everything you do. Revisit it at least every three months and update as needed.    

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Comprehensive List of Core Values 

  • Accountable
  • Adventurous
  • Affectionate
  • Ambitious
  • Approachable
  • Attentive
  • Authentic
  • Brave
  • Calm
  • Competent
  • Competitive
  • Content
  • Creative
  • Curious
  • Decisive
  • Determined
  • Ecologically aware
  • Efficient
  • Elegant
  • Faithful
  • Fearless
  • Flexible
  • Friendly
  • Frugal
  • Generous
  • Giving
  • Grateful
  • Great communicator  
  • Harmonious
  • Helpful
  • Kind
  • Knowledgeable
  • Loving
  • Loyal
  • Nurturing
  • Optimistic
  • Patient
  • Physically active  
  • Religious
  • Respectful
  • Responsible
  • Secure
  • Self respecting  
  • Serene
  • Sophisticated
  • Spiritual
  • Thoughtful
  • Trustworthy
  • Truthful

       

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At Effluo, we study the teachings of great historical figures to get inspired by the lives of history’s greatest minds.

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