The Importance of a Personal Mission Statement
by DeAnna Radaj, Allied ASID, Bante Design, LLC

Steven Covey (in First Things First) refers to a mission statement as “connecting with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction that comes from fulfilling it.”

We all know the premise of the film Jerry Maguire… the title character is wrestling with a number of issues that make him question who he has become. These issues offend his set of values. In the opening scenes, sports agent Maguire goes so far as to say he hates himself -- and then corrects himself to say he hates his place in the world. So, he writes what he calls a mission statement, "a suggestion for the future of our company. Above all, the mission statement inspires him to say: "I’d started my life." As the film progresses, and the mission statement turns out not to be well received by his company, we realize that what Maguire has written is a personal mission statement for his own life rather than for his company-a suggestion for the future of his own life.

MISSION- The task, together with the purpose, that clearly indicates the action to be taken and the reason therefore

STATEMENT- a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc

Or, to put it bluntly, a “cross between a slogan and a company summary,” according to bPlans.com website (an excellent site if you need any type of business software!).

But DeAnna, you ask, I’m a small design firm (or I work by myself, or I’m with a large firm…) how does this apply to me? Very simply, we all need to have a personal mission statement in our professional and personal dealings. A personal mission statement helps you to identify your core values and beliefs. Dr Randall S Hansen, PhD, writes, “A personal mission statement is a bit different from a company mission statement, but the fundamental principles are the same. Writing a personal mission statement offers the opportunity to establish what’s important and perhaps make a decision to stick to it before we even start a career. Or it enables us to chart a new course when we’re at a career crossroads.”

I quoted Steven Covey at the beginning of this article from his book, First Things First. This book is actually about time management, but Covey and his co-authors use the personal mission statement as an important principle. The idea is that if you live by a statement of what’s really important to you, you can make better time-management decisions. The authors ask, "Why worry about saving minutes when you might be wasting years?" What a great concept! By now we should all be mad at ourselves that we don’t have one-right? Steven Covey gives a great helpful hint in going about “crafting” our personal mission statement-think about a major life milestone (i.e.75th b-day, 50th wedding anniversary…) and imagine what all of your friends and family would say about you. Scary, but easier to think about than writing your own obituary which is an exercise in some classes!

I was actually lucky enough to just go through this process with my PR person, Pamela Peeters, as we were developing a demo tape and press kit for my company and myself (and I didn’t have to think of myself as old and looking back on my life rather than looking ahead!). I had to go about the task of contacting clients for testimonials, getting press clippings…It was truly amazing to hear how people viewed me and my work and the positive impact it’s made in their homes and lives. It was also interesting to see and hear how others perceived me and my work, as well as how Pamela integrated this with press clippings, bio and segments from my workshops and interviews to create a story of my company’s message. This demo tape is my personal mission statement and how this reflects in how I conduct my business. I strongly suggest everyone get testimonials (written, taped, whatever-get release form signed if taped!) from clients and make this part of your portfolio and/or website!

Here are 5 helpful steps to creating a personal mission statement from Dr Hansen:

Step 1: Identify Past Successes. Spend some time identifying four or five examples where you have had personal success in recent years. These successes could be at work, in your community, at home, etc. Write them down. Try to identify whether there is a common theme -- or themes -- to these examples.

Step 2: Identify Core Values. Develop a list of attributes that you believe identify who you are and what your priorities are. The list can be as long as you need. Once your list is complete, see if you can narrow your values to five or six most important values. Finally, see if you can choose the one value that is most important to you.

Step 3: Identify Contributions. Make a list of the ways you could make a difference. In an ideal situation, how could you contribute best to:'

• The world in general
• Your family
• Your employer or future employers
• Your friends
• Your community

Step 4: Identify Goals. Spend some time thinking about your priorities in life and the goals you have for yourself. Make a list of your personal goals, perhaps in the short-term (up to three years) and the long-term (beyond three years).

Step 5: Write Mission Statement. Based on the first four steps and a better understanding of you, begin writing your personal mission statement.

Finally, Dr Hansen sums up the personal mission statement best when he writes, “A personal mission statement, is of course personal… but if you want to truly see whether you have been honest in developing your personal mission statement, I suggest sharing the results of this process with one or more people who are close to you. Ask for their feedback. Finally, remember that a mission statement is not meant to be written once and blasted into stone. You should set aside some time annually to review your career, job, goals, and mission statement -- and make adjustments as necessary.” You may not need a press kit or demo tape, or you may not be switching jobs, however, clearly defining who you are and what you stand for as a designer, and as a person, helps you live your life to the fullest and as Covey puts it “the idea is that if you live by a statement of what’s really important to you, you can make better time-management decisions…"Why worry about saving minutes when you might be wasting years?"

Personal mission statement: a suggestion for the future of your life. How do you want to live yours?