Introduction
As you’re already aware, I reference books a lot when I want to convey a particular message.
This blog entry is no different.
Many conversations, podcasts, mentors, books and so on, all in some form or another explain that a personal mission statement (or a company mission statement for a business) is absolutely vital to a well performing and “effective” daily operation.
This is why I 100% believe that every human being on the planet should have a one.
Most people may already have one, they may live up to it in every aspect of their life, however they may not have it written down and clearly visualise it.
Where I Learnt the Importance of a Mission Statement
The beloved book reference.
I learnt this concept initially through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by author Stephen Covey (where you can find information about all of his books and work here and by clicking on the image below).
If you have a copy of the book or you have purchased one and are waiting for it to arrive, you can get all the information about the way Stephen explains the process of writing a personal mission statement in Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind.
After reading the book for the 3rd time (first 2 times were through an audiobook), Habit 2 was the real stand out.
It hit a nerve and prompted me to sit down and really understand who, why and how I wanted to be the person I wanted to be, for me, my family, my friends and for my community.
Why Is This?
Why is a personal mission statement so important?
A mission statement is a core understanding of why anything exists.
It is the foundation to which all the values and belief systems are built upon.
Without a brief statement which describes what you want to achieve or do in this world, how can you go about outwardly doing something?
Therefore, why you need a mission statement is to have a clear vision of what it is you or the business are going to do, why you do it and how you do it (which leads back to entry number #7 3 (three) powerful questions to ask yourself when creating a blog).
No Easy Matter
Unfortunately, I have bad news.
Writing and coming up with a mission statement is by no means, easy.
If you’re looking for a quick fix here, you’re definitely not going to find it, and I apologise in advance for that but I am being completely transparent.
The process is quite long and involves deep reflection and energy to accomplish, but once completed, it becomes the pillar to which you will make every decision thereafter.
Please do not lose motivation to finish this to the end, as it is one of the most important reflective things you could ever do.
Instead of going through life doing what you think is the right thing to be doing but getting nowhere, you can read back your statement and know instantly whether you are fulfilling your mission or not.
When it comes time to make a decision, it becomes that much easier.
It ultimately allows you (or the business) to act according to these principles and values.
In any given situation or circumstance, you can take a step back and read your mission and know whether what actions you are taking are in alignment.
This has dramatically changed the way that I think on a daily basis, and has radically improved my way of living.
After a lot of deep reflective thought, and really coming to terms with who I want to be in my life, I came up with the following:
My Personal Mission Statement
“My mission is to live every day to the absolute best of my ability and to bring as much value and contribution to the world as humanely possible.”
Ty Buckmaster – 2020
To execute my mission, I will:
Seek to improve myself every day, in any way possible – never stop learning, never “retire”
Practice gratitude in every moment of my life
Always do my best
Possess a growth mindset at all times
Be a compassionate, empathetic and loving person to my family, friends and anyone or anything that I come into contact with
Provide support and help to anyone in need
Put health and family first, never neglecting myself
Be humble in any successes and achievements
Be honourable in any failures
Ensure I always maintain an impeccable attitude
Balance my family and career to the best of my ability
Always be proactive and never reactive
Listen more than I speak
Put myself in the others person’s shoes and aim to deeply understand
Act rationally and calm when in emotionally driven or heightened situations
Use problems, issues, mistakes and obstacles as opportunities to learn
Always be a teacher, passing on my knowledge, education, experiences, skills and learnings often
Always ensure that I have a high level of health and fitness both physically and mentally
Respect every person, regardless of who they are or where they’ve come from
Laugh as much as possible
Keep my promises and commitments
Apologise sincerely when I am wrong
Live in the present moment and practice mindfulness
Take 100% responsibility for every decision I make or have made – I am who I am because of the decisions I made 5 minutes ago, 3 months and 10 years ago
Understand each role I have in my life; as a son, as a brother, as a partner, as a friend, in my career roles, as a cousin, as a grandson, and ultimately as a role model and/or a student
You can find my Personal Mission Statement on my about page here
Let me know what your Personal Mission Statement is?
And how you determined it?
