What is your mission?
We are warriors, knights, Braves and Samurai trapped in the modern world, and like the warriors of the past, we need quests, goals and a solid Mission.
I first heard the word “mission statement” spoken about a big corporation I worked for. The purpose of their mission statement was to give the employees a uniform guideline for their level of service to the customers, build value in their jobs and keep an eye on the bottom line…boring stuff.
I think a mission statement is a great thing to have, but when you work for a large corporation who is going to lay you and your friends off the moment that the bottom line cuts into their golden parachute, it’s a bit hypocritical of them to try to encourage unity and loyalty. To them, I say this…
Hey RISCORP, Teltronics, Southtrust Bank and Retrieval Dynamics, you guys are all dead and gone for a very good reason, you didn’t really think through your philosophy. Instead of expecting devotion and loyalty from your employees, you should have been devoted and loyal to them. You lacked the most important virtue (some of you missed EVERY virtue), Humility. All of these companies were involved in questionable practices, acted all high and mighty, like they couldn’t fail, and they are all gone now, either gobbled up or folded and shredded.
So if these guys are all gone, why am I talking about mission statements? I believe a corporate mission statement should be unnecessary. Corporations should walk the walk so powerfully, they don’t have to talk the talk. I should be so blown away by what they do that I can’t hear what they say.
I feel the same way about people too, but a personal mission statement is a great step in developing an idea of who you are, so that then you can comfortable “walk the walk.” A personal mission statement will have three parts.
- What you do
- How you do it, and …
- Why you do what you do
I think a personal mission statement is an important step in establishing who you are. You needn’t even share it with others. It’s a guideline for you, how you set your goals, treat the people around you, carry through on your operations and accomplish greatness.
A mission statement is different from a vision statement. Once a mission statement is truly defined and tested, it is unchanging, where a vision statement changes based on fluid goals and life changes.
Here is mine:
- Influence others by living life of high moral code and guiding them to find their own inner warrior…
- Through structured martial arts classes along with a smattering of stories and anecdotes…
- To live life in the best way I can and to help my community and my world, one student at a time.
So now that we got that done. What is your personal Mission Statement?
