“To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.”
– Oprah Winfrey’s personal mission statement
Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, explained the importance of a person’s mission statement – a short statement that summarizes the life you want to live, the impact you want to make, and who will benefit from it.
Sit for five minutes and meditate on the previous exercises we’ve done.
Your big picture.
Your desires.
Your values.
Your strengths.
Then write whatever comes to you as your personal mission statement.
Make like Natalie Goldberg – keep your hand moving, don’t cross out, lose control!
Here’s what I wrote for mine. I hope you have nachos cuz it’s cheesy (but I love it):
If all the world’s a stage, then I want my life to be a performance that inspires people to discover their own magic; to rewrite their stories.
I want to travel, sharing what I know & giving advice. I don’t have to change completely one person each day; if I can inspire a new way of thinking – if I can plant just one seed – I know it will be enough. I trust that their minds are fertile & the right ideas will take when they need to.
I no longer feel the need to push people thru the door – I don’t even need to show them the door. I can just let them know that doors exist.
What’s your mission statement, dear reader? Feel free to share in the comments below!
And happy hump day!