Personal Mission Statement: Tips for Personal Vision Statements

A personal mission statement is a concise write-up that outlines what you want to accomplish, how, and why. Unlike a corporate mission statement—a public-facing declaration—a personal mission statement is usually just for you. It gives you a concrete overview of your goals and core values to keep you motivated and focused on a daily basis and in the long term. Your mission statement can be one sentence long or an entire paragraph. It can have a singular focus or cover multiple areas of your life, from aspects of your professional life like short-term career development goals to new opportunities and personal strengths you want to develop over several years.

There is not a one-size-fits-all personal mission statement template. Each statement depends on the individual's work-life or personal development goals. In this personal mission statement example, Malala Yousafzai—the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the activist behind the nonprofit Malala Fund—demonstrates her desire to create positive change in the world; her personal vision statement is: “To serve and help others. To facilitate the education of every girl on planet earth.” Personal mission statements can focus on:

1. 1. Long-term goals: Many successful people craft long-term mission statements that combine their personal and professional goals. For example, “I want to combine my Mexican heritage, passion for food, and experience as a professional chef. I will spread the love of traditional Mexican food in the lives of others through inspiring cooking classes.”
2. 2. Personal growth: Effective people craft personal mission statements to motivate them and keep them focused. An example of a personal statement that can be a positive daily affirmation to help you establish a balanced life is: “I want to be a more patient parent in my everyday life, using mindfulness to slow down and appreciate the small moments.”
3. 3. Professional objectives: There may be a significant difference between your personal and professional goals, so you may choose to write a separate mission statement for your career. An example is: “To use my clinical healthcare training to educate women about mental health, to be the most effective team member I can be through hard work and creative problem-solving and decision-making.”

Follow these steps to craft your own personal mission statement:

1. 1. Determine the scope. Before you begin, decide the goal your mission statement will address. Ask yourself the following questions: Are you aiming to establish a career goal or a general personal goal about your life and well-being? Are you hoping to unlock the best version of yourself as an employee, a friend, a loved one, or an entrepreneur?
2. 2. Outline your goals and personal values. Once you establish the scope of your statement, dedicate time to thinking about your life goals and personal values. Outlining your long-term goals gives you a framework to help you align your personality traits, strengths, and values with your plans.
3. 3. Brainstorm how you’ll accomplish your goal. Your mission statement can be a broad motivating statement or a detailed roadmap of how you’ll achieve your goal. Either way, talk with mentors to help you craft a plan with methods and techniques to help you achieve your goals.

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