During my first few years at the Chinese American International School in San Francisco, the school rewrote its mission and, during the process, dramatically altered the direction of the school in many positive ways. We subsequently looked at programs through the lens of the mission, using it to guide our hiring decisions and help with our strategic planning.
This experience taught me just how powerful and inspiring a mission could be. I wondered why I had not developed a written purpose for my life. Two decades earlier, I had first read of the importance of a personal mission statement in Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I had just never taken the time to write one.
Over the next six months, I read numerous personal mission statements of leaders I respected while slowly working through the FranklinCovey Mission Statement Builder to create my mission statement.
The result not only helped me stay grounded and balanced during challenging times over the next seven years, but it also enabled me to set meaningful goals. My mission statement acted as my personal North Star, guiding my life in beautiful and profound ways.
I was recently reflecting on the need to revisit my mission statement to ensure that it captured where I am today and where I want to go. I spent several mornings early this summer writing a more concise mission statement that resonates with me deeply. Now, when I review it each morning, my heart is filled with hope and possibility. My new mission statement is:
Love deeply
Create great schools
Help others reach their dreams
I encourage you all to take the time to write your own mission statement. FranklinCovey’s Mission Statement Builder is a great place to start, but you might also be amazed by how powerful it is to carve out an hour to answer the question, “What is my life’s purpose?”