Napoleon Hill called it your “definite purpose” and now we call it a mission statement.
It’s mostly used by business to define the mission of the brand or business. I recently started reading a book called “Principles” which is what it sounds like – a book about principles. It essentially touches the same idea – that humans work well with a guiding mantra for their life – a mission statement.
It sounds DAUNTING, I know. “How do I define my life and what I stand for in one short sentence?!” But it’s actually somewhat simple. It’s a statement built around your:
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Beliefs
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The kind of person you are/want to be
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Principles
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Priorities
Why a mission statement for your life can be so helpful is because it is a guidance system by which all decisions can be measured.
As I mentioned business have them. Starbucks’ is “Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” What I like about mission statements is that they transcend goals but they can change! It’s like having a compass in your pocket to pull out when you start to feel confused or overwhelmed.
It allows you to define the terms on which you will live your life and it will make decision easier because you have defined who you are and what you stand for.
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