#31DayReset Day 6: Write a Personal Mission Statement

This post is Day 6 of the 2012 edition of the 31 Days to Reset Your Life Challenge. Learn more and sign up here.

Over the past few days, you’ve taken two important steps toward developing a personal mission statement: identifying your values and envisioning your values in action. For most people, it is truly an eye-opening process to write out your values for your life and then compare them to how you actually balance your priorities. Today, you will put the exercises from Day 4 and Day 5 together to complete your personal mission statement. But what, exactly, is a personal mission statement, anyway?

Personal development website Dumb Little Man offers this great definition:

Your personal mission statement should be a concise representation of what’s most important to you, what you desire to focus on, what you want to achieve, and, ultimately, who you want to become. In its purest form, it’s an approach to your life, one that allows you to identify a focus of energy, creativity, and vision in living a life in support of your inner-most beliefs and values. Also remember that your mission will change over time as you and your life change.

I developed a personal mission statement a few years ago and it literally changed my life. Since then, I have helped hundreds of people develop their own personal mission statements in my workshops and it is often a life-changing process for them. There’s something really powerful and empowering about being able to say YES or NO to opportunities that come into your life based on whether it fits within your personal mission and how you want to live out your values.

Estimated Time to Complete: 30-60 minutes

There are many ways to go about creating your own personal mission statement, but this exercise will take you through the same three-step formula that I use in my workshops.

Values + Values in Action = Personal Mission Statement

Now that you’ve identified your values and what your values look like in action, you should now take at least 30 minutes to write your personal mission statement. Take as much time as you need to reflect and write out your mission statement. It can be short-term or long-term, and should encompass your values and how you’d like to express them in your life. You don’t have to use ALL the values in your Reset 10 if you don’t want to. It may serve you best to only include your top three or you could include all 20 of the ones you came up with during your brainstorm.

The statement itself can be as short or as long as you think it needs to be, but the process and the final statement should serve to help you make different kinds of decisions about how you will live your life from now on. And remember, it will continue to change as YOU change over time, so don’t worry about it being perfect and final. This should be a work in progress, just like you!

As an example (please don’t feel like you have to do yours this way), here is what my updated personal mission statement looks like:

I value learning, independence, travel, creativity, achievement, and social change. I deeply appreciate laughter, good food, music and poetry in my life. I especially value authenticity and love in myself and others. Before I die, I want to have made a positive impact on the world for young people, women, and people of color. As a writer, speaker and coach, I will use my one life to affect many lives by helping people realize their goals and dreams. In my work and life, I will always tell my truth and make space for others to tell theirs. In my journey to empower others, I will not neglect my own family, friends, finances, health, or spirituality. I will remember that love is the only religion and that forgiveness is the highest form of love. And that fear means GO. I will remember that failure is only failure if you don’t learn anything and that nothing is ever so bad that you can’t get up and dance when the music comes on. And I will always, always choose love over fear.

Take Action and Reflect: When you’re done, please share your personal mission statement with us in the comments! How did you feel as you were writing it? If you blogged about today’s assignment, please post the link in the comments so we can read it.

Want All the 31 Day Reset Exercises in One Place?

The Reset Workbook contains all 31 daily assignments in one place as well as 28 printable worksheets to supplement the material and help you complete the daily exercises. The workbook is 60 pages long and comes in an electronic, ebook format.

For those who may wish to go at their own pace, this workbook allows you to have all the assignments at your fingertips in addition to the opportunity to connect with others who are doing the 31 Day Reset program here on the blog. There are also a few bonuses, like the full version of the Life Mapping Workbook with a video training!

Buy the workbook here.
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38 comments

  1. In my life I will live with joy instead of circumstantial happiness. Through showing love for myself and others in my thoughts, actions, and speech, I will strive to leave this world better than I found it. I want to create lasting relationships and value the relationships that God has put into my life as well as focus on His will for my life. Through living in the moment, living life in a healthy manor, and applying the gifts he has bestowed upon me will instill the joy in my heart that I will carry all the days of my life.

  2. My personal mission statement:

    “It is important that I grow spiritually while keeping my family and true friends close. I will be transparent with them and allow them to do the same. As a journalist, a mentor and a leader, I will increase my awareness on historical and current events, be loyal, lead by example and maintain iron-sharpens-iron relationships. I will live a life of love, modesty, cleanliness and organization, but I won’t be afraid to be myself, be spontaneous and have fun, even if I have to do it alone. I will do my best at this moment by persevering and keeping my eyes on the prize through hard times, so I can be in the best place for my future, in which I hope to be financially independent, married and continue to leave a lasting positive impact on everyone I encounter.”
    Read my latest blog post…10 values

  3. Short and sweet.

    “I change me so others may change”

    This exercise got me to thinking about a manifesto. I love manifestos. So, I spent most of the morning working on one. I will share when I finish.

  4. My Mission Statement: I value my relationship with God and will honor it by continually having a consistent prayer life; reading, studying, and meditating on His Word; and by attending church regularly to establish a fellowship with His people. I commit my all to my marriage & family. I vow to be there for them in any way they need me to be and to better communicate. I value my friendships both old and new by finding ways to continue the growth of the friendship. I want to make more time for the friendships in my life. I want God, my husband, family, and friends to get the best me they possibly can get. I will continue to “Live in Love” by learning what love looks like and doing everything in love. I will love with no restrictions, restraints, or expectations. Wisdom is an attribute that I can’t get enough of. I will continually look for new ways of thinking, challenging old ways, and not being afraid of admitting that I don’t have all the answers. Loyalty is a quality that means a lot to me and I want to honor it by being there 100% for the ones I am loyal to. I will always evaluate myself and find areas that I can grow in; always being honest with myself about what I need to work on with a positive mindset. I will challenge my creativity by being bold, expressive, trying new things, and being confident in my work. I will work on being a healthy me by eating right, exercising regularly, and learning what living healthy looks like. Lastly, I put forth major effort into making me happy. I can’t rely on others to do something I’m not sure how to do myself. I will define what it means to be happy for me, what happy looks like, and put it into action. I am determined to live happily in love, being creatively me, constantly growing for those who I cherish and adore – God, my husband, kids, family, and friends.
    Read my latest blog post…31 Day Reset Challenge – Day 1

  5. My personal statement might look a little weird but momma likes it! (Momma being me, and no, I don’t have any children) LOL! Anyyyyyyyyy whooooo, here is my personal mission statement:

    Accomplishment, Happiness, and Personal Development are all qualities that I find to be significant in my life. If I had my life to live over again, I would take my time and learn to just be in the moment. I would not compare myself to people and situations and feel like I should be where they are or that I should have already surpassed them. I would take the time to enjoy and celebrate the accomplishments that I have made in my life so far, instead of having a constant attitude of “it’s not enough”. More importantly, I would learn that it’s ok to not know what I’m doing or what my next step is going to be. I would just be happy with the progress that was already made. I would focus more on my friendships and familial relationships. I would also be more affection towards those I’m close with. I would travel to new destinations at least three times a year. I would make it a daily goal to work on myself: physically, mentally, spiritually, and financially. And most importantly, I wouldn’t be scared to live my life. And though I only have this one life to live, I will make sure that from this day forward, I will no longer let my fear of the unknown or failure take precedent over my life.
    Read my latest blog post…31 Days to Reset Your Life: Day 6

  6. I was so happy to create my Personal Mission Statement. At work, my division have been working on Theory of Change, where we have to come up with our vision and mission statement. I thought to myself, this would be a great exercise for my own life! Thanks to HBW, it reminded me to do my own. So, here it is:

    Day 6: Personal Mission Statement:
    It is my personal mission to be the best person I can and am meant to be. I value Love, Family, Spirituality, Happiness, Humanity, and Financial security. When my life is done, I want it to be said that I did the things that honored those values. I want to have made a difference in the lives of young people, women of color, the community from which I came, and influenced people to want to contribute to positive change in the world. I want to have known and have given love unceasingly. I will know no fear and will have done the things with my life I have always wanted to do: Act, Speak, and Write. In my journey to empower myself and others, I will not neglect my own family, friends, finances, health, or spirituality. I will remember that love is the only religion and that forgiveness is the highest form of love. I will remember that failure is only failure if you don’t Try and that nothing is ever so bad that you can’t get up and try again. And I will always, always choose love over fear.

  7. For your enjoyment, my personal mission statement. I tried not to be so hard on myself in putting it together, like I would be with other writing projects. This time, I stayed purposeful, intentional, and attentive…while remaining quiet and composed. I did not stress out about this; I did not put it down to pick up later. I stayed focused on it throughout. For that, I am happy.

    http://hittheresetbutton2012.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/day-6-reset/

  8. I value developing a relationship with God, being a good wife and a parent who inspires her children to love other people. I also value making sound financial decisions, experiencing other cultures, being true to myself and others, and experiencing authentic joy. I want to be remembered as a loving individual who sought first to understand, who used her talents to support others as they sought to understand themselves and their roles as women. I will help young people (beginning with my own) to understand and internalize all that they can become and to support them as they grow to become. I will seek varied cultural experiences to develop my understanding of the fullness of life and share my learning with all who I encounter. As I work to help others I will be especially attentive to my husband, children, friends, and family and nurture a loving connection with each. I recognize that all things begin and end with God and therefore I will begin my journey with Him and will submit to His will as I strive to grow. I accept that I will stumble and may fall but will always be able to get back up somehow and so I will walk out this mission in optimism and with determination.

  9.  I took a break to play extreme home makeover “spring break edition” and I am glad that I did! My boys rooms are awesome and it’s nice to see them nestle into their own personal space. (Eboni…Caleb just got his big boy bed!) I went back and did days 3-4 over and then did 5-6 just now. Day 5 was wonderful. I rated myself very low on my values but feel that I was being honest. I totaled my points and of a possible 100 I had 30! After actualizing my values in steps I found that in some cases I hadn’t even considered what I needed to do to “get right” but I knew I wasn’t living up to the expectation that existed in my mind. I have clarity now. When I wrote my action steps for my value “being a good wife” I actually paused. I thought to myself, “Am I having to write this down…really?” The mission was a challenge in that I had to find a way to put all of the pieces together. My first draft will follow this post. I look forward to reading about others.

  10. My personal mission is definitely a work in progress, but here’s the latest draft:
    I value my relationship with God and family, perseverance and balance. I want to grow so close to God that I only want what he wants for my life. I will submit to his will and guidance. I want to invest in my family as much as they have invested in me. My motivation is not only mine, but theirs. I will tell myself I’m great, I’m unique and I’m beautiful and I will believe it! I will not let life happen to me, but I will happen to life. I will learn to dance in the rain because I know at the end there’s a beautiful rainbow. I plan to study hard and pass the test the first time. However, in learning from every mistake, I will not allow disappointment to discourage me. When asked “will I ever quit?” my response will always be “NEVER!” I will not be mediocre in my excellence and I will live, laugh and love with all my might. And as for my dreams, I will live them just for fun!

  11. I am catching up on my 31 Day Reset….Here is my letter to my lizard Brain. I used the template given as an example but it says exactly what it needs to say!

    Dear Lizard Brain,
    I’ve been noticing you popping up at certain points in this challenge and in my life. It seems like every time I want to do something for my own happiness and growth; you show up to tear me down.
    For instance, when I tried to start my business two years ago, you showed up in the form of procrastination, an unhealthy relationship, numerous distractions and plain old fear. I wanted to see it through, but instead I sabotaged my success by not actively pursuing new relationships with like minded individuals, sketching, sewing and exploring my creativity.
    Another example was when I tried to change my life by taking on new projects at work and you came along in the form of self-doubt. I knew I wanted to shift gears, but instead, you told me that there wasn’t a need for my ideas and that I was duplicating efforts.
    So I see what you’re doing and I don’t like it. Yes, I know that you’re afraid of change. You’re afraid of what will happen if I succeed. But what you have to understand is that whatever happens in my life will work out for my good. I was put here on earth for a purpose and you are keeping me from fulfilling that potential.
    Well, until now, you have.
    I will no longer allow you to stop my progress in living my ideal life. So the next time I see you, I will simply give you a nod and go on about my business.
    It’s been nice knowing you, but now it’s time that we part ways.
    Sincerely,
    Tai

  12. My Personal Mission Statement

    I hold in the highest regard God, my family and friends. I will always stay true to myself by allowing my creativity to continue to fuel my fire and guide me in advancing my career and my quest to becoming an entrepreneur. I will use the gifts granted to me to create happiness in my life and those around me. I will always seek spiritual and financial growth and share that knowledge with those around me. I will not let fear prevent me from taking necessary risks and trying new things. I will remember that it is never too late to start over and the only failure there is is not attempting to do something. The path I take in life is my path and no one else’s. I will not compare my path to anyone else’s path. I will take control of my life. I will always love myself and do what I love.

    • I like this mission statement because it’s clear and to-the-point. May you accomplish all that you desire as you live out your mission.

  13. I am committed to making art that educates, heals informs and entertains. I am devoted to art, family, laughter, books, satire, fresh air, fresh foods and warm water. Mainly I value authenticity and realism. During my life I have enjoyed making an impact on my family and the city of San Francisco. I strive to communicate with the world through this pledge drive and the transparent crowd funding fundraising of our six documentary films.

    My artwork is inviting and inspirational and I surround myself with like minded people. I stay away from sources of stress jealousy hate and envy. I reject the principle that show business should be based on making others feel inferior, and during this journey I wish to give as many hugs as I receive. I see the bigger picture and I know that children are watching, as I have entertained a generation of San Francisco thus my personal responsibility towards them is based on the principles of kindness, appreciation and hard work and above all, individuality. Don’t do as I say, do as I do.

    During this pledge drive journey, where I am expressing so much vulnerability with so many eyeballs on this project, I make sure to have proper rest and proper nutrition. If I could, I’d marry my juicer! I remember love, kindness and support and return it. I always am creating and I always chose love over fear. Above all, this entire body of work, everything, is dedicated to Evangelist Helen L. McCarter, my mother and the pillar of our large family, though she is currently off planet, and has a documentary in production devoted to her life and the silent epidemic of elder abuse, she continues to inspire and comfort me with her legacy of selfless devotion to family.

  14. I value love in its purest form. I love to love and want to love and be loved. I value people that choose to not only think before they speak but who just plain ole think for themselves. I value people who are genuine and loyal….who are not just getwiths and yes sirs….who will let me know when I am right and when I am wrong and love me through it all. I am a very giving person and therefore value and appreciate other giving folks, whether it is time, money, services etc I will share my story… my triumphs, my pains, my successes before I die. I will continue striving to help those around me whether they realize they need help. I will continue reinventing myself and opening myself up to new possibilities. I will not let the lizard brain win nor will I ever dim my light again. I will continue to push through my pain and step out of my own way.
    Read my latest blog post…31 Day Reset ~ Day 6

  15. My mission statement
    I value my personal relationship with God, my family, friends and people that show up in my life. I make sure I give them the best of me. I value being in the present, creating my life and empowering myself and others by learning, sharing and discovering new things. I love sharing life’s beautiful feelings, in music, poetry, dancing, cooking for family and friends, art and cultures. I want to leave a mark, a legacy of compassion and inner beauty and seeing God in each person’s face, inspire kids and young people especially in Africa, more than anything to believe in themselves by realizing their worth. I will live in truth and authenticity, shine my light so others can shine theirs. I will always put God first, my family, friends, health, happiness and overall well being will always be important to me. I will live with an open heart, and remember to cherish my time here, life is a gift, to always smile and create beautiful memories along the way.

  16. I finished my mission statement!!I will probably update it over time but I think right now it really reflects who I am and what I want out of life and for my life.
    Read my latest blog post…Guiding my life

    • I was created in love and made to make manifest the love of God. My life’s passion is to share that love through my service in the child welfare community, my church community , and the life I build for my daughters. It is to be embodied in my leadership, evident in my relationships, and demonstrated in my presentation of myself to the world. I will wield it to support and uplift women, children and mothers in need in the form of education. An education which highlights more than just what is learned in a book but which emphasizes the lessons of life and the spirit; the importance of having a voice and using it to edify, valuing your temple and treating it as such, loving yourself and using that as a basis to loving anyone else. When I have done these things I will have made manifest the glory of God that is within me and fulfilled the purpose for which I was created.
      Read my latest blog post…Guiding my life

  17. I always put myself last. I will not do that anymore. I dont wish to be the center of attention but I do deserve to be treated fairly with love and respect. If I dont love myself I can not expect that from anyone else. I will put me and my heart first and embrace all of me (flaws and all). Poetry, music, travel (mentally and physically), writing, aiding people in theirhappiness, and growth fulfills me..so thats what i’ll do.

  18. Joined in for February.

    I value all manifestations of love in my life, so I will make sure that I remain honest and open with the people I love. I will take care of myself and my health, diet, appearance, and mental stability. To do this, I will not work to please others, I will work to meet my goals and follow my mission. At the same time, I will think outside of myself so I see the bigger picture of my actions and inactions. I will be kind to everyone regardless of how I am treated or how I feel because a smile and kind words really can make a difference. I will always pay myself and will always continue to learn and to share my knowledge with others.
    Read my latest blog post…Brother from another mother

  19. My sons are extremely important to me and I deeply appreciate their presence in my life. Spending quality time with them is paramount and therefore I set boundaries around all other obligations so that when I am with my kids, I am “with” the kids. They will graduate from college and I will complete my degree. We are voracious readers and critical thinkers who learn from every day living as well as formal education. I am leaving a legacy of blessings and wealth for them and future generations by being intentional; telling them they are loved, praying with them, studying God’s word with them, teaching them to serve others and finding God’s plan for their lives.

    Ministering to others in the way that God has gifted me requires that I pray, study and be prepared. I am teachable, humble, and courageous. God has shaped me to be creative. I will take risks and not limit nor edit myself. Prayer unlocks the door to my creativity. I ignore negative criticism, whether from others or myself. I put the time in to do the work pushing through the difficulties and barriers.

    I earn, live and give abundantly because I am self-disciplined. I am grateful for all the blessings of wealth, health, family and friends. I am content and appreciative of what I have. I tithe faithfully and with joy. I am happy and positive and I surround myself with like-minded people. I must stay away from sources of anger, jealousy, envy and hate; may it be from a person, situation or thing. I am honest with my finances and sincere with my relationships.

    My house is an inviting location where good food, great fun, life change and growth is fostered and shared. My friends and my sons’ friends are always welcomed and enveloped in love.

    I love myself and take time for me. I get enough rest. I celebrate me. I give to me as much as I give to others. I do things that I like simply because I like it.
    Read my latest blog post…Team Londa

  20. As an active community member, I deeply value my community, service, collaboration, and openness. I will make relationships with community members, express my ideas for social change, network, receive help from others, and put ideas into action. In doing this, I will use my time wisely and carefully choose which projects to work on. I value freedom, healthy living and peaceful environments. While pursuing my passions, I will not neglect to make my own choices, express my ideas freely, and have time and space for personal reflection and stress free living. I will make time to nurture my mind, body and spirit every day. I value my relationship with God and friendships. I will make time to renew my spirit and have a deeper relationship with God. Creating time to travel, spend time with friends and being open with my feelings will strengthen my friendships. To be economically secure, I will pursue my dreams of being a business owner, finish college, spend my money wisely, and create a solid budget to follow so I can have an economically sound future. My future starts today….

  21. here i my mission statement. i have to keep reminding myself that it’s a work in progress!

    I value family, friendships, community, and faith. I deeply appreciate laughter, music, good food, and culture. I strive to serve my community and my God. I act not out of fear, but out of love. I am beautiful, smart and capable of accomplishing all the things I set out to accomplish. I value social justice and fight for the equal treatment of women. I do this through writing about and connecting with women from all walks of life. In my work, I will always speak truth to power as well as actively listening when other people tell their truth. I am committed to living my best life, one where happiness and sense of humor are pivotal.
    Read my latest blog post…Sh*t White Girls Say…To Black Girls

  22. I made my mission statement more of a marketing advertisement to myself. Here is a snippet:

    Jennifer, you are full of worth. You are beautiful, friendly, intelligent, and a good person. You deserve to be happy. Jennifer, remember, you choose whether to be happy or not. So, choose to be happy. …Your ancestors suffered, fought, and grew so that you can be where you are today. Know that you came from the courage of a great people.

    Do not be afraid to fail. Failure is the springboard to success. Learn everything you can at every moment.

    I have an additional few paragraphs. I just kept going and going. I have printed it out and keep it in my purse as consistent reminder.

    Enjoy!
    Read my latest blog post…Goals 2012: Becoming that ‘hold my head up high when speaking because I know I’m bad’ Communicator

  23. Pingback: #31DayReset Day 6: Write a Personal Mission Statement « Love Bran

  25. My personal mission statement is as follows:

    I am working and striving towards being successful in all areas of my life. The relationships that I have with my family and friends will continue to grow and be filled with love. I will continue to use my creativity in everyday life and sharpening my skills and talents. Most importantly, not living in fear, but being completely honest and living life to the fullest.

    I know that my statement will change…probably within the 31 days it takes to complete this challenge. For more on this post and the previous days, check out my blog: http://walkingthroughhoney.blogspot.com/p/31-days-to-reset-your-life-challenge.html

  26. Time management is important to me. With proper time management I will nourish my relationships with God, my husband, my children and my family and friends. Time mangement will allow me to maintain physical fitness through working out. Time management also allows me to maintain a clean home. Along with time management I value financial security, morality, health and integrity. With proper time management on my side, I will excel in all other areas of my life.
    Read my latest blog post…Day 6

  27. I value knowledge, growth, integrity, justice and fulfillment. I deeply appreciate authenticity, vision, action and creativity. The love that I have is for myself, as well as others. Because my passion and purpose lies in helping others, I will use my talents of writing and speaking to advocate for the oppressed and always seek to find justice. I am passionate about the empowerment of women, children and people of color and will use my voice to bring attention to injustices and solutions for change. However, in my pursuits for social change, I will not neglect my health, family, finances or friends. These things and people give me the tenacity I need to continue at my best. I will seek a higher understanding of things I don’t understand and voice solutions, not more problems. In addition, I will treat inaction as the only real failure. Everything else is a learning experience. By living my life in accordance with my personal mission statement, I will be fulfilled, joyful and content.
    Read my latest blog post…31 Day Reset: Day 6

  28. Today is day 6 and I have to create my mission statement. I have created mission statements before, but in all honesty I have only made a personal mission statement twice. Well, three times. Twice at workshops through my job and once on my own.

    I think we all should have a person mission statement. I’m glad this was part of the challenge.

    I will strive to give back in all forms possible; uplifting, respecting and encouraging others. I will become balanced spiritually, physically and mentally to be the best person that I can be in order to raise a well-rounded son.

    I’m feeling really good about this challenge.

    My statement is posted at http://soulxposed2u.com. I will also be using this personal mission statement form my other website. This is also an blog topic for also. Thanks for the inspiration.
    Read my latest blog post…Day 5 Challenge

  30. This was a very helpful process for me. I have written mission statements for organizations and even for my business but never for myself. It was a challenge! Here’s mine:

    “I am a wise woman who creates a life rooted deeply in family, community and spirituality. I believe in discovering and creating words and opportunities that connect me and my clients with our greatest potential. I do this through writing, coaching, teaching and speaking to others who are meant to connect with me in my life and work. I live my divine, soul purpose and continue to walk a path of integrity. I am open to the gifts of an abundant Universe. I live a rich life and I take opportunities to laugh often and to love myself and others without fear or judgement.”

    Thanks Rosetta for this amazing and transformational experience!

    Laurie

  31. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing my personal mission. This was such a powerful assignment. I am in a place in my life where I am diligently trying to align my life to reflect my consciousness and the truth that I seek to live by. Writing/creating my personal mission really synthesizes the process for me. I am so happy I decided to participate in the reset.

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