Tips for Writing Your Perfect Personal Mission Statement

Updated June 18, 20221.1k

Your personal mission statement defines your values and goals. Do you know how to write a great personal mission statement? These tips and hints will help!

Personal Mission Statement

The right personal mission statement could be your most powerful tool when it comes to reaching your full potential and long-term goals. In fact, according to Stephen Covey, best-selling author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, a good mission statement is crucial to gaining and maintaining success. Here’s what you need to know about personal mission statements and their uses.

What is the Point of a Personal Mission Statement?

A personal mission statement is a short, one or two-sentence statement of a person's core values and life goals. The point of creating your own personal mission statement is to provide some structure and guidance for your daily life and future. A good mission statement should help you to develop a robust decision-making process that guides your progress and encourages efficiency in both the long and short-term. In short, the point of a personal mission statement is to help you to be the best version of yourself every day.

The Features of a Personal Mission Statement

Every mission statement is unique to the person who created and informed them by their personal vision for the future. It is most common for people to create a personal mission statement to encourage career development and cultivate career goals. However, it is possible to create a mission statement focused on well-being or personal development. No matter the focus, every mission statement should include:

1. The significant difference you want to make

Think about what changes you want to make and where you want to make them. Do you want to live a balanced life? Or would you rather make a difference in the lives of others by championing sustainable energy? There is no right or wrong answer; you simply have to know what areas of your life you want to change.

2. The people you intend to benefit

Who do you intend to benefit? Are you trying to improve your own quality of life, or would you like to make a difference to a specific group of people? For example, would you like to further the fight for accessible healthcare and education, or would you like to care for your mental health on a daily basis?

3. How you will create value

What steps will you take to reach your career or personal goals? Remember your personal statement should be about long-term goals, so it will take hard work to reach them. The idea is to balance ambition with realism in order to create a mission statement for everyday life.

With this in mind, examples of a personal mission statement could be:

1. To write stories that represent the reality of day-to-day life for underprivileged children and use the profits for their benefit.
2. To inspire young men to be their best selves every day and provide an example of excellence.
3. To create content that gives solid, traceable facts to the masses in a non-politically affiliated format.

How to Use Your Personal Mission Statement

Once you have created a mission statement that suits your needs, whether it is a corporate mission statement or one that focuses on your personal life, you need to put it to good use. There are a number of ways that you can use it to keep you balanced and ensure you meet your long-term goals without sacrificing your quality of life. Here are some places where you can put your mission statement to good use:

Your career
Your resume
Your academic career
Your personal life
Your hobbies and extracurricular activities

You can even include your personal mission statement in your social media accounts (for example, your LinkedIn profile), or discuss it in professional meetings like job interviews. Your personal mission statement is a representation of yourself as well as a reminder of your goals; it works best if you keep it close to you at all times.

FAQ: Personal Mission Statements

What is the difference between a personal mission statement and a vision statement?

A personal mission statement is a fairly fixed statement that inspires how you live your day-to-day life. A vision statement is a long-term statement that inspires your goals and changes as you grow.

Which influential people have personal mission statements?

Many influential and successful people have personal mission statements that showcase their values, ethics, and goals. Some of the best-known people with personal mission statements include Maya Angelou, Walt Disney, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Amanda Steinberg, and Malala Yousafzai, whose mission statement is:

“To amplify girls’ voices and ensure that every girl has access to twelve years of free, safe, quality education.”

Reading examples of personal mission statements of well-known people can be helpful when writing your own.

Should I have multiple personal mission statements?

You can have as many mission statements as you see fit. For example, you could have a personal mission statement for work, school, and your private life. This may be beneficial overall because you are unlikely to have the same goals in your corporate and family life; therefore, it makes sense to separate your mission statement in each sphere of life.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.