Coming Into 2021 With Intention, Purpose and Priority

In business, mission statements are used to define the purpose, culture and goals behind the products and services offered. Each decision, practice and policy is then created from the mission statement.

What if you operated according to a personal mission statement? Or, do you already, and you did not even realize it?!

A personal mission statement defines your identity through your values, morals and priorities. First, consider how you make decisions now. Do you consider your values? Are your decisions weighted more around your short-term versus long-term priorities. Think of a personal mission statement as your personal vessel of principles, ethics and standards. It represents what you stand for and what you believe in. Then, statement is then reinforced by the way you act.

Let's start by assessing how you spend your time. Is the way you spend your time in alignment with your values and priorities? Let me give you an example. I often hear that health and family are two high values and priorities in life. Yet, upon completing a time audit, the amount of time spent on improving or maintaining health, or time spent with family does not appear to be priority. The time audit then forces you to look at the credibility of your choices. It can be a very eye-opening activity to participate in to measure how you spend your time in relation to your values and priorities. The same is true when we assess how recreational activities and money management align as well. For instance, someone with a high value for wealth, but continues to spend beyond their means would not be in alignment with their value.

The next area to focus on is your environment. How much of your values, morals and priorities factor into how you create your surroundings? Think about the choices about where you live, the industry you work in, how you decorate your dwelling, the car you drive, the clothing you wear, etc… Quite often our environment is the visual presentation similar to the brand of a business. Your environment also indicates your energy, vibe and conveys your attitude.

Finally, let’s reflect on with whom you spend your time. How do you select people to be your friends and be in your network? A great starting point is to consider do you see who you spend your time with as a choice or an obligation? A second layer of a time audit specifically measures the amount of time spent on meaningful activities and relationships. Think about your favorite people in your life. Perhaps make a list of who these people are. Next to the list, write an approximate date when you last spent quality time with them. Finally, create a secondary column to record the estimated frequency of time spent with each person. Now assess, how do you feel about the time and frequency you identified? Does it reflect the value you put on the relationship?

Crafting a personal mission statement is a great activity to complete, especially at this time of year, when we often feel filled with hope and promise about the upcoming year. A personal mission statement is not meant to perpetuate a proposal for perfection. In the same way no company can avoid a flaw or shortcoming. The personal mission statement embodies your intention, and binds your identity with your integrity. This is a statement to guide your thinking, your decision-making and add intention to be your best self.