Personal Vision and Mission: Purpose Statements

Many businesses have both a Vision Statement, the aspirational WHAT we most wish for, and a Mission Statement, the HOW do we get there.  Apple Computers, known for their beauty and simplicity, had both components beautifully and simply stated in their original Vision Statement:

“To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”

The Vision, the aspirational WHAT is “to make a contribution to the world that advances mankind.”  And the HOW, the Mission, is “by making tools for the mind.”

It’s useful and fun to craft our own, personal Vision and Mission statements, our Purpose. They can serve as a North Star, a reminder of who we are and what we most value. They can also help us make decisions and take actions that are in-line with our Big Why, our Purpose—which job to take, which place to move, why to have a difficult conversation and how to go about it.

These statements can evolve or change dramatically over time, though my own has been stable for many years.

These statements also apply to various realms, from work to family, from how we spend our time to how we spend our money.

For instance, mine is:

What? (Vision)

I envision a world that celebrates the beauty of human imperfection.

How? (Mission)

Through play, joy, and creativity, I express my love for the fragile, courageous, and imperfect beauty in all of us, so that we may love ourselves, make art, and heal others.

I help people by teaching them the communication skills they need to show up as their full, perfectly imperfect selves.

I feel like these principals guide me in my work as a communication coach, but also in my relationships and how I spend my time.

This week, let’s play with our own Personal Vision and Mission. It’s OK to be wildly aspirational and creative.

• Start with our Vision: WHAT is our most aspirational, even lofty, dream for ourselves, others, or the world?

  • I envision a world where…

    I envision a life of…

    I help people…

    I believe deeply in creating…

    I have a DREAM…

• Then, play with our Mission: HOW do we get there? What actions do we take?

  •  I use my…to…

    I create…

    I listen…

Please share what you come up with!