What is your purpose in life? Why do you exist? Why do you do what you do? From personal experience, people who understand their “WHY” can withstand any “HOW” and “WHAT.” Your Mission Statement is your purpose and direction in life. If done properly, it can motivate you, your organization, or your team, to passionately be committed and move forward.
If you know your purpose, you are more focused and inspired to overcome any problems that may come up. Your mission statement is timeless, while goals, strategies, and tactics may change, your mission and purpose stay the same. Here are some examples of mission statements:
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (pharmaceuticals) – “To discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases.”
- ConocoPhillips (gas/energy) – “Our mission is to power civilization.”
- Walgreens (drugstores) – “To be the most trusted, convenient multichannel provider and advisor of innovative pharmacy, health and wellness solutions, and consumer goods and services in communities across America.”
- Nike (athletics) – “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”
- The Dow Chemical Company (chemicals) – “To passionately create innovation for our stakeholders at the intersection of chemistry, biology and physics.”
We all want a meaningful purpose in life. Here are some tips to help craft yours. Take the time to craft a good, concise, and one that is easy to remember. Reflect on these questions and consciously decide how you will write yours!
- Imagine your funeral is taking place, what would you want people to say about you? What would you want your best friend to say in your eulogy? What do you want your headstone to say?
- When do you feel most fulfilled in life? What are you doing?
- What do you have a passion to do in life and feeds a hunger that you have?
- How do you want to make a difference in this world?
- What is compatible with your values that you have?
The answer to these questions is your mission and purpose in life!