Writing a Personal Mission Statement That Starts with Your Why

If you’ve been keeping up with this blog, you might recall that I choose a different “word of the year” every year for my goal planning and personal growth. I wrote about it recently in this article.

This year, I am focusing on the word “becoming.” Acknowledging that I’m a work-in-progress is a big part of that word, as is the concept of setting goals based on the kind of person you wish to be, rather than just goals based on things you’d like to do.

As I go along this path of self-discovery and goal-setting, I have committed to reading different books that will help inform my journey. This months’ book was “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek (#AD).

This book, like many of the ones I have on my reading list this year, is actually geared toward business leaders and entrepreneurs. But, what I have learned is that many of the concepts in these business-centered books are just good advice for anyone who is hoping to excel in their personal goals.

Below, I list some of my takeaways from this fascinating book and then give some ideas for how to incorporate starting with why in our own lives through writing personal mission statements.

Start With Why

This book is really about leadership- why some leaders are effective with a clear message that attracts followers or customers and why some have less effective messages and outcomes. In short, the book reveals that we tend to be attracted to companies and leaders who clearly convey a purpose that resonates with us on a personal level.

The Golden Circle. One of the most fascinating concepts of the book is “the golden circle,” a set of three concentric circles that represent the three facets of what leaders and businesses do. At center of the circle is “why.” There are no gimmicks or fancy definitions of this term. “Why” simply refers to why you do what you do. It can apply to everything from products that a business makes or a person’s decision to start a nonprofit. The “how” is the means by which the “why” is carried out. Finally, the “what” is the product or service produced. Sinek explains that most businesses tell us what they do or make and how they make that happen, but when they fail to articulate (for themselves, and therefore to us) the “why” at the center of it all, they are unlikely to inspire loyalty or attract the kind of people who can keep their businesses thriving and growing.

Biology. Rather than focusing on the psychology of how businesses promote services and their customers perceive them, this author taps into a concept that I’ve heard a lot about at seminars I’ve attended on mental health. He explains that, as humans, we tend to make most of decisions using not the rational, more evolved parts of our brain, but one of the most ancient parts- the limbic brain. I won’t get into the science of it. Just note that in human evolution, we started out like most animals, with a reliance more on intuition than intellect. And, when it comes to making decisions, that same intuitive part of us tends to pull the reins. In short, we tend to go with our gut feelings rather that our rational minds when we make decisions. It explains why we might be loyal to one brand when another makes a similar, cheaper, or even better product. When a company or leader has a clear “why” behind whatever message they’re sending or product they’re selling, that resonates more with the gut instincts of the audience or consumers they are engaging.

Being Consistent With Your “Why.” Throughout the book, Sinek lists many examples of individuals and organizations that have what he calls, “clarity of why” (Apple, Southwest Airlines, Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr.). So, it’s not enough to know your why, you also have to be able to communicate it clearly so that others can understand and receive its message. Once the “why” is clear, Sinek explains that you move on to being disciplined in “how” you go about focusing on your why (in other words, constantly keeping your “why” as the focus) and being consistent in the “what.” So, all that you do and the messages you send out also need to be in line with the “why.” As such, the “why” is more than just an explanation of your beliefs. Those core values — your why– need to be consistently reflected in all that you do. You basically need to walk the walk and not just talk the talk, as people can tell when you’re not being sincere or true to your stated message.

These are just a few of the basic tenets of this book, and they are harder to apply than you would think. But, I think just the notion of figuring out your “why” and being able to articulate it is so helpful in providing focus for our goals.

And, if you don’t have time to get the book or listen to the audio version, you should definitely check out the TED Talk the author gave on the subject here. Or, check out the author’s website, which has lots of resources and courses you can take on this subject and others related to leadership.

Personal Mission Statements

Most companies and organizations have mission statements to help their management and employees understand what they are trying to achieve. Mission statements are one to two-line sentences that sum up the purpose of an organization and how they achieve that purpose.

Having a personal mission statement can provide us with our own personal reminder of what our own purpose is and how we plan to achieve it. A personal mission statement can be general or related to a specific aspect of our lives. Here are some ideas for personal mission statements:

Career. This is probably the most obvious place that people think about writing a personal mission statement. Work can either be a means to a living, or it can mean we feel alive when we are doing what we love. No matter what work you do, there can be a why behind it, and this can inspire you to keep going or do better at your job. More importantly, it can help turn your job from a career to a calling.

Personal. Yes, you can make yourself the object and beneficiary of your mission statement. This means that you are directing yourself, like a leader, and using a mission statement to remind yourself of your ultimate purpose in doing the things that you do. Some examples might include being a life-long learner or loving yourself so you can more genuinely love others.

Family. Our families may be a small unit of people, but for those of us still raising kids or managing a household, leadership in family groups is important. As such, we can help to identify our values and goals by writing a mission statement about our role in our families and the why behind our family goals. Your mission statement may be about creating a loving home or fostering respectful relationships.

Faith. If you believe in having a spiritual life, it can be helpful to identify the why behind the rituals and traditions you have engaged in. By investigating our why (for example, to become closer to your god or higher selves or whatever you believe in), we can to engage in more meaningful and intentional spiritual experiences.

Finances. Not having any direction when it comes to your money can lead to frivolous spending or missed opportunities to save for important goals. A financial mission statement can help remind us of our purpose in earning and spending our money. Simply defining the  “why” for your money will allow you to determine what you do and do not want to do with it.

What to Consider in Writing a Personal Mission Statement

Before you put pen to paper to create your mission statement, exploring some of the questions below can help identify the true “why” that makes up your purpose:

• What are my strengths, talents, and gifts? What am I good at?
• What do I enjoy and lose myself when I do it? What brings me joy and satisfaction?
• What values and principles guide my decisions related to the following:
  • How I vote.
  • Charities and organizations I support.
  • Places where I volunteer.
• What am I interested in learning about?
• What kinds of books, TV shows, podcasts, or websites do I spend my times exploring?
• What captures my attention on social media?
• Who are my role models? What about them attracts me to them?

Writing Your Own Mission Statement

There are many websites that break down the structure of a mission statement. For me, they are a very simple statement that includes two things- Why and How.

The simpler and more direct mission statements I have seen that actually make an impact on those who read it usually start with “To.” This word is placed at the beginning of the statement, just before the “why.”

That may be the whole statement. However, if there is a second part of the sentence, it usually has a word like “by” or “through,” which refers to “how” the organization or person intends to achieve the why.

Here are some examples of mission statements from successful businesses and people:

Southwest Airlines: “To connect People to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.”

Disney: “. . . to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.”

Microsoft: “. . . to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.”

Amazon: “To serve consumers through online and physical stores and focus on selection, price, and convenience.”

Costco: “. . . to continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices.”

Oprah Winfrey: “To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.”

These are all short statements, but each word has been carefully chosen to communicate the values and purpose of the person or company.

To write your own mission statement, think about your why or your purpose in doing what you do (or perhaps the “why” behind something you plan to do in the future such as a goal you’re working on). Limit yourself to one to two sentences and write it in the “to . . . by/through . . .”

Here are some examples for personal mission statements:

Family: “To raise compassionate children by being an example of kindness and love in my home.”

Career: “To foster a love of life-long learning among young people by teaching middle school students how to think critically.”

Finance: “To achieve financial freedom through careful budgeting and frugal spending habits.”

Whether you have a general statement for your personal goals or one related to a specific aspect of your life, having a personal mission statement is a great way to distill your purpose and help you refine the way you intend to get there.

Once you have a mission statement written out, let it guide you in your goal-setting and daily decisions. As Sinek points out, let what you do and how you do it reflect your why.

Also, remember that your mission statement is not set in stone. You can tweak and revise it as you learn more about yourself and your why.

Are you open to writing a personal mission statement? Have you written one already? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a link and make any purchase on Amazon, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you which will help me maintain this website. 😊

** Images of the word Why and the Priority Cards were found on Pixabay; images of woman with mission journal and sticky notes on Woman sign were found on Unsplash.

© Plan On The Sunrise, Vidalia Patterson, 2020. No part (including, but not limited to articles, photographs, and graphics) of this site, PlanOnTheSunrise.com, may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the express permission of the copyright owner.