Create Your Mission Statement - XINNIX

One of the most important steps toward business success is completing a business plan. This plan provides great clarity and focus, allowing you to create a road map toward your future goals. Since success is driven by internal motivation, the very first section of the business plan goes specifically to the heart of the issue by asking you to state your personal mission statement. In other words, what is the driving force in your life?

When you set out to write your own mission statement, ask yourself, “What qualities do I want my life to exemplify?” By starting with that one question and applying to all areas of your life, you will be able to connect to what you truly want to accomplish. From there, examine the following:

• Core Values — What is important to you? To answer this question, you have to look beyond the surface. For example, people often say they are in this industry because of the earning potential and flexibility of schedule. But the key to understanding what they really value is asking what they would do with those earnings and flexibility.

• Daily Activities and Priorities — While we measure ourselves by our intentions, we measure others by their actions. Our actions are determined by our priorities, and our actions are what will actually write our eulogies. Are the decisions you make daily in line with your core values? If your eulogy were written today, how would it read?

If you haven’t already written your mission statement, we strongly encourage you to visit www.franklincovey.com. It’s an excellent resource to help you clearly and succinctly see your core values. Once you have these in front of you, your decision making and prioritizing will be much easier. If you find that your mission statement, core values and daily activities are all in line, we applaud you! If not, know that it isn’t too late to make the change. Your willingness to change speaks volumes to the person you want to be.