Author, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) made this
statement: "An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding, and it is not to be found in foreign lands,
but in the heart itself." Every
person has a mission to fulfill. Every
business, church or organization has a mission or purpose to achieve. Humankind
is made in such a way that without the awareness of our purpose in life, we
become disorientated and discouraged.
Many have lost their will to live simply because they found nothing to
live for.
Have
you ever written out a personal mission statement? This is a short, yet descriptive statement of
what you believe you are meant to do in life.
In business and in organizations, mission statements are commonplace, but even then, do people know what
they are. Think about it. Can you, right now without searching for it,
recite the mission statement of the company you work for, the church you attend
or the organizations you belong too? How
can you achieve their goals if you do not know what they are?
“The Boy Scouts of America will
prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating
citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and the Scout Law.”
Boy Scouts of America
vision statement
The Mission Statement for the BSA
is this: “The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people
to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them
the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”
Notice that it is designed to be achieved throughout the lifetime of
those who follow the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
This is
even more important when it comes to your personal purpose. What is it that you believe you are here to
do? If you allow me, I would like to
share my personal mission statement with you.
I designed this several years ago, after attending a seminar where this
principle was taught. It took me many
days to get it right, but I have not changed it and I strive to achieve it
every day:
"To be a
consistent example and teacher of personal excellence and leadership
skills. To live a life that will show
the reality of Jesus Christ in the life of a believer."
When I
am setting goals, creating action plans and looking at my future, this is my
starting point. If I stray from this, I
know I am heading in the wrong direction, no matter how good it may seem. Your mission statement is your anchor and your roadmap.
If you have
not made a personal mission statement, here are some tips on doing this. First, please understand, you will not be
able to do this in a few minutes. This
can take days, maybe months to get it right.
What is right? Right is where you
know inside that this is what you are meant to do. It is creating something that is narrow
enough to give you direction and guidelines, yet broad enough to allow you to
be creative and expand in the future.
What do you love to
do? Your purpose will not be
something you hate. It is your dream,
your passion, and your life. You may not have been in a place to fully do
this yet, but you still can.
What are your
strengths? Do not waste time trying
to be strong in areas that you are weak.
Find where are you already strong and build on that. What do you do well?
How will this affect
others? Remember, your purpose is
not just to make you feel good and give you the things you want. You are here for others first. If your
mission does not make the lives of others better, you are missing the point.
On your
first try, you may have a full paragraph
or even a page to work with. In the end,
you want to bring it down to one or two sentences. You can use the two statements above (mine
and the BSA) but do not copy them. This
must be your purpose, your statement.
You
matter! You matter to the world and to
yourself. Remember to be your best, love
God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.
Scouting Out of Uniform
is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to
personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The
Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the
Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting
for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal
Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To
read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him
to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com. © 2019 John Patrick Hickey
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