I wanted to offer this as food for thought for anyone who is interested in taking a step into focusing creative and personal goals.....
Enjoy the exercise!
Developing a Mission Statement
As one year has come to an end and the next has just begun, this is a perfect time for reflection and setting plans for the fresh year ahead! Looking forward, take a moment to draft up a "mission statement" for 2008 and beyond. Grab a journal or a blank sheet of paper and take a moment for yourself to explore your personal plan of action. Make sure to write with no boundaries and try to brain dump as many ideas as you have before narrowing down choices. You can use the following questions as a guide to brainstorm the most fitting statement of your core goals.
What are the top 3 goals you want to accomplish in the next year?
What are 3 steps you need to take in order to begin each of these goals?
What core values do you find the most important in your life?
What kind of a difference would you like to make in your time on this planet in your own life and in the life of others?
What inspires you the most? What makes you feel truly happy?
Imagining that there was nothing stopping you, what would be the ultimate height of what you want to do and/or
create in your lifetime?
When you are finished, take a few moments to brew over everything you have written, scribbled and drawn. Are there any themes that jump out at you? What core values seem to take precedence? Of everything you have jotted down try to compile a concept into 3-4 sentences on what your main statement of purpose is. Also remember that this is never a final draft as the year progresses you will more than likely adjust according to new developments and realizations. Make sure to keep your papers! It is always inspiring to look back and see where a new idea has begun.
Why a Mission Statement?
I believe a statement of purpose is important to develop as we go through life because it is too easy to fall into a daily grind without truly focusing on what matters to us the most. By committing to a mission statement we are committing to giving our life intent and purpose. Taking the time to evaluate what means the most to us will help keep us on track in living life parallel to our dreams.
Enjoy the exercise!
Developing a Mission Statement
As one year has come to an end and the next has just begun, this is a perfect time for reflection and setting plans for the fresh year ahead! Looking forward, take a moment to draft up a "mission statement" for 2008 and beyond. Grab a journal or a blank sheet of paper and take a moment for yourself to explore your personal plan of action. Make sure to write with no boundaries and try to brain dump as many ideas as you have before narrowing down choices. You can use the following questions as a guide to brainstorm the most fitting statement of your core goals.
What are the top 3 goals you want to accomplish in the next year?
What are 3 steps you need to take in order to begin each of these goals?
What core values do you find the most important in your life?
What kind of a difference would you like to make in your time on this planet in your own life and in the life of others?
What inspires you the most? What makes you feel truly happy?
Imagining that there was nothing stopping you, what would be the ultimate height of what you want to do and/or
create in your lifetime?
When you are finished, take a few moments to brew over everything you have written, scribbled and drawn. Are there any themes that jump out at you? What core values seem to take precedence? Of everything you have jotted down try to compile a concept into 3-4 sentences on what your main statement of purpose is. Also remember that this is never a final draft as the year progresses you will more than likely adjust according to new developments and realizations. Make sure to keep your papers! It is always inspiring to look back and see where a new idea has begun.
Why a Mission Statement?
I believe a statement of purpose is important to develop as we go through life because it is too easy to fall into a daily grind without truly focusing on what matters to us the most. By committing to a mission statement we are committing to giving our life intent and purpose. Taking the time to evaluate what means the most to us will help keep us on track in living life parallel to our dreams.
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Miami
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Thu, January 17, 2008 - 1:22 PMthanks for posting this here -- i'd been trying to figure out how to get this off the sidebar of your email update....
lots of changes coming this year! -
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Thu, January 24, 2008 - 6:13 AMI'm excited to hear what everyone came up with........anyone get a chance to put one together yet?! :) -
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Fri, January 25, 2008 - 12:49 AM*Ack* - I haven't quite gotten used to the idea of it being Jan. 08 yet.
I'm going to do these - really, I will ;~) -
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Wed, February 6, 2008 - 12:44 PMCome on...come on.....don't be shy!!!
;)
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Sat, February 23, 2008 - 9:46 AMHi everyone! This was challenging. Really, how do you sum up the goals and aspirations of your life into just one statement? And therein lay the trouble, at least for me. Goals imply an an end result, and aspirations are things you hope for. A goal is what you attach your mission statement to and mission statements are not aspirations but a reflection of what you are meant to do and be. So once I got over that hurdle, I found my mission statement:
"To experience, preserve, highlight and enhance what is beautiful, just and compassinate in our natural world and in our communities"
I hope everyone feels the clarity and lightness that I experienced when my mission statement revealed itself to me. Joy to you all! -
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 12:51 PMThanks for posting this Penny...you have such an eloquent way with words :) I agree with your insightful statement about the clarity that comes in the process of creating what essentially acts as an umbrella of direction over everything we strive for in our lives. Mission statements are just one way of bringing to light the intentions behind our passions and actions. They are in a sense a summation of what matters most to us and what we seek to represent. I guess with all of that it is no small task to come up with one so.....Congratulations!!!
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Sat, March 1, 2008 - 1:42 PM"I must continue to follow the path I take now. If I do nothing, if I study nothing, if I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it— keep going, keep going come what may."
"But what is your final goal, you may ask? That goal will become clearer, will emerge slowly but surely, much as the rough draft turns into a sketch, and the sketch into a painting through the serious work done on it, through the elaboration of the original vague idea and through the consolidation of the first fleeting and passing thought."
-- Vincent van Gogh -
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Fri, May 9, 2008 - 1:21 PMThis is absolutely a work in progress and each time I revisit it I have a little more clarity. Working towards a Mission Statement really helped solidify my direction and enabled me to prepare for what was in store. I knew where I wanted to go and made a plan of how to get there and what I'd like to accomplish once I got there. With very little effort a door opened for me. Because I had a plan I was able to immediately and confidently step through.
In February I relocated, new place, new job, knew no one except my family. I was starting from scratch with dancing, friends and work. At that time I made 1-, 5-, and 10-year goals. By May I will have made significant progress towards my 1-year goals. In February they seemed to be overwhelming and required a tremendous amount of work. Back to the plan and Mission Statement development. Knowing where I wanted to go is the first part of getting there. Thank You. -
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Re: Cultivating Creativity: Developing a Mission Statement
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 1:26 PMThank you so much for sharing this Colette! I wish you the best in achieving your dreams/goals one step at a time. It seems you have made amazing progress already...congratulations! It truly is amazing what we are capable of once we give ourselves direction and the permission to succeed. What I love about the process of developing a mission statement or something that is personalized, but within a similar vein is that it funnels our energy where we truly want it, and the rest is just stepping out of our own way to make it happen! I believe we are all innately creative and once we start the spark of positive motion flames of inspiration will rise along our path giving way to even more potential for growth and happiness.
Life is constantly evolving and to remain flexible to the many options that present themselves while maintaining clarity on a path of personal fulfillment is the duality that can drive us forward or at times overwhelm us. Revisiting our personal action plan is important because even though core values may not fluctuate significantly, as we accomplish goals and discover new ones, the mission statement development can act as a meeting ground for the life potential we want to achieve. Without direction, so many beautiful potentials can be lost, due to the mere technicality of not planning out action and walking forward with intention. Wanting and doing need to combine forces to make what we wish for possible...which is exactly what you are doing :)
Thank you Colette ......
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