“The key is not to prioritize what is on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

Stephen R. Covey

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Most of us are busier than we’d like to be.

The real question is:  Busy doing what exactly?

But how do we schedule our priorities?

If or when Life doesn’t do it for us, one of the best ways to do this is to write down your own personal mission statement.

Why?

Because if you don’t, you are running the risk of drifting aimlessly and without direction on the ocean of life.

A personal mission statement is simply a promise that you make to yourself directed towards goal achievement. It gives you the necessary focus in different aspects of your life, to attain those goals that you have always desired but never been able to achieve. You may call it a goal setting tool that helps you develop a vision for your future. The only way you can appreciate the effects of a personal mission statement is by writing one and experiencing the advantages it gives you.
How?

Writing a personal mission statement is simple, but writing a good personal mission statement is what is going to take a little time. Though it is meant to be short, choosing the right words and drafting it in a concise manner requires some time as well as the need to follow these tips:

Determine your Passion: Some of you may not be aware of it, but you’re sure to have some kind of passion, some driving force to get you where you want to be. First identify this driving force. Then point out things you are naturally good at, or things you like doing, or both. Some of you may be creative, socially active, or good managers. Whatever you think your abilities are, make a note of them.

Determine your Principles and Values: Principles guide the manner in which you go about attaining your goals. When you make a note of these, you are promising yourself to follow these to give you a direction toward your final destination. These principles also help you decide the kind of impact you want to have on the people around you, the causes you are passionate about, and the virtues that you think are necessary to achieve your goal. An important note to make is that principles are simply guidelines and can be altered as the situation demands. However, your core values such as simplicity or respect, will remain the same. So what are the principles and values you live by? Write them down.

Determine Your Goals: Why are you writing a mission statement? What is your ultimate goal? What do you intend to achieve by utilizing your abilities and your values? Identify all these to complete your mission statement.