Do you believe that you have a purpose in life? Do you have a mission?
Have you put that mission into a written statement?
I’ve been searching for my purpose, for my mission in life, for years. It even became an OCD issue for me.
I wrote countless “mission statements,” then decided that they were wrong. Then I wrote some more. And my OCD drove me to doubt them.
I prayed about it, talked with others about it, read books about it.
Why was this so important to me?
I know that you don’t have to identify your mission to live a good, meaningful, giving life. I know you don’t have to have a mission statement to find your place in the world.
But being who I am, I wanted to articulate the ways that I could make a positive difference. I needed a guide. I needed to be able to state, if only to myself, how I would find meaning in my experiences.
Recently, I sat down and asked myself the very basic questions: What is it that I really want to do in life? What is it that I’ve always wanted to do?
And the mission and vision below came out of that.
My mission is to live a life of connection.
My vision—what I want my life to be about—is to communicate our interconnectedness and help others feel less alone through encouragement, education and storytelling.
Those statements reflect the kind of person I want to be, the way I want to treat people and all creatures, what I want my writing to do, how I want to act day to day. When I die, I want to be able to say, That is what I did.
What is your mission?
What a great mission statement! I love how you talk about using stories to accomplish your mission. I personally really respond to stories. I think most people do. I'm not even sure why that is - maybe it's the ability of a story to transport us into someone else's world.
ReplyDeleteMy mission in life is to share the love and compassion of Jesus with everyone I meet, to (hopefully) leave the world a better place than I found it, and to let people know that God can and does redeem everything, including the pain of mental illness.
Thanks for a thought provoking post!
Sunny, Thank you! You have a very fitting mission in life--I can certainly see you living it out!
DeleteAwww. : ) Back at ya!
DeleteI love your mission and vision statements. You are that person :-)
ReplyDeleteI too have struggled with trying to define this and written many statements and then felt like they weren't right. I'll get there one day.
Thank you, Elizabeth! You will get there one day, I know it. And I already see you living out a mission of hope and creativity!
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly with Sunny, Klaaske, and Elizabeth - you are your mission statement. Congratulations on connecting so beautifully to your core self. :)
ReplyDeleteI am still trying to find my mission. I have found my vocation -teaching- and know that's what I'm meant to do. Not sure what I want in the other areas of my life, apart from being a good partner to my husband, a good friend, a good daughter and sister.
Thank you! I think you are doing so much if you are teaching and being a good partner, friend, daughter and sister. Those are such important roles!
DeleteI can't imagine you being able to fulfill your mission statement any better than you have, Tina. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I find that who I want to be and how I want to live my life evolves through the years. For example, as a young mother, I wanted to devote myself totally to my family, and gave up working to do so......now of course, it's a different story, and my work is more important than it used to be. I just keep looking for ways to lead a satisfying life, which definitely includes (hopefully) helping others.
Janet, I think I've changed over the years, too, and I will probably evolve some more. I can vouch for you being a person who helps others. You have helped me tremendously!
DeleteFrom Martin Buber:
ReplyDeleteA rabbi named Zusya died and went to stand before the judgment seat of God. As he waited for God to appear, he grew nervous thinking about his life and how little he had done. He began to imagine that God was going to ask him, "Why weren't you Moses or why weren't you Solomon or why weren't you David?" But when God appeared, the rabbi was surprised. God simply asked, "Why weren't you Zusya?"
My mission is to be more and more myself each day and less a product of what other people have wanted me to be. The rest, the actions that come from that, takes care of the rest.
Nadine, Thank you for sharing the story--it's a marvelous reminder for all of us to be ourselves. That is easier said than done--it's a challenge!
DeleteOh Lord...I have no idea what my mission is. I too, have been trying to figure it out, forever! And when I think I've found a mission, it changes. I like yours though. It is simple, and meaningful. And that is good.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shannon. I appreciate that. You are a mother, so I think you are doing great work!
DeleteI love your mission. It seems that missions change through life. Right now, my mission is to raise 3 eco-responsible, socially conscious little boys.
ReplyDeleteLisa, Your mission is so important, and you are doing such a good job at it!
DeleteKlaaske--I mistakenly deleted your comment and my response to it. I am so sorry! I wanted to tell you that your aspirations to be a good mom and wife and to be a kind human being were so important and to always be proud of them!
ReplyDeleteEven though I know your statement is a lifelong endeavor, I would say to you "mission accomplished." I totally see your mission statement as being Tina.
ReplyDeleteAs for mine, I know that I felt the most important job given to me once my husband and I brought our babies into the world, was to raise my 3 children up to be honest, compassionate and loving human beings who love God and humanity. I feel so blessed and just because they are older now, you never stop being a mom. But I honestly haven't really thought deeply into what I want my impact on the world to be. That sounds so awful but I feel like I am still experimenting to find my niche. We have a tiny country church but a highly attended Vacation Bible School (they have 110 kids signed up this year) and I took on a leadership position to organize
VBS and I'll do snack and project time each day. I am finding that I am getting more involved with the kids but I do that because that is where they need me. Can that be my mission..to go where I am needed?
Krystal, I think your mission can be wherever you feel led and a belonging. Raising good children is a wonderful mission, and I think one of the most if not the most important. And working with children is so important, too. That sounds like a big VBS for a small church and you're playing a big part in that. You are touching lives all along the way.
Delete" help others feel less alone" you do that for me, thank you Tina
ReplyDeleteNikky, thank you--You do that for me and for many others. So good to hear from you!
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