Last week I talked about what to do when you wake up totally dreading the day. Fueling your body right, getting plenty of sleep, surrounding yourself with good, supportive people... all that will absolutely help your cause. But what happens when you feel totally disconnected from your job? What if you feel like you’re not making a contribution? What then????

Insert the personal mission statement.

Companies have mission statements; have you ever considered creating one for yourself?

A personal mission statement will help you:

Focus on the positive aspects of your work;
Contribute to work that aligns with your values; and,
Course-correct when things are out of whack.

When crafting your personal mission statement, the goal is to answer the following questions directly and concisely:

What do I want to do?
Who do I want to help?
What is the result? What value will I create?

So how do you get started developing your personal mission statement? Start by answering these questions:

What activities make you lose track of time?
What makes you feel great about yourself?
Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or do not know. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?
What comes easily to you? What are you amazing at?
When do you feel powerful, passionate, free, incredibly useful, excited, inspired?
What would you like to STOP doing?
How would you like to be seen, recognized, acknowledged, awarded, praised?
What do people typically ask you for help with? What do people thank you for?
If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
What are your biggest past successes (work, home, personal, etc.)? Is there a common theme (or themes)? If so, write them down.
What causes do you strongly believe in? Connect with?
If you could get a message across to a large group of people. Who would those people be? What would your message be?

Read through your answers from above. Do you notice any common themes? Combine your answers to the above questions to craft an overarching personal mission statement (1-3 sentences is ideal).

TAKE INSPIRED ACTION:

This week, develop your personal mission statement and take action on at least one of the following:

What three actions can you take this week to nurture your true strengths and live your mission?
What three things will you stop doing this week to live in alignment with your mission?
Who can support you in living your mission? Identify your “starters”.