Personal Mission Statement
Values - Vision - Validation

Sales Professionals have a personal mission statement. Attempting to create one can be daunting. I recently did a Google search on the phrase ‘mission statement’. In less than a second 28,800,000 references were available. Twenty-eight million, eight hundred thousand references.

Walk into any reputable for profit or not-for-profit enterprise and there, prominently placed in the foyer, will be their mantra - the corporate vision statement. Its purpose is to give you, the guest, a succinct appreciation of what the organization believes in, what’s important to them, their raison d’etre. It is, in essence, the DNA of this group. Or, at least, that’s what it is suppose to be.

An organization’s business philosophy should be visible. That visibility, however, extends well beyond the foyer. It needs to be evident through its interactions. How customers, visitors, guests are treated – does it match up with the plaque on the wall? Employee or volunteer interactions, does leadership mirror the wording? What about supplier relationships or environmental and social responsibilities? In short, do the day-to-day interactions match-up with the corporate statement?

When we say a personal mission statement is the heart and soul of an organization, the DNA, it unfortunately doesn’t always extend beyond the wall where it hangs. The ‘DNA’ often translates to ‘Does Not Apply’.

Smoke and mirrors – that’s the transparency of many people. We say one thing but really mean something else. We make idle promises not seriously meaning to follow through. Our word is our bond with the sticking power of a post-it note. ‘You can depend on me’ really translates to ‘If it's not too much of an inconvenience.’

So what is a Mission Statement? What is its purpose? Why have one?

Whether business or personal, a mission statement is much more than a mantle piece. It ought to represent who you are, aligning with your life experiences, expectations, goals, dreams. It is no different than a business or corporate mission statement. Each is created to identify what the person or enterprise stands for. Each outlines what is important, valued; what will not be compromised. In essence, whether an enterprise or a person, a mission statement reflects the very essence of being. A mission statement outlines core values, purpose, vision. It gives substance to those principles that will not be compromised. It creates a visual map for the journey.

Living your personal mission statement is the adventure. In your research, you may have read something like "Pretend it is your 75th birthday. What would you like to be remembered for?" If you did, scrap it. Start where you are today. Writing a personal mission statement is about growth. It is not an end. It is a beginning. It is 3 V's - Values, Vision, Validation summarized in a short easily recited life script.


Read on, your journey gets more exciting!


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