Creating a Personal Mission Statement for Clarity

This process took me 20 years to develop. I’ll break it down for you in 2 minutes. Are you struggling with a mission statement that looks good on paper but lacks real impact? You're not alone. I've been there, and I've seen countless entrepreneurs grapple with this crucial element. If your mission statement doesn't light you on fire, it's worthless. Here’s my exact framework for creating one that drives your business forward. 1. Clarity fuels success Without a destination, you’re permanently lost. To make progress you must know EXACTLY where you’re trying to end up. Without a clear goal, it’s impossible to prioritize options or measure progress. Be specific. REALLY specific. You need a higher degree of clarity than you think. It’s not “I want to win a medal.” It’s “I want to win a gold medal in the men’s freestyle medley at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a record-breaking time of XXXX.” Ask yourself: • What is the exact goal? • How will I measure success? Don’t settle for vague ideas. Clarity is power. 2. Ignite passion Your mission must set your soul on fire. If it doesn’t, start over. Identify: • A wrong in the world that makes you furious. • A cause you deeply care about. That’s your fuel. 3. Communicate effectively Your mission statement should resonate with your team and customers. Use powerful language that excites and inspires. Tips: • Use clear and concise language. • Avoid jargon and fluff. 4. Adapt and evolve Ensure your mission is broad enough to grow with your company. Stay flexible and be ready to pivot as needed. Consider: • Future trends and market shifts. • Long-term goals and vision. 5. Engage your team A compelling mission gives your team a reason to show up beyond a paycheck. Infectious enthusiasm drives everyone toward success. Create: • A culture of passion and purpose. • Regular team updates and check-ins. 6. Drive decision-making Use your mission as a guiding light for all major decisions. It should help you prioritize and stay focused on what truly matters. Process: • Align decisions with mission goals. • Regularly review and adjust. 7. Consistency is key Make sure your mission is consistently reflected in every aspect of your business. From marketing to operations, your mission should be your anchor. Implement: • Mission-aligned marketing campaigns. • Consistent internal and external messaging. 8. Feedback loop Regularly revisit and refine your mission statement based on feedback. Keep chiseling away until your purpose is sharp and clear. Action: • Collect feedback from stakeholders. • Iterate and improve. 9. Embody your mission Live and breathe your mission every single day. Let it be the driving force behind every action you take. Steps: • Lead by example. • Share success stories that align with your mission. Now it’s time to take action and share your mission statement… In 30 words or less, tell me your mission.

A good friend grows wildflowers and sells bouquets at a roadside stand. I love seeing the flowers change through the seasons. Professionally, we are focusing on goals for Q4, while nature is showing the shift from summer to fall. Historically, Labor Day and the start of back-to-school mark a seasonal change. However, we don’t need a date on the calendar, a change in weather, or specific events to signify an internal season change. Whatever this next season may look like for you, I encourage you to create a personal mission statement. Many of us have them for our businesses, but how many of us have written down our personal mission? The key word being written. A personal mission statement is important because it provides clarity, direction, and purpose in our lives. My personal mission statement develops and becomes more detailed over time, but it’s along the lines of the following: My mission is to glorify God in all that I do, bringing others to know Him, serving others with a heart of compassion, loving fully with grace and kindness, and living each day to its fullest potential, embracing the purpose and joy He has set before me. A good personal mission statement should include: *Core Values *Purpose *Vision *Commitment to Action *Impact Keep it concise and easy to remember, so it serves as a clear guide for your decisions and actions. Remember, it is a living document, so it can evolve as we grow, and our understanding of our purpose deepens. As the seasons change, it’s the perfect time to reflect, rewrite, or redefine our personal mission statement, ensuring it aligns with our growth and the path ahead. ❤️

What's your North Star? For centuries, the Polaris Star (nicknamed the "North Star") has served as a navigational aid and point of reference for travelers far and wide. The reason is because Polaris is closely aligned with the Earth's rotational axis, and is situated almost directly above the North Pole. Because of this, Polaris appears to remain in the same spot in the sky, from dusk until dawn, while all of the other stars appear to rotate around it. For centuries, travelers have used Polaris as a point of reference. Wherever you are, if you can locate Polaris in the night sky then you can determine with direction is north. Much like Polaris serves as a guide and a waypoint for travelers, I believe that a personal mission statement or a values statement can serve as a "North Star" in our lives. We all know inherently the basic beliefs that guide us, but when you actually spend the time to sit down and write them out, and refer back to them regularly, I believe it can help to center us as we lead our companies and our teams. Several years ago, I sat down and wrote out my personal mission statement. It consists of three basic "I am" statements. I review my personal mission statement almost every day, before I start the day. It helps to set the tone for the day. There are more details for each of the three statements, but I can sum it up this way: 1) I am...a Christian - As a follower of Christ, the Bible teaches me to love and honor God and love the people around me. I'll spend my life in this pursuit, learning and growing along the way. 2) I am...a husband and father - I love, honor, and cherish my wife and I'm committed to spending the rest of my life serving her. I love my son and I'm committed to building him up, teaching him to love God and guiding his spiritual growth. 3) I am...a servant leader - I was put on this Earth to serve. This includes my family and the people I interact with on a daily basis, whether it's my clients, team members, or others. God has given me unique gifts, talents, and abilities, and it's my responsibility to use them to serve him and others. Have you taken the time to define your personal mission statement? If you're a #purposedriven entrepreneur, I'd challenge you to take the time to define your personal mission statement. If you've already done it, are you willing to share? I'd love to hear how you define your own unique mission statement. Happy Friday! ____________________________________________________________________________ I help #purposedriven entrepreneurs save time and gain financial clarity, so they can make more confident decisions for their companies. Virtus Accounting Solutions, LLC #entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessSuccess #financialclarity #faithinbusiness #faithbasedbusiness #purposedriven #CFOServices #virtualcfo #cashflows

Here’s some advice if you’re struggling to balance all of the activities you’ve signed up for: Ask yourself “does this activity support my personal mission statement?” Of course this requires that you have a mission statement. These can be difficult to write when you have a number of (sometimes unrelated) goals you’re trying to achieve. Here’s my latest personal mission statement. I use this when deciding if I should accept a talk invitation, sit on a board, take on a new project, and so on. I review it quarterly and sometimes make updates. I try to keep it to around 100 words. “My mission is to use science, engineering, and storytelling to drive meaningful progress toward a more sustainable world. I believe in the power of diverse perspectives, whether in energy solutions or professional collaboration, and I’m committed to challenging assumptions, asking better questions, and making complex ideas accessible. Through my work in CFD, combustion, and transportation, I aim to bridge the gap between deep technical insight and public understanding. I’m especially passionate about expanding access to CFD by putting powerful simulation tools into the hands of more engineers so they can innovate faster and smarter. Whether I’m building simulations, mentoring young engineers, or sharing ideas on stage or online, my goal is the same: to make a difference through clarity, curiosity, and conviction.” If you don’t have one, give it a try! It can be very helpful for prioritizing professional activities.

"How do I know when it's time to make a move?" "Should I grow vertically or horizontally?" "What if I don’t want to be a manager—can I still grow?" "I want balance, but I feel pressure—especially when I see others advancing faster. Am I falling behind?" These are some of the most frequent questions I get from staff and those I mentor. And here’s what I usually say: I’m not a career coach. But I’ve had to wrestle with these questions myself—multiple times—and one thing that’s helped me (and a few others) is this: Write a personal life mission statement. Not for HR. Not for your LinkedIn profile. For you. A well-crafted mission statement becomes your internal compass and external filter. It draws from your strengths, values, passions, and irritations—the things that make you come alive, and the things that deeply burden you. It asks questions like: - What energizes me? - What do I care enough about to fight for? - What drains me—and what patterns keep repeating? - What kind of impact do I want to have in the world, even in quiet ways? I recently asked my patient experience specialists to create one. They leaned in. And the clarity it’s already producing in their journey is beautiful to witness. Why does it matter? Because without a mission, it’s easy to get pulled into someone else’s race. You start making reactive moves. You chase roles that don’t fit. You burn out trying to “catch up” when you're not even supposed to be in the same lane. But when your mission is clear: - You don’t just grow up—you grow deep. - You’re not chasing titles—you’re cultivating purpose. - You don’t feel lost when others advance—you stay grounded in your lane. Your mission becomes your: - Compass – guiding your direction - Watch – helping you discern the timing - Thermostat – letting you sense when the internal temperature is shifting - Anchor – keeping you from drifting in the winds of comparison It’s not a one-time task. It’s a living document—refined over time as you reflect, wrestle, and rediscover what really matters. Don’t just ask, “Should I move?” Ask: “What am I moving toward?” Don’t just ask, “Should I climb higher?” Ask: “Am I still aligned with what matters to me most?” Let your mission lead. Own your race. And give yourself permission to grow on purpose—not just by promotion. — I’m sharing leadership reflections from my own journey here on this page. If this resonates, follow along and feel free to share with others who may need this reminder. #LeadershipReflections #CareerGrowth #MissionDriven #WorkWithPurpose #AuthenticLeadership #OwnYourRace #VerticalVsHorizontalGrowth #ClarityOverComparison #LifeOnPurpose #ValuesDrivenLeadership