Mission Statement for Life
I am a born list maker and planner. Making lists and plans help me stay on track and I honestly don’t understand people who just float along in life without some sort of plan. Trust me, I have tried to be a fly by the seat of pants kind of girl but I have realized that it just is not me. I have embraced the fact that I always have some idea where I am headed in life and what I am really working for. I admit my plans have not always played out perfectly and I have changed my plans along the way. I have found this to be normal because we all grow and change with time. What may have been really important to me at 21-years-old is not quite as important now. I have been listening to an audiobook recently that recommends writing a mission statement for your life. This statement should include all the important goals you want to accomplish for yourself.
My current mission statement is pretty short and sweet because I am all about trying to simplify my life lately. I start with the ones everyone should include like saving money and paying off debt. I also want to finish my degree while keeping my full-time job. Then eventually I hope to get a job associated with my degree that has great benefits and some travel opportunities. I also have buying a new car and a trip to Hawaii in my personal mission statement. There are few other things thrown in the mix that would complete my life’s mission but for the most part my goals are pretty basic.
Some days when I am having a particularly rough day at work it is nice to be able to remember my mission in life. When someone asks me who I work for I tell them that I work for myself. I may work at a certain place of business but in the end I earn that paycheck strictly for myself and no one else. I know with each class I take I am a step closer to finishing my degree and with each article I write I am getting better at my craft. I believe earning a living doing something you love is the real American dream.
A person without goals, a mission or plan…whatever you want to call it, is simply lost. Everyone has a journey in life but no journey is possible without a destination. Each paycheck should have a specific plan, to pay bills, to provide the necessities to live and to save towards something. That something can be retirement, a new car or a trip. but if you don’t have plans for your money you are going to spend it. Unfortunately, you probably will not even remember when, where or why you spent it either. Having a plan and working toward a goal with your money should be your number one mission.
You should also take every opportunity to invest in yourself. Treat yourself as an asset, if you have a chance to go back to school you should take it. If putting in the extra hours or taking on some special training for your job will pay off in some way, by all means go for it. If you are passing up opportunities just because you are comfortable where you are in life that is almost like giving up. The moment you stop trying to better yourself you have stopped living.
Every day should be about learning something new and working towards something you want in life. There are many tools to keep you motivated towards whatever you may be working for, like vision boards, keeping a journal and even a simple to-do list would be a start. Every now and then you will need to re-evaluate your goals and maybe even mark a few off your list. When you have accomplished something from your mission statement that is always a good time to revise and make a new plan.
Focus in on your journey and think about where you are headed in life. What is your ultimate destination within the next year or five years? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? What is your mission statement for life?
Living Simple 