One of the most powerful methods to cultivate the passion of vision is to create and live by a mission statement, philosophy, or creed. Such statements capture what you want to be and do-what qualities you want to develop, what you want to accomplish, and what contributions you want to make. Clarity on these issues is critical because it affects everything else-the goals you set, the decisions you make, the paradigms you hold, and the ways you spend your time.

A personal mission statement based on correct principles becomes a standard for an individual. It becomes a personal constitution, the basis for making life-directing decisions and daily decisions in the midst of the circumstances and emotions that affect your life.

Don't become overwhelmed by the task of writing a personal mission statement or the need to make it perfect. Instead, write a rough draft and then work to refine it over the next several weeks or months. To help you get started, ask yourself the following questions:

· What would I really like to be and do in my life?
· What are my greatest strengths?
· How do I want to be remembered?
· Who is the one person who has made the greatest positive impact in my life?
· What have been my happiest moments in life?
· If I had unlimited time and resources, what would I do?
· What are the three or four most important things to me?
· How can I best contribute to the world?

Because each individual is unique, a personal mission statement will reflect that uniqueness, both in content and form. An effective mission statement may consist of a few words or several pages. Mission statements can be written in poetry, prose, music, or art, and written for  individuals, couples, families, or organizations. Writing an empowering mission statement is not a "to do" to be checked off. To be empowering, it has to become a living document. You must ponder it, memorize it, review it, update it, and write it into your heart and mind. You may find the following characteristics helpful to you in writing your mission statement, or in evaluating one you have already written.

An Empowering Mission Statement...

· represents the deepest and best within you. It comes out of a solid connection with your deep inner life.

· is the fulfillment of your own unique gifts. It is the expression of your unique capacity to contribute.

· addresses and integrates the four fundamental human needs and capacities in the physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions.

· deals with all of the significant roles in your life. It represents a lifetime balance of the personal, family, work, and community roles you fill.

· is written to inspire you, nor to impress anyone else. It communicates to you and inspires you on the most essential level.

Following are mission statements written by others to help you get started on your own:

For myself I want to develop self-knowledge, self-love, and self-allowing. I want to use my healing talents to keep hope alive and express my vision courageously in word and action.

In my family, I want to build healthy, loving relationships in which we let each other become our best selves.

At work, I want to establish a fault-free, self-perpetuating, Learning environment. In the world, I want to nurture the development of all life forms, in harmony with the laws of nature.

To act in a manner that brings out the best in me and those important to me especially when it might be most justifiable to act otherwise.

Resolution-Mahatma Gandhi

Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:

I shall not fear anyone on earth.
I shall fear only God.
I shall not bear ill toward anyone.
I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
I shall conquer untruth by truth.

And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.

Developing your own mission statement...

Use this exercise to create a personal mission statement or to examine your current mission statement.

1. List those things which are most important in your life.

2. How effective are you at keeping those things first in your life? Why?.

3. If you were to do one thing in your PROFESSIONAL LIFE that would have the most positive impact, what would it

4. If you were to do one thing in your PERSONAL LIFE that would have the most positive impact, what would it be?

5. Who are the people that have most influenced your life?

6. What outstanding characteristics or attributes do you admire in these people?

7. Which of these qualities do you value enough to include in your own personal mission statement?

Project your life forward. Visualize your 86th birthday. Your friends and loved ones are around you. One by one they each stand and give a personal tribute to you. These individuals represent the roles you now fulfill in life (i.e. parent, teacher, manager, child, community servant, relative). Assume that you have fulfilled these roles to the utmost of your potential.

- What would each person say?
- What difference have you made in their life?
- What qualities or characteristics will you be remembered for?
- What outstanding contribution of yours would they mention?

- What are my greatest moments of happiness and fulfillment?
- What are the activities of most worth in my personal life?
- What are the activities of most worth in my professional life?
- What talents and/or capacities do I have?
- How can I best contribute to the world?

In this space, write a draft of your personal mission statement, philosophy or creed. Your mission statement is your personal "constitution" and represents the deepest and best within you. 

In this space, write a draft of your personal mission statement, philosophy or creed. Your mission statement is your personal "constitution" and represents the deepest and best within you.