The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Personal Vision and Mission Statement: Prepare to Reach Your Goals!

If you want to live your best life, goal-setting is a must. Dreaming big is only the first step; you have to do the work, so you need structure. That’s where your personal vision and mission statement comes in!

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This wonderful tool will allow you to identify your long-term goals, help you achieve your short-term objectives, and keep you motivated when things get a little rough.

Additionally, it can help with decision-making and keep you on track. Every choice you make needs to further your goals and dreams, so having this statement will help you identify the best course of action.

Vision and mission statements are often associated with business because they are an essential part of building a successful company. However, they can be applied to all aspects of life.

Whether you want to improve your career, make big changes in your life, and otherwise find your purpose, a vision and mission statement will keep you focused and inspired.

Today, we will explore what vision and mission statements are, the differences, the benefits, and how you can create yours. We will first go through the concepts and then we will walk you through the steps of creating effective vision and mission statement.

Are you ready to live your life with purpose? Great, that’s what we like to hear! Let’s get into it.

What Is a Personal Vision Statement?

A personal vision statement defines your values and what you want to accomplish. Creating a vision statement is very important when it comes to reaching long-term and short-term goals because it will help keep you on track.

Referring back to it will allow you to make the best decisions, identify the opportunities that suit you well, and stay focused as you work on achieving your objectives in any aspect of life.

For example, let’s say that you get a big opportunity. Your personal vision statement will allow you to identify whether that opportunity aligns with your mission so you can make the most appropriate decision.

In other words, a vision statement defines what you want for the future, whether that’s 5 or 10 years from now. It’s meant to answer the question “Where do I want to be?” which is why it influences everything you do and how you spend your time.

What Is a Personal Mission Statement?

Though the terms vision statement and mission statement are used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. A personal mission statement defines the objectives you’re trying to reach.

Your mission statement may change over time as you grow and your goals change or evolve. While the vision statement focuses on the future, the mission statement focuses on the now and what you’re doing to achieve your vision.

Your personal vision and mission statements are two sides of the same coin and you need them both to live more confidently. The mission statement will drive your actions because it defines what you do.

While the vision statement answers the question “Where do I want to be?” the mission statement answers the question “What am I doing to get there?” As you can imagine, both answers are essential to creating a more fulfilling and aligned life.

Differences Between a Vision and Mission Statement

Your personal vision and mission statements complement each other, but there are key differences you need to understand. They are as follows:

Personal Vision Statement

It defines where you want to be in the future.
It describes the ideal future you want to accomplish 5 to 10 years from now.
It inspires and guides your actions and decisions.
It keeps you on track and provides motivation.

Example of personal vision statement:

“My vision is to become a successful, impactful, and honest leader, to be recognized in the industry.”

“My vision is to live life fully and not allow my limiting beliefs to hold me back from achieving my dreams.”

“My vision is to make a positive impact on the world through my work and my relationships with others.”

Your vision statement may be focused on your career or your personal life, or a combination of both. This is entirely up to you because it depends on what you want for your future.

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Personal Mission Statement

It focuses on what you want to accomplish now and how it will help you achieve your long-term vision.
It defines what you are doing, how you are doing it, how it makes a difference, and how it supports your future state.
It defines your present actions and how they will get you to where you want to be.

Examples of personal mission statement:

“My mission is to serve as an encouraging leader that supports forward-thinking, innovative, and talented individuals.”

“My mission is to become more confident and empowered; to let go of limiting beliefs and find my true path.”

“I want to use my personal experience to help others go through similar struggles.”

“I want to be kinder to myself and learn how to give myself the love I know I deserve.”

“My mission is to inspire my children to be more than they think they can be.”

Everyone’s vision and mission statements will look different because they are personal. What matters is that they complement each other. You can’t write a mission statement without first defining your goals for the future and the values you want to uphold on the way.

Why Is Having a Personal Vision and Mission Statement Important?

Having a personal vision and mission statement is key if you’re committed to improving and reaching your goals. It will help you simplify your decision-making process, keep you on track, and help you determine the best use of your time according to your values and goals.

A personal vision and mission statement provides guidance and it helps you be more efficient by allowing you to identify what’s working and what needs to be improved.

Additionally, it will become a port in a storm. When things get difficult, your vision and mission statement will allow you to remember what you’re working towards, refocus, and replenish your motivation and drive to succeed in any aspect of life.

The Elements of a Good Personal Vision and Mission Statement

Now that we understand what a vision and mission statement is and what it can do for you, let’s discuss the elements for successful creation. It’s important to take your time with this and be introspective. Remember, the vision and mission statement is personal. It’s for you and from you.

A good personal vision and mission statement needs to be short, clear, and inspirational. More importantly, it needs to be realistic, positive, and engaging. It should be an expression of your intention and your values.

A well-written personal vision and mission statement will be easy to summarize and aligned with your aspirations. Whatever the focus of your vision and mission statement is, it needs to be true to the person you are (or the person you’re working towards).

Writing a vision and mission statement is a great opportunity to assess your current situation and determine what is no longer serving you. For example, if your vision and mission statement are career-focused, take the opportunity to see how well your goals align with the company you’re working for.

If your career goals are greater than what your current job can offer, this is something you need to address. If it doesn’t serve your vision, it may be time to either look for a new job or maybe branch out on your own if that’s part of your dream. The same goes for any personal goals.

How to Create Your Own Personal Vision and Mission Statement

If you’re ready to create your personal vision and mission statement, following these steps will help you through the process. First, grab some pen and paper or your journal. You can also do this digitally if you prefer.

Then, find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free of interruptions and truly connect with yourself. Grab a coffee or tea and a snack if you’d like and settle in!

Step 1: Answer These Questions

The first thing you need to do is answer a few important questions that will help you determine your vision and goals. Be honest and as detailed as you wish!

What personal qualities do I want to emphasize in all aspects of life?
How can I best express these qualities?
What are my most important values?
How can I best express these values?

Step 2: Visualize

Remember that your vision statement is an expression of what you want to accomplish in the future. While you keep your answers in mind, visualize what you want 5 or 10 years from now.

For this part of the process, focus on the aspect that is at the centre of your vision. If your vision is career-oriented, family-oriented, or focused on self-improvement, make sure your visualization exercise is based on that.

To do that, you need to answer key questions:

Where do I see myself in the future?
What am I doing and what does it look like?
How does it make me feel?
What kind of impact am I making?

Visualization is a powerful tool to build self-confidence and overcome anxiety about the future. So, write about what you want to accomplish in as much detail as you can and keep things realistic.

We recommend you include the 5 senses as much as possible in your description so it feels like you’re already living in that moment. Additionally, focus on the emotion attached to your vision and allow yourself to feel it deeply.

You can either envision the desired outcome or envision every step to get to that outcome, it’s up to you. This part of the process is a great way to create mental pathways and show yourself it is possible to achieve what you want.

Step 3: Summarize

Now that you’ve created a hyper-detailed vision and mission, it’s time to sum things up. This is the part where you break things down into actionable steps. So, ask yourself the following:

How can I sum up my vision and mission?
What are the specific goals I want to achieve?
What are the values that define my path?

You already have the language, now you need to sum your vision and mission into one or two sentences each. Remember, your statement should express your values and what you want to accomplish in a motivational and engaging way.

If you need to, you can rewrite it a few times but try not to overwhelm yourself. Don’t focus on making it perfect, focus on making sure it serves you. Make it purposeful and relevant, and be concise.

Step 4: Review

Once you’re done with your personal vision and mission drafts, it’s time to review and choose a winner. This is the final step and you only have to choose the version of your vision and mission statement you like most. Refine it and read it out loud to yourself.

If it’s inspiring, purposeful, and focused on what you want to accomplish, your vision and mission statement is ready. Now you can focus on creating a plan to achieve your goals and use this as a reference to make sure your actions are aligned.

We recommend you review your vision and mission statement every 6 months. Check in with yourself and make whatever changes you need to make sure your statement will still serve you well on your path.

Final Say

Whether you’re working to become a better version of yourself, wish to serve your community, or have career ambitions to fulfil, a personal vision and mission statement will help you tremendously.
It will help you set a path for yourself and hold yourself accountable for your success. Additionally, it will allow you to identify your true life’s purpose and align with it so you can find true fulfilment.

Your vision and mission statement will support you and make a huge difference in your life. Go through the steps to create yours and get started on your path with purpose and confidence.