Your Personal Mission Statement

Questions to uncover purpose

If you hang around success-focused people much, you will eventually hear about MVV: Mission, Vision, and Values. Having clear MVV is essential for a company, entrepreneur or non-profit organization to know which things to say, “Yes” and “No” to.

Let’s imagine a shoe store, Boo’s Shoes. Boo’s mission is to Provide the most comfortable footwear in the world. The mission is what they do. Their vision is how they expect the world to be different if they succeed at their mission. Boo’s vision is Everyone in the tri-county region will work and play without foot pain. And their values represent who they want to be as they work toward their mission and vision. In other words, if someone asked, “What is Boo’s Shoes like?” The answer would sound like their values. Boo’s values are Honesty, Trustworthy, and Kind.

So, as Boo’s is evaluating new products to offer in the store, they can easily reject any shoe that is less comfortable than those in the current inventory. It doesn’t matter if the style is more trendy, the cost is lower or any other factor. Boo’s sells comfortable shoes. If a vendor suggests they start to carry belts or umbrellas or gloves, they just look at the mission and say, “Nope. We provide the most comfortable footwear in the world.” And if someone hears about a new shoe in Australia that is super comfortable for people with bunions, they might fly to the other side of the world to check it out.

You can see how important MVV is for a business or organization. So, how about you? Or your marriage or your family? What is important to you? What guiding principles do you have that allow you to say, “Yes” and “No” to the right and wrong things?

Someone recently shared with me that he and his wife scheduled a vacation to work on their personal mission statement. The kids are nearly out of the house and that opens up options. This is a very thoughtful couple who want to be clear about which options to pursue and which to leave alone. I shared the following questions which might be helpful to explore their personal/family mission. You’re welcome to use them, too. And if you do, will you let me know how it goes? If one is particularly good at opening up your thoughts let’s share that one more widely. And likewise, if one is a dud, I’ll strike it from the list!

1.    What is the purpose of our marriage?

2.    I would love it if our kids _______________

3.    I smile when I see _______________ coming up on the calendar

4.    I think it makes God happy when we _______________

5.    At my funeral I want our kids to say _______________

6.    Our money is for _________________

7.    Our marriage would be stronger if we _________________

8.    I will be fulfilled if _____________ happens

The photo attached to this post is from the inside cover of my Bible. Julie and I worked on this purpose statement a few years ago and it has been helpful to find agreement on what its all about!

I’ll finish the series on solitude next week. Unless I write something else, instead!