Inspiration – A Mission Statement

Inspiration – A Mission Statement

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

The majority of big Corporate Companies all have their own Mission Statement.  Usually they are placed strategically for the world to see, at reception, or on a wall that you would look at as you enter the building or the office.  Why do you think that is?  I’ve always thought that it is to tell all their customers, even the really unhappy ones who are about to blow the place to hell, exactly what it is that they promise to do or to achieve, whether they actually do or achieve what they say they are going to is of course a whole different discussion for another day.

So anyway, do we as Small Business owners have our own mission statements, hanging up for all to see?  Or let’s take it one step further, how about a personal mission statement?  Have any of you thought about putting a personal Mission Statement down on paper?  I certainly haven’t, but you know what - I think it is a brilliant idea.

Now here’s the thing though – a Mission Statement is not something that you can just jot down in a few minutes.  It’s something that needs to be thought about . . . carefully.

It will mean of course that we have to carefully consider our desires.  Not just the ones that cause us to scratch, but the ones that are deep down in the core of our beings.  We would have examine all the things that we are passionate about, not just the cute, sexy little number down the road, but the passion for what you do, what you want to achieve, for life itself – passion that comes from within.  Passion that you cannot explain because the words have never been invented, but that bubbles up inside of you until you want to explode with excitement and joy whenever you think about being all that you can be and achieving all that you can achieve.  Yes a lot of careful thought and deliberation would be required to capture the essence of a personal Mission Statement. 

Then of course we need to be aware of what is written on there – always.  A Mission Statement is not only for the here and now.  It’s not for when we feel like it or when we have time.  It’s not for when we are fighting with our significant other or (since I don’t have children) shouting at the cats. It’s something that we would have to live, breathe, eat, sleep and think.  It’s something that we would have to not only bring to our conscious world but also have simmering and shining in our sub-conscious minds.  It would have to be so constant and present in our lives and in our worlds that everyone around us would also be conscious and aware of it.

The contents of our own personal Mission Statement would be considered and reflected in every decision that we make, on every thought that we have and every deed that we do.  It would form the foundation of all of our principles, our morals and every commitment that we make.

It would be like . . .  well think of you married folk, before you make or accept a social engagement you usually (if there is any kind of respect in the relationship) check with your spouse first to see if they are available or willing to attend the engagement.  So now before you did, said or even thought anything you would ‘run it by’ your Mission Statement to see if it fitted the criteria.

Whether you accepted a challenge or not would depend entirely on how well it fitted in with your Mission Statement and any kind of conflict meant that the challenge would be discarded.

A Mission Statement is what we should live by, it should be our conscience, the essence of who we are.  It should have our dreams, not just the ones for tomorrow and next week, but all of our dreams of all that we hope to achieve and even a little  bit about how we are going to get there. It’s about, not only our own morals and integrity but also how we deal with what we see going wrong around us – the corrupt officials, the green issues and our own carbon footprints that we know we ought to do something about, but just haven’t gotten there because we are all too busy . . .

Now you’re thinking – wow!  Would I be able to confine myself to such a ‘small’ space within my own mind, where I would lack the freedom of choice that I so enjoy now?  I honestly don’t know because that is a decision that you yourself would have to make.

What I do know for sure though (to coin a phrase from Oprah Winfrey) is this – if my Mission Statement was absolutely sincere in its intention, if it is true to my beliefs and my aspirations.  If it suited me as the individual that I am and the individual that I want to become.  If it encapsulates my dreams, my hopes and drives away my fears.  If it is honest and meets my expectations, then I believe that it will assist me in making better choices in my life and in making the right decisions.  But, if I have, in any way compromised with my Mission Statement and it is not a true reflection or lacks sincerity in any way, then I also believe that it will not work and that my life may even become sad and without direction and that no matter how much I achieve there will always be something lacking, an element of something missing.

Now, where’s my journal?  I have to start making notes.  Notes for my personal Mission Statement.  That is my choice.  I wonder – what will yours be?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za