You Don't Have A Mission Statement; That's Why Your Goals Are Failing

It is the fourth Monday in March, how are your New Year Resolutions going?

Did you just flash back to the hazy promises you made to yourself (and all your friends when you were three flutes of champagne in)? Me too. Or, last year it was. This year, for me, things are different. And they can be different for you too, next year.

Last year I read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People where Stephen R. Covey stressed the importance of having a personal mission statement, that gives what you want to be actionable steps. I remember putting down the book and typing up my personal mission statement, which I’ve since dubbed Jada’s Creed. The idea that all the things that I wanted to accomplish were going undone or, even worse, poorly done because I’d yet to clearly define what I wanted my life’s legacy was jolting. Sitting down and detailing what I wanted my legacy to be was eye opening. From the time I’ve been six I knew who and what I wanted to be or, so I thought. In answering what I wanted my legacy to be, what I truly wanted to bring and leave the world I realized that the goals I set for myself at six had changed. While the main career has remained changed, I have redefined the parameters of my chosen career field. How the career choices I’ve made or actively not made are working toward my various goals. Since reading this book, I have been so intentional with my time, friends words, and deeds. Everything that I do and consume is a reflection of who I am and who I ultimately want to become. And all of it leads back to being on one accord with Jada’s Creed.

This is the age of social media(and I love that I am becoming an adult in this age, social media is great). But there are challenges in this generation that have emerged due to social media(I talked a bit about it here (link first MM post)). The comparison game happens so much more frequently when everyone’s biggest and shiniest accomplishments are on your phone for you to internalize twenty-four hours a day. This leads to wanting to adopt everyone else’s goals, go after those same achievements because they sound so good. Just because it sounds good, doesn’t mean it’s meant for you. Read that. Internalize it. Write it on a post-it and stick it next to the rest of your affirmations. We are all individuals, with individual goals. A secondary effect, but an amazing one I’ve noticed over the past year is that having your own personal mission statement means you’re only comparing yourself to your past self. You appreciate and encourage people who are doing well in their own lane while you’re doing well in yours.

This book was truly life changing. Buy The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People from your local bookstore, on amazon or Thriftbooks, Goodwill. Check it our from your library. Any way you can, get this book. Read this book. Study this book. Write your own creed. And change your life.