Do you have a purpose in life? A personal mission statement that directs and shapes the choices you make? I do, and I have broken down my mission statement by the different roles I fulfill in life. I also crafted an overall vision for myself that defines where I want to go in life.

Write Your Mission Statements

As part of defining your mission, it helps to clearly articulate the different roles you have in life. You can have a different mission for each of these roles, and an overall vision that encompasses each of these missions.

For example, my roles in life include being a self-directed learner, being a self-directed leader, being an officer for my Toastmasters club and district, and being a project manager for my company: Kalculated Decisions. I have thought through what my purpose is for each of these roles, and I have come up with a clear mission statement for each role that outlines the purpose I fulfill in each of these roles.

For example, as a Toastmasters club and district officer my mission is to be a servant who takes on leadership roles to provide support and direction to other people. My mission also includes supporting and encouraging my fellow club and district members to help them to be better communicators and leaders. My mission is also to be an active member of my Toastmasters club and district and to teach my fellow Toastmasters to be self-directed leaders.

What about you? What are your roles in life? You could have the role of being a parent, an employee, and a volunteer for your community club or organization. Or you may identify the roles in your life by other categories. No matter what those roles are, I encourage you to clearly identify all the roles in your life and to write a mission statement for each one.

Once you have identified the main roles in your life, it is time to articulate your mission for each of these roles. If you a parent, your mission could be to support and encourage your kids. If you are a manager, your mission could be to provide direction and support to your employees so that they can fulfill your company’s mission and reach their full potential.

Identify Your Vision

Once you have identified your roles and have articulated a mission statement for each of these roles, I encourage you to create a vision statement for your life. This will be a statement that captures where you want to go in life.

For me, I crafted the following vision that incorporates all the roles in my life: “I am a self-directed leader who continuously learns and grows, who serves his Toastmasters clubs and district every year, and who manages multiple projects for his clients.”

This is my vision for what I want out of life. I am passionate about project management, and I enjoy managing projects. I also love taking on leadership roles for my Toastmasters club and district, so that is part of my vision. I also love learning and growing, so I keep that as part of my vision.

Note that a vision for your life is not set in stone. It can and most likely will change over time. This is why you need to review your vision regularly. I like to read my vision and mission statements every Sunday as a reminder of my purpose in life and a reminder of where I want to go. I suggest you do the same.

Conclusion

Having a mission for your life gives you purpose in life. And having a vision for your life gives you a picture of where you are going. Both are tools you can use to motivate yourself and to remind yourself what you want out of life.

I challenge you to identify your mission for each of the roles in your life. Refer to these mission statements regularly to remind yourself what your purpose in life is. I also challenge you to identify a compelling vision for your life that captures where you want to be in your future.

And don’t just identify your mission in life. Live your mission and fulfill your purpose. This will help bring your vision for your life to fruition.