Why You Need a Personal Mission Statement

Change is inevitable, and it can be . Whether it’s a shift in the market, a new technology, or a global event like the COVID-19 pandemic, we are constantly faced with situations that can turn our business upside down, seemingly overnight. But with the right preparation, these changes don’t need to be daunting. Remembering your personal mission statement can help you navigate even the most challenging times.

What is a Personal Mission Statement?

On Episode 574 of The Profit Express podcast, I sat down with Jason Feifer, the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur Magazine and co-host of the Help Wanted podcast. Jason shared with me some of his strategies for how he has survived change over his career, including how important it has been that he have his own mission statement.

What is a mission statement, you may ask? It is a one sentence statement that sums up who you are as a person. What are the rules of a mission statement?

• It should be a single sentence.
• The first word should be “I.”
• Every word after should be carefully selected.
• It should not be tied to a specific role, job, or task.

Keep Your Job Out of Your Statement

For many of us, we are our job; I’m a sales trainer and a podcast host. But while it’s difficult to separate ourselves from our professions, Jason warns against tying your identity to your job.

“The problem here is that people tie their identities too closely to the role that they occupy or the tasks that they perform,” he said. “You could lose your job; your job could change its functions. The thing you’re selling could be different. It’s a terrible, terrible way to tie our identity to something that is too easily changeable.”

Why Personal Mission Statements Matter

When things change, it’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed. We thrive on being in control, and no one wants to question who we are and where we fit in. A personal mission statement can keep you grounded and help you stay aligned with your core values.

Let’s say you’re a sales professional who thrives on face-to-face interactions. When the pandemic made in-person meetings impossible, you might have felt your identity slipping away. Now what? But by changing your mission statement to “I help others make great decisions,” your core purpose (helping others) remains unchanged. Still confused? Jason recapped how he came up with his statement.

“Mine for a very long time was ‘I’m a magazine editor,’” he said. I’ve spent my career in magazines. But that is too easily changeable. All it takes is one boss calling me up and you know what? I’m not a magazine editor anymore. But what isn’t changeable for me? Instead of ‘I’m a magazine editor,’ it’s, ‘I tell stories in my own voice’ because stories are things that I can do in a magazine, but also can do so on a podcast or when I’m talking to a sales rep.”

Having a personal mission statement can provide us with a sense of stability and direction even during the craziest times of change. As you develop yours, remember to try to think positively. As Jason says, every change in business gives you a new way to bring your personal statement to life.

“Once you understand the thing about you that does not change in times of change, you realize that every new thing, every change in your business is actually just a new opportunity to do the thing that you do best.”