We all need a personal mission statement. Most of us do have a code within us that we follow, consciously or unconsciously. Our values and ethics, what’s important to us, and where we find meaning makes its way into our behavior. For me, putting a concept in writing solidifies it. The act of writing it down defines and ingrains the words into my soul.
My personal mission statement can be summarized by the letters in the word SPARK. By describing it to you below, I hope to spark you into writing your own, because my mission in general is to introduce as much light as I can give into a world of pain and sorrow – a world of dark emptiness.
S = Self-actualization/Self-improvement
While this gives a first impression of self-absorption, it is really a selfless aim. Working on improving myself, I gain a better understanding of other people’s perceptions. Empathy and tolerance drive this motivation. As we begin to see ourselves as more alike than different, we gain a wider perspective.
Self-improvement leads us down the path to self-actualization, the goal. The higher we get on the self-actualized scale, the more peace and love build within us. These attributes produce more harmony all around.
P = Passion/Patience/Persistence
We all have a purpose. It is our mission to find and fulfill it. Passion for life is the fuel that fires up our passion. And passion is what will lead us with gusto through every step of our mission. I won’t say that life never gets me down because it does. But when it does, I work to find that passion again. That is what gives me the oomph to move forward. Patience and persistence factor into the oomph I’m talking about. Without those traits, my passion would die. Use persistence to keep going when the going gets tough. And have patience with yourself along the way.
A = Authenticity
If we are not real, we only kid ourselves. I strive to live with a genuineness that covers every aspect of my life. It starts with being honest and authentic with myself. Who am I really? If there is an aspect of myself I don’t like, I must change it. But I can’t know what it is unless I am honest with myself on every detail.
I follow this with honesty in my relationships and my outward face to the world. I see no good in someone loving and accepting me if it is not the real me. I have learned to live without the people who reject who I am down to the bone. They usually end up being the people who I prefer not to be around anyway.
R = Respect
I honor respect so I try my best to respect everything in my life. I respect other people, animals, nature, my creativity. I respect the laws of good conduct and try to maintain a high level of conscientiousness in all I do. Respect in all manner of interactions.
K = Kindness
On my desk is a small plaque that reads “Scatter Kindness.” It is there to remind me of the power of kindness. It can conquer all manner of evil. Kindness breaks down barriers. It makes friends. It makes enemies stop and think. It lightens a heavy load. It spreads compassion where there is pain. It brings people together. In a world of increasing road rage, social media bullying, and “me-me-me” self-centeredness, kindness along with thoughtfulness sets a much-needed example.
This is my personal mission statement – my mantra to live by. I hope I have inspired you to set down into words your own calling. Yours may not be SPARK. It may be SHINE or HAPPY, or whatever unique acronym you discover within yourself. You are an extraordinary person. Writing down your personal mission can help you fix that exceptional calling firmly into place.
Copyright 2021, Monica Nelson
