Write a Mission Statement

The Mission Statement The Mission Statement Workshop (part 1)Workshop (part 1)

© Vikram Rangala (© Vikram Rangala ([email protected]))

Creative Commons: distribute unaltered for non-commercial Creative Commons: distribute unaltered for non-commercial use. use.

Email if you're interested in a live, expanded mission Email if you're interested in a live, expanded mission workshopworkshop

Example: Jerry MaguireExample: Jerry Maguire

Dorothy: "I care about the job, but mostly I Dorothy: "I care about the job, but mostly I just want to be inspired. What you wrote just want to be inspired. What you wrote

inspired me. I'm working with you because inspired me. I'm working with you because of that memo. I loved that memo." of that memo. I loved that memo."

Jerry: “It was a mission statement.” Jerry: “It was a mission statement.”

Mission statement written before screenplayMission statement written before screenplayhttp://www.thisisawar.com/PurposeJerry.htmhttp://www.thisisawar.com/PurposeJerry.htm

A Thought ExperimentA Thought Experiment

Source: Source: The Soul’s CodeThe Soul’s Code, James , James HillmanHillman

Drawn from Plato’s Drawn from Plato’s RepublicRepublic

Before we are born, our souls choose Before we are born, our souls choose the circumstances of our birth and the circumstances of our birth and

enter this world for a purpose.enter this world for a purpose.

If so, our job is to discover something If so, our job is to discover something that already exists and is in progress. that already exists and is in progress.

Mission StatementsMission Statements

Tell us who we are and what we’re Tell us who we are and what we’re living for.living for.

Unchanging center in the midst of Unchanging center in the midst of change.change.

Commitments. Promises to Commitments. Promises to ourselves and those who matter ourselves and those who matter

to us.to us.Give us a vision on which to act.Give us a vision on which to act.


Must be written, Must be written, not just thought about.not just thought about.

Must be revised regularly.Must be revised regularly.

Must be individual and unique.Must be individual and unique.

Must resonate deep within us.Must resonate deep within us.


For individuals, families, companies, For individuals, families, companies, organizations, nationsorganizations, nations

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of IndependenceLike a nation’s ConstitutionLike a nation’s ConstitutionA place to go when in doubtA place to go when in doubt

A source of guidance, inspiration, and A source of guidance, inspiration, and connection to something greaterconnection to something greater

Some quotesSome quotes

All that we are is the result of what we have All that we are is the result of what we have thought. Our thoughts of today determine thought. Our thoughts of today determine our life of tomorrow. Life is a creation of our life of tomorrow. Life is a creation of

the mind. the mind. —The Buddha—The Buddha


Nothing happens unless first a dream. Nothing happens unless first a dream. —Carl Sandburg—Carl Sandburg


All great deeds and all great thoughts have All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. a ridiculous beginning. —Albert Camus—Albert Camus


Where there is no vision, the people perish... Where there is no vision, the people perish...

—Proverbs, 29:18—Proverbs, 29:18


It is only with the heart that one can see It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the rightly; what is essential is invisible to the

eye.eye.—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry


You reach a certain age where you’re no You reach a certain age where you’re no longer waiting for the man you’re going to longer waiting for the man you’re going to become. You better start being the man become. You better start being the man

you want to be. you want to be. —Bruce Springsteen, —Bruce Springsteen, 60 Minutes 60 Minutes

interview, 1/21/96interview, 1/21/96


Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened shall find; knock, and it shall be opened

unto you:unto you:For every one that asketh receiveth; and For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that he that seeketh findeth; and to him that

knocketh it shall be opened.knocketh it shall be opened.—The Book of Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)—The Book of Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)


Some men see things as they are, and say, Some men see things as they are, and say, “Why?” “Why?”

I dream of things that never were, I dream of things that never were, and say, “Why not?” and say, “Why not?”

——George Bernard Shaw, George Bernard Shaw, quoted by Robert F. Kennedyquoted by Robert F. Kennedy


We must become We must become the change the change

we wish to see. we wish to see.

——Mohandas GandhiMohandas Gandhi


Whatever you can do, Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius,Boldness has genius,power, and magic in it.power, and magic in it.

——Johann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von Goethe

Writing a Mission StatementWriting a Mission Statement

A way to explore your mind and learn to A way to explore your mind and learn to trust it. Trusting one’s mind is a basic skill trust it. Trusting one’s mind is a basic skill

for writers and leaders. for writers and leaders. Ernest Hemingway put it this way: Ernest Hemingway put it this way:

““What every writer needs is What every writer needs is a built-in, shock-proof, shit detector.” a built-in, shock-proof, shit detector.”

Recognize and exchange illusions for Recognize and exchange illusions for something closer to the truth. something closer to the truth.

QuestionsQuestions

What do you dream about? What What do you dream about? What dream do you have that no one dream do you have that no one

knows about? What would give you knows about? What would give you great pain, years from now, to say “I great pain, years from now, to say “I

never did ________.”?never did ________.”?Why would it be painful?Why would it be painful?

QuestionsQuestions

If you had a week to live, what If you had a week to live, what would you absolutely have to do, would you absolutely have to do, to feel you had made the most of to feel you had made the most of your life? Why? What if you had your life? Why? What if you had

a month, six months, a year?a month, six months, a year?

QuestionsQuestions

What do you secretly suspect What do you secretly suspect you’d be very good at if you ever you’d be very good at if you ever had the chance? How would you had the chance? How would you

feel if you actually did it? feel if you actually did it?

QuestionsQuestions

When someone a hundred years When someone a hundred years from now says your name, what from now says your name, what

feelings would you want that feelings would you want that person to feel? Will your name person to feel? Will your name be a source of strength, just to be a source of strength, just to

say it?say it?

QuestionsQuestions

What do you value most in life? What do you value most in life? What values are you absolutely What values are you absolutely committed to standing for? What committed to standing for? What

would pain you if others said, would pain you if others said, “He/she doesn’t care about “He/she doesn’t care about

_____?” _____?”

QuestionsQuestions

How do you want to contribute to How do you want to contribute to others in the future?others in the future?

What do you have to offer What do you have to offer right now right now to to someone who walks into the room someone who walks into the room

needing help? needing help?

QuestionsQuestions

Whose life really inspires you? Whose life really inspires you? Why? Whose life scares you? Why? Whose life scares you?

What if your life began to What if your life began to resemble either of these in resemble either of these in

significant ways? significant ways? What would be the signs? What would be the signs?

What would you do about it?What would you do about it?

QuestionsQuestions

What injustices will you fight What injustices will you fight against? against?

QuestionsQuestions

What painful or negative experiences have What painful or negative experiences have you had which could potentially make you you had which could potentially make you stronger, more capable, wiser, and better stronger, more capable, wiser, and better able to contribute positively to others? able to contribute positively to others?

How would it feel to turn those experiences How would it feel to turn those experiences into sources of strength? What pain will into sources of strength? What pain will you feel ten years from now if you have you feel ten years from now if you have not turned them into sources of power? not turned them into sources of power?

Final QuestionFinal Question

It's hard to answer and may sound strange, It's hard to answer and may sound strange, but it will be a source of great power for but it will be a source of great power for

you...you...

What are you pretendingWhat are you pretendingnot to know?not to know?

Write a Mission Statement

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