Identifying & Crafting an Impactful Mission Statement: Your Compass to Success

We all need a clear sense of direction, a purpose, a reason of doing what we do.
We all need a mission.

A personal mission is a guide to reaching your north star, it is your inner compass. In this blog post, we will explore what a mission statement is, why it is essential, and provide a step-by-step guide to help you identify and develop your own mission.

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Understanding the power of a personal mission

A mission statement is your guiding framework, providing clarity and direction for your life's journey. When you know your mission, you can allocate your energy to the right things, set healthy boundaries, and work towards your overarching goal. It's about living with intention and aligning your actions with your purpose.

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Crafting your mission statement: A step-by-step guide

Step 1: Reflect on your values & purpose 

Identify your core values and the driving force behind your actions. What do you stand for? What ignites your passion? Understand your purpose and what you aspire to achieve in life.

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Step 2: Identify your unique strengths & contributions

Recognize your unique abilities, talents, and strengths. How can you use them to make a positive impact? Consider how you can contribute to the world meaningfully.

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Step 3: Merge passion with sustainability

Explore how you can turn your passions into a sustainable livelihood. Consider the market demand for your passions and how they can be transformed into a viable career or business opportunity. Find the intersection where your passions meet the needs of others.

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Step 4: Define your long-term vision

Envision where you want to be in the future, whether it's in 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. Set a clear and inspiring picture of your desired destination. Your mission statement will serve as a roadmap to guide you there.

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Step 5: Craft a concise and inspiring statement

Summarize your values, purpose, long-term vision, and unique contributions into a concise and impactful mission statement. Keep it clear, memorable, and aligned with your authentic self.

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Examples of powerful mission statements

For your inspiration, here are several one-sentence mission statements from notable individuals, along with extended versions provided by our learners that elaborate on their missions. During the application process, participants are requested to create both a short and an extended mission statement. Below, you'll find some renowned examples, as well as ones from our own learner community.

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Short mission statements

• “To make people happy." -Walt Disney. 

• “To have fun in my journey through life and learn from my mistakes.” -Richard Branson

• “To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” -Oprah Winfrey
• “I want to serve the people. And I want every girl, every child to be educated.” -Malala Yousafzai

• “If something is important enough you should try, even if the probable outcome is failure.” -Elon Musk

• “To protect the Earth's last wild places and implement solutions to build a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world.” -Leonardo DiCaprio 

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Extended mission statements

"In the first weeks of the Master in Sustainability at Tomorrow University, we had to define our mission statement. I want to inspire people with my experiences so that they rethink their actions to grow sustainability together. In the last two and a half years, I traveled around the world. While working as a volunteer in Central and South Africa and traveling for a while, I got to know a different perspective on life. I am trying to achieve my mission statement by writing my own book, which is still in process, but so far, I have about 250 pages. Currently, I'm working in the tourism industry, and due to my experience I made abroad, I try to be as sustainable as possible. In the future, I plan to open up my own business with the knowledge I gained at ToU and from other fields."

—Raffael Winkler, Cohort 7 of the PM in SET

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"My name is Andrea Brizuela, and I am a Senior Product Designer from the beautiful country of Paraguay, located in the heart of South America. Today, I want to share my mission statement, one of the first tasks we tackled at ToU. Crafting my mission statement required a lot of introspective work and deep diving into my values to envision the future I want to create. Over the years, I have worked with organizations from different parts of the world, and the skills and experiences I have gained have given me the necessary knowledge to excel in my field. Now, I am on a mission to enable economic growth through the creation of work opportunities for my community, starting with my country and eventually expanding to impact more countries in Latin America. I truly believe that we have the talent, heart, and force to achieve this goal. To accomplish this dream, I will leverage my technology, design, and innovation expertise. I see ToU as the first step in my journey to make this dream a reality."

—Andrea Brizuela, Bachelor's Degree Learner

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At Tomorrow University, all our programs start with a transformative three-week course that helps you identify your purpose and personal mission. It's about defining your "why", the driving force behind who you are, what you want, and how you'll achieve it. 

Don't miss out on this opportunity and take the first step towards unlocking your true potential. Book a call with the Admissions Team!

Need one last piece of inspiration? Here comes Yoda: “Do or do not, there is no try.”