15 Questions to Ask to Discover Your Lifes Purpose

Client list? Check.

Custom-printed business cards? Finished.

Flashy website? Duh.

Business Plan? Got it...

Personal Mission Statement? Uh...

Maybe you didn't think a mission statement was really that important; perhaps it seemed like something that was outdated (or worse, it was just a "passing trend" that people were using as their Twitter headlines - wrong!)

A mission statement is a brief message to clients and future partners that addresses, in short, why you are doing exactly what you're doing. It may even be a beneficial message to future employers - even to yourself - should you find yourself wondering why you ever became an entrepreneur in the first place. 

Perhaps there are some philosophical elements here, or some deeper spiritual moments that address what you're trying to do with your company. But above all else, your mission statement is going to do the following for you:

1. Give insight into the objectivesfor yourself.

2. Provide information about what goals you hope to accomplish in your life

3. Communicate why those goalsmatterto you.

4. Re-focusyourself should you ever go astray.

Success won’t happen unless you have clarity of purpose. That’s what this free download will help you do. It will help you clarify your purpose and help you get focused on what you need to do to be successful. 

Personal mission statements are an important component of leadership and personal development. They force you to think deeply about your life, clarify its purpose, and identify what is truly important to you. Personal mission statements also force you to clarify and express as briefly as possible your deepest values and aspirations. It imprints your values and purposes in your mind, so they become a part of you. Integration of your personal mission statement into your weekly planning is also a way to keep your vision constantly in front of you. 

How can you create your personal mission statement? What’s it even look like?

1. Identify Some Past Successes. These successes can be personal or professional. Identifying a common theme is beneficial because it helps you identify what is important to you. 

2. Identify Your Core Values. Development of this list should outline a list of attributes that you believe best identifies who you are as well as your priorities. Once you have completed this step, identify which value is most important to you. Some may like to narrow the list down to a few values before choosing just one. 

3. Identify Your Contributions. Make a list of the ways you feel you could make a difference. How do you believe you can contribute to the world? Your family? Your employer? Your community? Your friends? Seeing your contributions detailed can help you best understand in what ways you would like to make a difference. 

4. Identify Your Goals. Consider your priorities in life and the goals you have for yourself. Listing your personal short-term and long-term goals are valuable in this step. 

Why is it important? 

1. It integrates who you are. 

2.  Provides focus.

3. Simplifies any decision-making processes. 

4. Holds you accountable for your decisions and actions. 

Writing a personal mission statement is an act of self-discovery that can help us uncover things that we previously may not have otherwise known. Personal mission statements allow us to get to know ourselves better and discover our sense of purpose in life. 

Here is how I wrote my first mission statement.

1. I started writing. I began by listing all the things that are most important to me. 

2. I wrote down all the things I wanted to do. 

3. I decided that whatever venture I commit to must align with my personal mission, my values and my goals. 

4. For every new opportunity that comes along, I would ask myself how it aligns with my goals. Regardless of how much money I could acquire, if the venture did not align with where I wanted to be, then I would not pursue it. 

Big Questions? 

I asked myself these big questions. What am I chasing after? Why am I chasing it? What is my purpose? Why was I put here?

I imagined the day of my funeral. What do you want your eulogy to consist of? What would your lifetime achievements be? What would matter the most at the end of your life? Is it what you are doing right NOW?

The result of that deep dive was this. Here is my personal mission statement:

• What matters most is my connection with myself, being present and feeling blissful.
• What I value most is having meaningful relationships with people. Being able to connect with people on deep levels.I plan to be financially independent, and have control of my time and location. I plan to work only on projects and causes that I connect with. I plan to acquire my finances without violating my values, goals and personal mission.
• I plan to travel and live in different parts of the world. Experiencing different cultures, documenting them in photographs and in writing and sharing them with others. 
• Having a family is important to me. I desire a deep, loving relationship with my family and will be present and put them first.
• To live everyday fully as if it was my last.

So Let’s Help You Complete Your Personal Mission Statement

I have tried to put this into a process that is a little simpler than what I went through. 

”A personal mission consists of 3 parts:

1. What do I want to do?

2. Who do I want to help?

3. What is the result? What value will I create?

Steps to Creating Your Personal Mission Statement:

Simple Instructions:

1. Take out a few sheets of loose paper and a pen.

2. Find a place where you will not be interrupted. Turn off your cell phone.

3. Write the answers to each question down. Write the first thing that pops into your head. Write without editing. It’s important to write out your answers rather than just thinking about them.

4. Write quickly. Give yourself less than 60 seconds a question. Preferably less than 30 seconds.

5. Be honest. Nobody will read it. It’s important to write without editing.

6. List action words you connect with. Example: educate, accomplish, empower, encourage, improve, help, give, guide, inspire, integrate, master, motivate, nurture, organize, produce, promote, travel, spread, share, satisfy, understand, teach, write, etc.

7. List action words you connect with. Example: educate, accomplish, empower, encourage, improve, help, give, guide, inspire, integrate, master, motivate, nurture, organize, produce, promote, travel, spread, share, satisfy, understand, teach, write, etc.

8. Based on your answers to the 15 questions. List everything and everyone that you believe you can help. Example: People, creatures, organizations, causes, groups, environment, etc.

9. Identify your end goal. How will the ‘who’ from your above answer benefit from what you ‘do’?

10. Combine steps 2-4 into a sentence, or 2-3 sentences.

11. What is your purpose? What is your mission? What matters to you most? List them out.

12. What are your deepest values? Select 3 to 6 and prioritize the words in order of importance to you.

15 Questions to Discover Your Life Purpose

The following are a list of questions that can assist you in discovering your purpose. They are meant as a guide to help you get into a frame of mind that will be conducive to defining your personal mission.

1. What makes you smile? 

2. What are your favorite things to do in the past? What about now?

3. What activities make you lose track of time?

4. What makes you feel great about yourself?

5. Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or do not know. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?

6. What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)

7. What do people typically ask you for help in?

8. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

9. What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?

10. What are your deepest values?

11. What were some challenges, difficulties and hardships you’ve overcome or are in the process of overcoming? How did you do it?

12. What causes do you strongly believe in? Connect with?

13. Given your talents, passions and values. How could you use these resources to serve, to help, to contribute?

I have added these two questions recently because these make you see yourself in the future. I think that is helpful in understanding what is possible and what you can accomplish. 

14. If you could get a message across to a large group of people. Who would those people be? What would your message be?

15. You are now 90 years old, sitting on a rocking chair outside your porch; you can feel the spring breeze gently brushing against your face. You are blissful and happy, and are pleased with the wonderful life you’ve been blessed with. Looking back at your life and all that you’ve achieved and acquired, all the relationships you’ve developed; what matters to you most? List them out.

Don't be afraid of putting together multiple drafts. Find a few people who have opinions that you trust, and ask them to read what you've written. Be sure that what you're composing is true - true to you and to what you're trying to accomplish. Don't try to build an image out of who you think people wantyou to be.

Writing a mission statement for yourself will be hard, but it will be one of the most important things you do for your personal marketing and your future self, should you ever need a solid reflection on who you are. It will be a worthwhile project, and one you never regret doing.