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Vision  –vs-­‐  Personal  Mission  

What  is  the  difference  between  a  vision  and  a  mission?  

Vision:  
Vision  communicates  an  ideal  end  result,  a  vision.  It  reflects  values  and  
beliefs,  and  should  inspire  and  challenge.  

Perhaps   the   best   example   of   a   public   Mission   Statement   was   made   back  
in  1960,  when  John  F.  Kennedy,  referring  to  the  U.S.  space  program,  said  
that   we   would   put   a   man   on   the   moon   by   the   end   of   the   decade   —   a  
clear   goal   with   a   specific   timeline   for   its   achievement.     And,   despite  
enormous   challenges,   by   mid-­‐1969,   Neil   Armstrong   had   taken   that   "one  
large  step  for  mankind."  

Another   is   a   young   aspiring   teacher:     I   want   to   be   selected   as   Alaska’s  

Teacher  of  the  Year  in  my  first  five  years  of  teaching.  

Personal  Mission  Statement:  

A  personal  mission  statement  is  a  brief  description  of  what  is  important  
to  you,  what  you  want  to  focus  on,  what  you  want  to  accomplish  and  
who  you  want  to  become  in  a  particular  area  of  your  life  in  the  near  to  
long  term  future.  It  is  a  way  to  focus  your  energy,  actions,  behaviors  and  
decisions  towards  the  things  that  are  most  important  to  you.  

A  personal  mission  statement  is  a  purposeful  promise  that  carries  you  

towards  your  goals.  

A  personal  mission  statement  is  a  tightly  focused  explanation  of  how  to  
achieve  your  personal  vision.  

Over   the   years,   your   circumstances   will   change.   Your   priorities   will  
change.   Your   goals   and   dreams   will   change.   That's   okay   -­‐   because  
change   means   growth.   As   you   grow,   transform,   and   broaden   your  
horizons,   allow   yourself   the   freedom   to   expand   and   refine   your   mission  
statement.  

8/17/17  
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Personal Mission Statement Template

Feel free to combine these sentences in any way so that your personal mission statement
reads as you would like it to. You may shorten it, change the order, add something……
you decide, it’s your mission statement

"To ... [what you want to achieve, do or become] ... so that ... [reasons why it is
important]. I will do this by ... [specific behaviors or actions you can use to get there]."

"I value (choose 1-3 values important to you) because ...[reasons why these values are
important to you]. Accordingly, I will ...[what you can do to live by these values]."

"To develop and cultivate the qualities of …(2-3 values or character traits) ... that I
admire in ...[an influential person in your life]... so that ...[why you want to develop these
qualities]."

"To live each day with ...[choose one to three values or principles]... so that ...[what living
by these values will give you]. I will do this by ...[specific behaviors you will use to live
by these values]."

"To appreciate and enjoy ...[things you want to appreciate and enjoy more] by ...[what
you can do to appreciate/enjoy these things]."

"To treasure above all else ...[most important things to you] by ...[what you can do to live
your priorities]."

"To be known by ...[an important person/group]... as someone who is ...[qualities you

want to have]...; by ...[some other person/group]... as someone who is ...[other
qualities]...; ..."

2/2/11
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Elements of a Personal Mission Statement

Part One:

To: ​What you want to achieve, do or become?

So that: ​Why is this important to you?
I will do this by: ​Specific behaviors or actions you plan to take to get there
Part Two:
I value: ​Choose 1-3 values important to you.
Because: ​Reasons why these values are important to you.
Accordingly I will: ​What you are doing (or can do) to live by these values.
Part Three:

To develop and cultivate the qualities of: ​2-3 values or character traits
That I admire in: ​An influential person in your life
So that: ​Why you want to develop these qualities
Part Four:
To appreciate and enjoy: ​Things you want to appreciate and enjoy more
By: ​What you can do to appreciate/enjoy these things

Part Five ​
To treasure above all else: ​Most important things to you
By: ​What you can do to live your priorities
Part Six:
To be known by: ​An important person/group
As someone who is: ​Qualities you want to
have ​
By: ​Some other person/group
As someone who is: ​Other qualities you want to
have ​

2/2/11
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Values List

Accomplishment
Achievement
Adventure
Balance
Beauty
Belonging
Challenge
Change
Charity
Comfort
Community
Compassion
Competence
Competitiveness
Control
Cooperation
Creativity
Culture
Democracy
Diversity
Loyalty
Economic Stability
Education
Efficiency
Environment
Ethical Behavior
Fairness
Fame
Family
Freedom
Friendship
Fun
Health
Hobbies
Honesty
Honor
Inclusiveness
Independence
Influence
Inner Harmony Relationships
Integrity
Intellectual Status
Intelligence
Involvement
Job Security
Joy
Knowledge
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Leadership Skills
Learning
Love
Loyalty
Money
Nature
New Experiences
Openness
Order
Originality
Peace
Personal Development
Power
Prestige
Privacy
Professional Growth
Public Service
Purity
Purpose
Quality
Recognition
Respect
Responsibility
Security
Self-awareness
Self-esteem
Self-respect
Serenity
Social Justice
Spirituality
Stability
Status
Team Work
Time
Tradition
Trust
Truth
Vision
Wealth
Wisdom​

Others:

Circle your top 10 values from the list above.

Narrow down this list to your top 5 values. Record them below.

1.
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2.
3.

4.
5​
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Vision Action Planning Worksheet

"The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and
achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade
through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings
you closer to fulfilling your dreams."
Og Mandino: Author, The Greatest Salesman in the World.

Write a clear statement of your personal vision below:

What practical steps will you need to take to achieve your personal vision?

What obstacles or barriers may prevent you from achieving your personal vision?

What steps will you need to take to address these barriers?

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Once these barriers are identified, develop your plan into an action plan using the
attached template

2/9/11