Unlocking Your Potential: The Importance of Clarifying Your Personal and Business Missions

But what do YOU want?

One of the most common stumpers I ask business leaders I work with is “What do YOU want?” It may not surprise you that most of them have difficulty answering this question quickly or clearly. 

When it comes to achieving success in both your personal and professional life, having a clear understanding of your mission is crucial. Your mission serves as a guiding principle, helping you stay focused and motivated as you work towards your goals. 

Many people struggle with clarifying their personal and business missions, leaving them feeling uncertain and directionless. Some of us have even learned to feel shame around what we would like our mission to be.

In this post, we’ll explore some strategies for clarifying your personal and business missions, so you can unlock your full potential and achieve the success you deserve.

First, let’s take a closer look at what we mean by “mission.” In the context of personal and professional development, your mission is your overarching purpose or goal. It’s the reason you get out of bed in the morning and the driving force behind your actions. It can be either short- or long-term and will probably adjust over time. 

For some people, their mission may be to make a positive impact on the world, while for others, it could be financial freedom. Whatever your mission, it should align with your values, passions, interests, and vision for your life. If you’re not sure where to start, check out The Hart Habits, especially #1 Self and #7 Record. Both will give you a jump on clarifying your personal and business missions. For now, though, let’s start simple.

Clarifying your personal mission:

To clarify your personal mission, start by thinking about what is most important to you in life. What are your values? What are your passions? What do you want to achieve? It can be helpful to write down your thoughts in a journal or on a piece of paper. I sometimes have clients do a “Dream Stream” activity where they close their eyes and imagine an ideal day, then open and write down everything they visualized.  Once you have a list of your values, passions, and goals, look for common themes or patterns. Check out Brené Brown’s book Dare to Lead for an excellent list of values that can help with the process. This will help you to identify what truly matters to you, and what you want to achieve in your personal life.

Next, take a look at your current lifestyle. Does it align with your personal mission? Are you living in a way that is consistent with your values, passions, and goals? If not, it may be time to make some changes. For example, if your mission is to make a positive impact on the world, you may want to volunteer for a local charity or start a community garden.

Clarifying your business mission:

Clarifying your business mission is similar to clarifying your personal mission, but with a focus on your professional goals. Start by thinking about what you want to achieve in your career. What are your passions and interests? What are your goals? What problems do you enjoy solving for people? Who do you enjoy solving problems for?

Once you have a clear idea of your professional goals, take a look at your current job or business. Does it align with your mission? If not, what can you do to make adjustments, even if they are small at first? 

For example, if your mission is to help people live healthier lives through dance, but you’re working at a potato farm, you may want to consider a career change.

Another important aspect of clarifying your business mission is determining the impact you want your business to have on the world. A clear mission statement can help you communicate your values and goals to your customers and employees, and it can also help you attract like-minded people as clients, vendors, and partners. 

While I make it sound easy with this quick post, this can be an intensive process that you should revisit regularly. One of my favorite authors on the topic is Pamela Slim, and her latest book The Widest Net gives readers a groundbreaking new way to think about this part of the journey.

In conclusion, clarifying your personal and business mission is an important step in achieving success in both your personal and professional life. By understanding your values, passions, and goals, and aligning them with your lifestyle and career, you can unlock your full potential and achieve the success you deserve. Remember, your mission is your guiding principle, so take the time to clearly define it and use it to drive your actions.

If you find it hard to answer the question “What do I want?” both personally and professionally, you’re not alone and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. I work with clients regularly who have experienced “success” by many standards but still feel like they aren’t sure exactly why they’re doing what they do the way they do.

My coaching system, The Hart Habits, helps clients identify the gaps in their self-knowledge so they can fill those gaps and subsequently learn to have better relationships with themselves and the folks they live and work with. 

Download The Hart Habits framework for free below or set up a quick call with me to discuss your personal and business missions.