By Julie Adamen

Recently a friend of mine - who I will call “Bob” - was in a situation that many of us would find desirable: The contemplation of several very good job offers within a six-week period.  Of those offers one was excellent, and the rest were very good. On top of it, his current position was also very good. This should have been an exciting, flattering time for Bob. Unfortunately, it turned out to be an incredibly stressful period for Bob and his family because he didn’t have a mechanism at the ready for sorting through the incredible emotional, physical and financial challenges each opportunity  presented. Bob bounced back and forth like a ping pong ball, sent in a new direction every time a new thought, ramification, what-if, why not, or input from family or friends came to him. It was an agonizing process and I truly, truly felt his pain.

“Bob” is not alone. Many of the folks with whom I have contact with are in one stage or another of this career development process (though most have only one offer to contemplate – sometimes two). So, what are the mechanisms that assist us in making cogent decisions about our careers – and our lives – in a rapid, relatively stress-free manner? The mechanisms are personal Vision and Mission Statements.

The Personal Vision Statement Defined:  

“A Personal Vision Statement outlines what a person wants to be. It focuses on tomorrow; it is inspirational; and it provides clear decision-making criteria.  “[1]

The Personal Mission Statement Defined:

“The road map to the Vision Statement. In other words, in what manner will you become the person you want to be, in all senses, tomorrow?

A Vision Statement for you?

Many folks don’t take the time to develop a Life Vision for themselves. Their lives are ruled by The Now, ever caught up in an endless cycle of daily and weekly routine. Most people seem to manage (or, not) their lives in this fashion, reacting to what happens to them, not acting to make things happen for themselves. From my own experience I have learned that many times people who live their lives in this fashion can become bored and bitter because they feel powerless, as if their strings are being pulled by a giant puppet master over whom they have no control

Maybe this sounds like you. Or, maybe you don’t want to become this type of person. One way or the other, this reactive cycle is  a sure path to get behind in your career and more importantly your personal life.  No matter your age or stage of life, it’s not too late to take more control. It starts with having a Vision for the rest of your personal and professional life. No one can do this for you; you must create the Vision on your own if you want to be empowered over your career (and your life).  “A compelling Vision can help you succeed, be more satisfied with your life, and get the most out of all your relationships and experiences.”[2]

Developing your Vision Statement

What’s your end Goal(s) for your Life? Those Goals are  your Vision Statement. It’s the basis for how you live your life daily, weekly, yearly, personally and professionally. Whatever you want most out of this life is your Vision Statement.  And don’t get hung up on this! Your Vision statement is not written in stone, and as you grow so will your Vision Statement. Vision Statements should be reviewed and tweaked to reflect changes in your life, family, religious beliefs, education, financial status and health. At age 47, my Vision is a lot different than it would have been at 27...  At 47, I can actually glimpse the end of my working life and the end of my life, period.  I understand that decisions I make now can have serious impact on the remainder of my personal and professional life. That’s why I have a Vision Statement.

In developing your Vision Statement you need to do some personal exploration. A good starting place is to ask yourself questions such as the following:

• What activities bring me  the most joy?
• What are my 3-5 most important values?
• At the end of my  life, what would I regret not seeing, doing or achieving?
• What are my core competencies?
• What are my biggest weaknesses?
• What are my core values?

Once you have answered these questions, you are ready to craft your Vision Statement. Make the statement about who you hope to be, and what you hope to achieve, in the future. 

Why bother with this at all? Because it is said that you generally achieve the plans, goals and dreams that you write down, and it’s probably because by doing so you give them power and commitment, and thus accomplishment.[3]

The Personal Mission Statement: Road Map to the Vision

Example Vision Statement:

“My Vision is to live a healthy, happy and balanced life, to be a loving spouse and parent, to give back to my community and my profession, to be the best person I can be.”

So, how will you get there? That’s where your personal Mission Statement comes in.

Break it down. First, break down your Vision Statement in to its main components (in this case, health, happiness, balance, relationships, service, self). How will you get to each of these components?  Start by writing down your thoughts on each one. Only you know what path will be right for you, but let’s work on some examples.

1. Health: Exercise, eating better, using sunscreen, getting more sleep, drinking more water, cutting down on alcohol, no more fast food, think positive!

2. Happiness: Spending time in the out of doors, taking care of dogs, taking care of my children, playing golf, spending time with positive people, running marathon, having no bills.

3. Balance: Work hard, play hard, time for myself, time for my family.

4.  Relationships: Be present when I am with my children, take time to listen to my family members, be more accepting.

5. Service: Prioritize so I can spend more time in my church group, join a local professional organization

6. Self: If I can at least some of the above, I will be a better person to myself.

This is a limited list, but yours could have 10, 12 or 15 items under each category.  From it, you can distill down a Mission Statement that is right for you. Based on the above, how about this:

“My Mission is to live a happy and healthy life so I may be my best. I recognize that to be my best, I must continually be present when I am with my family, showing them the love that I feel for them. I must continually balance work and play, knowing that work should not consume me, and that I must and shall give back to my industry through participation in my professional organization. I will think positively, exercise on a regular basis and eat healthy. My Mission is to be at my best, as that fosters love, health, accomplishment and satisfaction.”

How will I get to my Vision? That’s what the Mission Statement will outline.  Goals, methods and timetables to get to your Vision. If you don’t set goals, both good and poor performances go unnoticed and again you are reacting to life, not taking an active role in it. If you don’t put forth a method, you will be left floundering when it comes to making decisions as opportunity for a change in direction presents itself to you. If you don’t set timetables for yourself, this week turns in to next, then it’s a month, then years and you are left wondering what happened to your life on your 65^th birthday.  

Having a Vision and Mission Statement means you have a plan.

Let’s go back to our friend “Bob.” As Bob agonized over his decision (which great job should I take? Or should I stay in the great job I have?) it became clear that Bob lacked that internal compass – he lacked a specific Vision for himself and his family, and lacked a specific Mission Statement for himself. He lacked a plan.

For seasoned professionals who have a plan, opportunities presented become another routine management process: One: Triage (examine the opportunity, weigh the facts without getting stuck in minutia), two: comparison (does it fit with where I want my professional and personal life to go?)  and three: decision.  They key here is item # 2: Does this opportunity fit with where I want to go and how I want to get there? In other words, does it fit my Personal Vision and Mission Statement?

Having a plan lowers stress.  You are on the all-American summer road-trip –blue-highway-tour to parts unknown. Your spouse is driving.  It’s a beautiful summer day, and the wind is blowing in your hair. The kids are in the back seat. It’s bliss. But after a few hours, you come to realize that both you and your spouse have forgotten your roadmap or your TomTom. You don’t know how to get to your destination. Serious discussion ensues in the front seat. Suddenly, you find the wind annoying, as well as your spouse. The kids need to go to the bathroom and the dog has thrown up in the back seat. The Stress Meter is now pegged.

 Like having along TomTom (or a roadmap) on your next vacation cross country, having a plan – by having a Mission/Vision Statement, lowers the stress level in the vehicle of life. You know where you want to go. You have thought out how you want to get there, and what you are willing to do, or not do, to achieve your goals.  When an opportunity presents itself (a crossroad of life, if you will) you feel less stressed because you aren’t agonizing over what ifs? and why nots? because you are grounded by your plan. It all comes down to: Does it fit with my Vision/Mission Statement?

Having a plan allows you to set  goal(s). Let’s take it right back to what we all know: One of the biggest problems faced by community associations is   – usually –  they don’t have a (business) plan, a mission statement, a vision statement, or a set specific goals to achieve over a period of time.  The very nature of community associations, with their volunteer Boards that rotate in and out year after year, does not foster long range planning and the execution of those plans. As soon as one Board decides to set a goal, the next Board gets voted in, abandons that position and starts from square one. Ground Hog Day.

Don’t be like the communities you manage. Having a Vision/Mission Statement  allows you to set realistic, achievable goals which will bring you to the Vision you see of yourself in the upcoming years. Having a clear Vision of what you want to be, and how you will achieve that goal, gives life more clarity by minimizing the time consuming, unproductive wheel-spinning so many people (and associations) endure.

Having a plan helps you plot your next career move. I have counseled literally hundreds of management professionals on their next career move. What is so striking to me is the sheer number of those professionals who have not given any thought to what’s next for them until they absolutely had to because they had been terminated, or their company lost accounts, or – whatever. Now those folks are left with opportunities that may, or more importantly, may not, be right for them. They often end up forced to take another position that simply does not fit them. They then leave in a relatively short amount of time with or without another job waiting in the wings. This lack of planning can be very detrimental not only professionally (looks like hell on your resume) but personally by making you feel a failure. 

Conversely, I know of one very accomplished, Type-A, PCAM’d manager who made a giant change in her career – from that of high powered, well-paid high rise manager in a major metropolitan area to portfolio manager in a small rural community. She’s been talking about it for a long time, and when the opportunity came, BAM! she triaged the opportunities, decided they fit with her Vision, and made a very large, life-altering decision within a very short amount of time with very little kvetching. .  Because this woman had a plan, had a Vision, she was able to make the next, right career move for her.  

Having a Vision/Mission Statement helps you make decisions not just in business, but for your personal life as well. Should I buy this house?: (Does it fit within my plan for location/lifestyle/financial security, etc.?) Should I marry this person? (Does s/he want to go where I want to go? Are we in sync with our life Visions?) Should I move to Nebraska? (Does it fit with my career goals? My family goals?)

So many folks who have a terrible time with any sort of major decision for fear of making the wrong one. Having your Vision/Mission Statement at the ready will help you through the many decisions you will be confronted with throughout your life.

Let’s you know when it’s time to let go and move on. One of the hardest decisions for any of us to make is that decision to let go, be it a job, marriage, relationship, pet, house – anything in to which we have placed our blood, sweat and tears. When you find yourself in this spin – you can always go back to your Vision/Mission Statement.  If your Vision is to be happy and healthy, yet you are in a destructive relationship – you are no longer following your Vision. If you have “fallen off the wagon” and are back on the fast food kick – does that fit with your Mission Statement? Sometimes, we just need a little reminder of our higher, better selves to get us back on the path to our Life Vision, our life plan.

And one last word… Having Vision/Mission Statement doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes, and make the wrong decision sometimes.  You will. What those statements can do is be a clarion to guide you back to your life Vision.

The Wrap Up

The folks who can make their decisions with relative ease and certainty are those have contemplated the concepts of: Where do I want to go? How will I get there?  And maybe more importantly: Who do I want to be? – before an opportunity and/or life altering decision comes before them.  In their mind they know the answer to those questions. These people have, whether they know it or not, a personal Vision Statement and a personal Mission Statement. These two items allow people to evaluate with certitude and confidence what comes to them at any crossroad, personally and professionally. They have a better idea how to go after what they want, discard what they don’t. They are able to continually make decisions quickly, confidently, easily. Remember, opportunities tend to be fleeting. With a Vision for your life and a Mission Statement on how you will get there, the chances for success by however you measure it are greater. And isn’t that something worth thinking about?