Keys to Living a Compelling Mission

Now is an ideal time to take a look at whether you're living a compelling mission - one that you'll feel great about. Take a moment to reflect on the following
points.

1. Your mission is larger than a job or career.

Ideally your job/career will align with your mission. You could be working as a teacher while your mission is education. When you limit your personality and unique
abilities to a position, a profound loss of identity can surface when your position changes. Who would you be without your roles?

2. Your mission is much more than your role.

We all have various roles we fulfill: spouse, parent, manager, business owner, and/or friend. In our culture, men tend to define themselves by what they do
professionally. Often women define themselves by their roles or relationships. Linking your role to your mission places you in a vulnerable position because your role is likely to change.

3. Your mission is not your To-Do List.

As Stephen Covey so masterfully pointed out, there is a huge distinction between what is important and what is urgent. Most people fill their to-do lists with activities that appear to require immediate attention. When focusing on your mission, contemplate the big picture. Think values, mission, vision, and then list your corresponding goals. Otherwise, you can be very busy following a to-do list
without creating anything worthwhile.

4. You are born with a purpose.

Everyone's life is important enough to warrant a mission. In the classic movie: "It's a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart portrays a suicidal businessman who experiences what the lives of his friends and loved ones would be like without him. Mostly we don't have this overview or the understanding of how interconnected we really are.

5. Your mission may not appear to be grand.

You don't have to be another Mother Teresa or significantly contribute to the Gross National Product. You've heard the saying: For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the battle
was lost. The blacksmith responsible for Paul Reveres horse's feet indirectly helped lead a nation to freedom. When you positively affect one life, you can be considered successful!

6. Your mission is perfect for you.

Your mission is not something you loathe doing. Years ago, I feared God would want me to be a missionary living in a grass hut, and I wanted to postpone this event as long as possible. It was irrational. Think of this: what CEO in his or her right mind would have the sales team switch to accounting? When you are living your mission, you experience pure joy.

7. Your mission inspires you to take action.

Great leaders can state their mission succinctly. Nelson Mandela's mission was to end apartheid; Mother Teresa's mission was to show compassion to the dying. If you don't feel passionate about your mission, it isn't your mission.

Check to see if you're on track. Then you'll make better use of your time, have more savvy success, and feel fulfilled in your personal and professional life.

The best of success to you!

Barbara McRae, MCC
The Savvy Success Coach