Mission Statement: Second Attempt

I recently wrote about my first attempt to write a personal mission statement. Here is my second attempt:

With God’s help, to become excellent in:

• Leadership
• Relationship 
• Stewardship

And to support others in the development of these same qualities.

Mission Statement: First Attempt

Some years ago, I wrote a mission statement for mysef – then put it in a drawer and forgot about it. Having recently attended a 7 habits course, I have developed a new interest in the idea of seeking God and reflecting on my life so I can develop a better idea of the purpose of my life. It will be interesting to see if a new mission statement emerges from this process. In the mean time, here is my original mission statement. Clearly, it needs a lot of work.

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With God’s help:

To invest myself first and foremost in my wife and children and children’s children. Then to friends, my church, my colleagues. To value all people, regardless of their social standing – especially those who are least valued and most unwanted. To offer kindness and to practice hospitality. To listen first, then to speak. To be truthful but also practice gentleness. To take the lead through supporting others. To teach through being teachable. To give comfort, encouragement and hope. To treat people with respect. To be diligent in work – a man of integrity and ability – always striving for excellence (but not too hard!). To be a good steward of: my body, mind and spirit; my time; my financial and material goods; and my talents – trusting God for my prosperity – enjoying the good things that God had given me – and sharing them with others.

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References

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Focus, Influence and Change

We all want to change the world, but where to start?

By targetting the areas of life where I have most influence, I will be able to have greatest effect. So, it makes sense to focus on changing the things where I have most influence. 

I have more control over myself than over others; so my ability to influence my world begins within me and works outwards. I start with my inner world, and work outwards.

At home, for example:

• My inner world (motivation, ideas, emotions)
• My outer world (my appearence, my stuff)
• My family
• My close friends
• My other friends
• The groups that I belong to
• People I do business with
• Strangers
• etc.

Or at work:

• My inner world (my motivation, my ideas, my emotions)
• My outer world (my appearence, my workspace, my work)
• My team (through building relationships, offering support, making suggestions)
• My department
• My organisation
• My city
• My country
• The world

So, mastery of the inner world should be a significant aspect of my life’s work. How, for example, can I expect spread peace between others if I am not at peace within myself?

Unfortunately, self-mastery is not easily achieved. Nevertheless, it is a worthy aspiration, and should form the heart of my strategy for brining about change in any other aspect of life.

Writing Goals 2008

This year I intend to write:

Blog Entries

• An average of 15 Blog entries / month.
• A minimum of 10 Blog entries in any 1 month.

Other Writing

• 4 Chapters Boglin Project

Reading Goals 2008

In 2008 I plan to read at least 12 books:

3 Great Novels

• War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy)
• The Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame)
• TBA

3 Great Programming Books

• The Mythical Man Month (Fred Brooks)
• TBA
• TBA

3 Personal Development Books

• Getting Things Done (David Allen)
• Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill)
• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R Covey)

3 Spiritual Development Books

• Cure for the Common Life (Max Lucado)
• Practice of the Presence of God (Brother Lawrence)
• ?The Immitation of Christ (Thomas À Kempis)

Lean Living: Managing Life The Kaizen Way

When I first read about Lean programming techniques, it occured to me that it should be possible to apply Lean principles to managing other areas – even one’s life.

Goals not Resolutions

For years I have avoided New Year’s Resolutions. I resolve that this year will be different.

Great Books

It is not enough to read good books, nor even vert good books. Life is too short for all that. We must resolve only to read great books, and to read them again.

Achieving Mediocrity

Some people strive to achieve greatness.

Goal Setting

When I set goals they will be: