These mission statements were sourced from FranklinCovey.
MAHATMA GANDHI
Gandhi’s mission
Mahatma Gandhi’s mission is captured in a short list of active statements. You can craft your mission in this style, starting each sentence with “I shall” or “I will.”
Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:
I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
I shall fear only God.
I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
I shall conquer untruth by truth.
And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream
Read or listen to Dr. King’s famous speech, delivered in 1963 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. If you were going to give a speech that started with the words, “I have a dream,” what would it be about? See if Dr. King’s dream gives you any ideas for your mission statement.
…I say to you today, my friends. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood… I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama… little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day…
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
ERMA BOMBECK
Erma Bombeck’s reflections
“If I had my life to live over,” written by Erma Bombeck near the end of her life, details the values Bombeck wished had guided her daily decisions. If you were nearing the end of your life and you were writing this, what would you include? Use those ideas to craft your mission statement.
If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television – and more while watching life. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.” There would have been more “I love you’s”.. More “I’m sorrys” … But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute… look at it and really see it … live it…and never give it back.
ANONYMOUS
Anonymous Mission Statements
You don’t have to be famous to write an inspiring mission statement. Some excellent mission statements have been written by ordinary people, as seen in these anonymous examples.
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My mission is to give, for giving is what I do best and I can learn to do better.
I will seek to learn, for learning is the basis for growth, and growing is the key to living. I will seek first to understand, for understanding is the key to finding value, and value is the basis for respect, decisions, and action. This should be my first act with my wife, my family, and my business.
I want to help influence the future development of people and organizations. I want to teach my children and others to love and laugh, to learn and grow beyond their current bounds.
I will build personal, business, and civic relationships by giving, in frequent little ways.
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Our Family Mission: No empty chairs.
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I live to serve my talents as communicator, artist, and independent businesswoman. I create balance in work, play, and community. I inspire those I interact with.
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I want to be the kind of person my dog already thinks I am.
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The mission of our family is to create a nurturing place of order, love, happiness, and relaxation, and to provide opportunities for each person to become responsibly independent and effectively interdependent, in order to achieve worthwhile purposes.
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Care
About the world
About life
About people
About myselfLove
Myself
My family
My world
Knowledge
Learning
LIFEFight
For my beliefs
For my passions
To accomplish
To do good
To be true to myself
Against apathyRock
The boat, don’t
let the boat rock me
Be a rockBe Remembered
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To be humble.
To say thanks to God in some way, every day.
To never react to abuse by passing it on.
To find the self within that does and can look at all sides without loss.
I believe in treating all people with kindness and respect.
I believe by knowing what I value, I truly know what I want.
To be driven by values and beliefs.
I want to experience life’s passions with the newness of a child’s love, the sweetness and joy of young love, and the respect and reverence of mature love.
Finally, to go through life with a smile on my face and a twinkle in my eye.
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Nothing less.
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For more inspiration mission statements, or for guidance on writing your own, go to FranklinCovery Mission Statement.
