Family Mission Statement
A mission statement is defined as a formal summary of the aims and values of a company, organization, or individual. Mission statements are an incredibly important navigational tool when one is thinking about the future of an organization or company. By identifying the purpose of the intended work, one can better understand the goals the organization or company should be committed to accomplishing.
In our family we are very intentional about how we act, how we spend our time, our associations, our values, and our attitude. As most know, ups and downs occur in life. We are navigating our lives through a fast paced, busy world. If we get distracted by the habits we form, the little day to day actions we take can absolutely steer ourselves in the wrong direction.
I often think about a well known metaphor of a bow and arrow and it’s target. When aiming for a specific target if the arrow is shot and is slightly off- even by the most miniscule degree- the arrow will miss the target. The longer the arrow travels when it is off, the further away it will land.
Our family must stay on target and having a mission statement assists us as parents navigate our family. Everything we do must align with our mission statement. When times are tough and emotions are high, having a mission statement helps us recenter ourselves. We can use it as a tool to help us make decisions that help our family.
But how do we write one?
Writing a mission statement takes some reflection and communication. This can be down between you and your partner, or even as a family as a whole. Here are some suggestions and guiding questions:
Grab some paper or a journal and jot down your priorities.
Ask yourself what your core values are and what things you value as a family.
Reflect on the kind of mark you want to leave on this world.
Ask yourself about the kind of future you want for your kids.
What do you want them to believe, to be, to do, to think?
What do you want to impart on them?
What are your goals, priorities, mission, passion, and/or purpose?
You can do this individually, together, or as a family. Get together for a partner or family meeting and discuss what you wrote. Write it out. Put it somewhere you can see it and remind yourself. Be intentional about aligning your actions, beliefs, and decisions around this mission statement.
Then what?
A few years ago, my husband and I did this. Now, we revisit it every year- usually the week leading up to the New Year. We go over our family core values, this mission statement, reflect on our blessings, discuss goals, and plan out our year a bit. Here is our family mission statement in case you want an example-
Our Family Mission Statement:
In our family, everything we do serves God’s kingdom. We choose love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. We pray daily and thank God for His blessings. We work continually to show Fruit of the Spirit.
We value trust, honesty, and communication. Our relationship with one another is a priority.
We are a team. We work together and put each other's needs in front of our own. We are each other's keepers. We love and encourage each other in all that we do. Our kids are all best friends and value each other in good times and bad. They are united and will always have each other’s back.
We strive to continually get better each and every day. We are constantly learning, improving, and being better people. We are leaders. We are world changers.
