Inspired by Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

People like to ask what the meaning of life is as if it were an objective question with a clear and definitive answer. That’s precisely why the question is seemingly impossible to answer. In reality, this answer has no one answer; rather, it’s based on whom you’re asking. Stephen Covey coins this purpose as one’s mission in life and subsequently recommends that you curate your own mission statement – a document that defines the way you want to live your life.

The importance of a mission statement

Oftentimes we find ourselves become absorbed by the rhythm of living life where it begins to start controlling us. The following thought experiment helps us identify what our true priorities are and take back that control:

Imagine that it’s 2 years from now and you’ve passed on. At your funeral, your friends and family are mourning and giving eulogies.

What would you want them to say about who you are, what you’ve done, the impact you’ve made?

All of a sudden the mundane of the everyday disappears and becomes irrelevant and our true priorities and values in life appear. What is it that you truly want to accomplish with your finite amount of time?

Write your mission statement

Stephen Covey’s mission statement builder: https://msb.franklincovey.com/

My personal mission statement: https://www.jzreads.com/2024/06/13/my-mission-statement/

How it has benefitted me

I try to read my mission statement everyday. It helps me ground myself in what I truly value and care. It gives me the capacity to step back and view the bigger picture rather than being stuck living in the past or present. It inspires me to live up to what I aspire to do and who I aspire to be.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m imperfect – one of my struggles is with discipline as I find it difficult to break bad habits. But having my mission statement as a reference helps me identify the ideal life I want to live and motivates me to work towards achieving it.