My Mission

After reading the book "Traction" by Gino Wickman, I was inspired to sit down and drafted a personal Mission Statement and Core Values for myself. I had written these "North Stars" for companies before, but had never taken the time to do it for myself. I'm glad I went through the exercise -- here's what I came up with:

Core Values:

• Service -- The best way for me to do well is for those I work with to do well. A spirit of service keeps my focus outward instead of inward.
• Perseverance -- There are no quick fixes. To accomplish anything meaningful takes steady effort and the ability to weather challenging times.
• Growth -- There is always something to learn. Growing my knowledge and capabilities never ends.
• Empathy -- Seeing things from another's perspective creates connection. It makes them feel understood and expands my understanding of the world.
• Optimism -- The belief that things will work out is necessary for all the rest. Without it, it's hard to invest in the future. It's hard to be generous. For me, optimism is table stakes for having a fulfilling, impactful life.

The key for me was keeping each of the core values "doable." For each of them, there are actions I can take myself to fulfill the value.

Mission Statement: "Helping leaders and their organizations thrive."

• A Leader is anyone that takes on the responsibility of doing something important.
• An Organization might be a large business, a small community group, or anything in between. It's a group of individuals trying to make positive change in the lives of those they serve.
• Thriving is becoming the best version of ourselves, personally and professionally.

The best advice both teaches us something new and challenges us to make a difference. It gives us both ability and responsibility. That's my approach to helping leaders and their organizations thrive.

Jump Start

• Give yourself 15 minutes without any distractions. Grab a pen and paper, and brainstorm characteristics that resonate with you. These could describe the way you feel on your best day. They could describe people you admire. They could be things you've always aspired to. Don't edit as you go, simply write down what comes into your mind.
• Once you've done this, use the "keep, kill, or combine" method to get the list down to 3-7 characteristics you'd like to use as your core values.
• Check in with these often - no less than monthly. Are the entries in your calendar and to-do list aligned with your core values?