Hah! I knew a skull photo would get your attention! Must be all the residue from the recent Soundwave festival I went to last weekend. The post itself is not gloomy, quite the opposite actually as it can have a positive impact on how you priorities things in your life. So without a further due:
Mission Statement for Life …and why YOU need one
Just like any proper business has their values and mission statement written down (HERE’S MINE) I think it’s important to have something similar for personal life. It’s the ultimate statement that you can fall back on, something that you can easily base all your decision on as life throws curve balls your way. If you run a business the personal mission statement will also influence your values in business.
The mission statement is your backbone and helps you to stand your ground. Think of it as a compass that keeps guiding you into the right direction.
So Joonas, what does all of this has to do with health and fitness? Well, when you align your goals with your mission statement it’s easy to include some health related values there as well. Once you’ve written your statement you can make your fitness goals more specific by following the guidelines I’ve provided in HERE.
Besides, healthy and strong body equals healthy and strong mind so you’d be nuts for not be looking after both of them.
My personal mission statement says ‘Nourish my body and mind with movement, good food and creative hobbies.‘ When I catch myself scrolling Facebook/Twitter feeds I stop and think whether this is me living according to my statement and will it get me closer to my goals, is social media nourishing my body?
Once I realize it doesn’t it’s easier to stop wasting time and rather spend it on what is actually important to me. This is partly the reason why I stopped watching tv in October last year; watching news and endless roll of commercials didn’t get me anywhere where I wanted to go to. Well, I still stream hockey and watch movies on DVD but that doesn’t count as tv…
With some of the things on the statement I really struggle with from time to time but I accept that and I am trying my best each day to live accordingly. Sometimes it works out well and sometimes it does not.The most important thing to keep in mind is that your statement is something that you work towards to. It’s something where you ultimately want to be at but you do not have to be there yet. It’s a journey not a race.
Use your mission statement as a boost to stop doing things that don’t go hand in hand with your values. It doesn’t necessarily have to be anything extravagant. Next time you catch yourself couch surfing or Facebook binging think of your statement and think if there is other things your could be doing with your time. Maybe go prep your lunch for the next day or go for a walk instead.
I like to keep my statement somewhere close where I can easily access it whenever I feel confused or lost or need to make important decisions. When decisions feel tough and I am feeling indecisive I can read my mission statement and it’ll help me clear my thoughts.
I’ve gotten a whole lot better at making bigger decisions (my wife might disagree) but still struggle to make up my mind when choosing what ice cream to have (the eternal battle between vanilla and chocolate!). The point is that it’s ok, I know I want to get better at it so I keep on working on it. It does not have to be perfect right out of the gate.
Your personal mission statement doesn’t have to be set in stone. Keep reading it as often as possible and change it up as your views change.
The mission statement is something you will be proud of and something that will define what you stand for!