Know Your Life Mission and Future Aspiration: Owning Your Story for a Deeper Purpose, Pt. 4

To build a purpose-driven entrepreneurial journey, it’s vital to identify and explore your life mission—the unique blend of your gifts, talents, and the service you wish to offer the world. This mission isn’t just about what you’re good at; it’s about how you can use those abilities to make a meaningful impact on others.

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.

Take the time to reflect on what drives you, what you’re passionate about, and how you can contribute to the greater good. Your life mission should align with your deepest values and serve as the guiding star for your professional endeavors.

Welcome to part 4 of Owning Your Story for a Deeper Purpose, a six-part comprehensive Article series that helps you dive deep into the power of your narratives as an entrepreneur and how to leverage it in your business and professional life.

See also Owning Your Story: A Journey to Brand Mastery

This series of publications was extracted from OWNING YOUR STORY, A Five-Step Transformative Journey to Reshape Your Professional and Business Narrative for Success!

Articulating Your Future Aspirations

In this part of the article series, we are shifting our focus to “After” or the future. The time has come to define your life mission and envision the legacy you want to leave behind. To learn more about how to articulate your future mission, consider checking out “Own Your Story” our program which offers a structured path to success in less than 90 days.

By articulating your future aspirations and life goals, you will create a roadmap that aligns with your core values and passions. This clarity will empower you to set meaningful objectives and inspire others with your vision.

This is the kick. Now, you know where you are, the experience that has shaped this present moment. This is the time of choice and remember that, choosing to do nothing different than you have done before now automatically means nothing is going to change.

In the words of Albert Einstein, the German physicist, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. If that sounds reasonable to you, then what do you want to do differently, going forward from here? What kind of future do you want to see and how does that future look to you in your mind?

One might wonder: can’t someone just create that future for me? Well, it does work like that. Every one of us needs to shape his or her future based on what we now know of ourselves and our past experiences.

See also Owning Your Story: 5 Powerful Lessons from Bryan Stevenson on Identity, Advocacy, and Impact

Yes, you are going to shape your own future, yourself and that is what this part of the article series is about.

Let me remind you that defining your future and mission is essential for entrepreneurs and professionals seeking deeper meaning behind their work. It’s a fundamental step if you truly are aiming to attract the right audience by owning and leveraging your personal and professional stories.

Now, I want you to imagine the year 1962. Precisely, on September 12, 1962, in Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas. President John F. Kennedy was about to deliver the famous “Mission to Moon Speech”. This speech was intended to persuade the American people to support the Apollo program.

Here is a short clip from the speech: “We chose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.

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That goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills because that challenge is one that we’re willing to accept. One we are unwilling to postpone.”

JFK And His Moon Mission Speech

I want you to remember that by 1962, no American had gone to the moon. Even the very idea of a man-made object landing on the moon as the Soviets had already achieved by then, September 12th, 1959, was still like science fiction to many.

Yet, JFK was determined to sell the moon mission idea to the American people and because they bought into his vision, in less than a decade, on July 20, 1969, the dream became a reality.

What I want you to learn from this story is the power of a mission. That is, deciding what you really want and going in with all your energy and resources.

To begin this process, take the time to envision your ideal future. Imagine where you want to be in both your personal and professional life. Consider your long-term goals, aspirations, and the impact you want to make in the world.

You see, visualizing your future allows you to set a clear direction for your journey and it gives you something to strive for.

Next, articulate your life mission and core values. Reflect on what truly matters to you and what you want to stand for. Your life mission is the overarching purpose that drives you, while your core values are the principles that guide your actions and decisions.

Think about the legacy you want to leave behind and the impact you want to have on others. By defining your mission and values, you create a framework that aligns your actions with your deeper purpose, ensuring that your work is meaningful and fulfilling.

Finally, you will need to craft a legacy statement that captures the impact you want to have and how you want to be remembered. What is the significance of your legacy statement? Well, it serves as a guiding beacon, reminding you of your purpose and motivating you to pursue your goals with passion and determination.

What you can do from there is to share your legacy statement with others to inspire and empower them to join you on your journey.

Creating A Roadmap for Your Success

Now, there is another thing you must remember: by defining your future and life mission, you create a roadmap for success that allows you to live with intention and purpose.

It helps to attract the right audience who resonates with your authentic story and aspirations. How does that sound to you? Now, here are three ways to define your future and life mission. I want you to pay attention to every one of them:

Vision Setting

Start by envisioning where you want to go in both your personal and professional life. Create a clear and detailed picture of your ideal future. Think about what success looks like to you, the goals you want to achieve, and the kind of impact you want to make in the world, or maybe I should say in the life of the people you are serving.

See also Transforming Communities: The Power of Purpose-Driven Ventures

Note that I am not saying what the people around me want. No, what you want because this is your life mission, or better still, your unique way of serving humanity.

Recently in the Obehi Podcast, I interviewed Professor Oluwafemi Esan, Professor of Transpersonal Psychology and Education, at El-Roi London University and the topic of our conversation was Ifa theology.

During the conversation, when talking about life missions, Professor Oluwafemi said that according to Ifa theology, when a child is born, on the eighth day, the elders would gather and consult the oracle to find out the mission of the newborn baby in the community. Then he said, “Your mission is not to serve yourself but to serve others”.

Now, I want you to take a moment to reflect on this: In your life, have you ever seen a mango, an orange, or a cashew tree that produces fruits and eats its own future? Nature is smart enough not to have allowed that as part of the design. So, we are here to serve others so that we too can be served in the circle of life.

Know your vision, therefore, and let it serve you as a roadmap, guiding your decisions and actions as you move forward. Here are some tips to consider for your vision setting:

• Be specific about your goals and aspirations.
• Consider different aspects of your life, including career, relationships, health, personal growth, and more.
• Use visualization techniques to imagine your ideal future and make it vivid in your mind.

Define Your Life Mission and Core Values

I want to repeat that your life mission is the overarching purpose that drives you, while your core values are the principles that guide your actions and decisions. Therefore, take time to reflect on what truly matters to you what you want to stand for in this world, and your sphere of influence.

Defining your life mission and core values provides a sense of direction and helps ensure that your goals align with your deeper purpose. Never underestimate that and here are some of the ways you can approach it:

• Reflect on your passions and what brings you joy and fulfillment.
• Think about the legacy you want to leave and the impact you want to have on others.
• Identify the values that are most important to you, such as integrity, compassion, or innovation.

Here are other tips that can help in defining your mission in line with your core values:

• Write a personal mission statement that encapsulates your purpose and aspirations.
• List your core values and think about how they influence your daily decisions.
• Revisit and refine your mission and values regularly to ensure they remain aligned with your evolving goals. That leads us to number three, the legacy.

Craft a Legacy Statement

A legacy statement captures the impact you want to have and how you want to be remembered. It’s a powerful tool that helps you stay focused on your long-term goals and the difference you want to make in the world.

See also Narrative Mastery: Using Storytelling to Dominate Your Market

By articulating your desired legacy, you can align your actions with your mission and values, ensuring that your daily efforts contribute to your overarching purpose. For some helpful tips, think of the following:

• Reflect on the contributions you want to make in your personal and professional life.
• Consider the qualities and achievements you want to be remembered for.
• Write a statement that summarizes the legacy you aspire to leave.

Now, here are some other tips you can consider about crafting a legacy statement:

• Be aspirational but also realistic about what you can achieve.
• Keep your statement concise and focused.
• Use your legacy statement as a motivational tool to guide your actions and decisions.

This is why you need to pay attention: By setting a clear vision, defining your life mission and core values, and crafting a legacy statement, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of your future direction. No company or professional makes any significant progress without first understanding these fundamentals.

So, always remember them in your own case, also because, these methods will help you articulate your aspirations and ensure that your actions are perfectly aligned with your deeper purpose.

Ultimately, they will enable you to create a meaningful and impactful life. Now, let’s consider some examples of missions.

Examples Of Mission and How It Drives Companies to Success

Because I made mention of the company, let me share some examples of mission statements to inspire you. These 5 Mission statements are from some of the most popular global brands and the idea is for you to get inspired:

1. Forbes: “To deliver information on the people, ideas, and technologies changing the world to our community of affluent business decision-makers.”
2. Google: “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
3. Caterpillar: “To enable economic growth through infrastructure and energy development, and to provide solutions that support communities and protect the planet.”
4. Coca-cola: “To refresh the world…To inspire moments of optimism and happiness…To create value and make a difference.”
5. Disney: “To be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information, using its portfolio of brands to differentiate its content, services, and consumer products.”

The Importance and Function of Having a Life Mission

Okay. Now we get it. But what really are the functions of mission? What are the key functions of your life mission? Well, if those are your concerns then the following can be satisfying answers to you. 

Guidance and Direction

Defining your future and mission provides clarity and direction in your business and professional life. It serves as a guiding light, helping you make decisions and prioritize actions that align with your long-term goals and values.

With a clear sense of purpose and direction, you can navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and stay focused on what truly matters, thereby leading to greater fulfillment and success in your endeavors.

Alignment and Focus

Having a well-defined future and mission allows you to align your efforts and resources toward a common goal. It ensures that your actions are in harmony with your values and aspirations, both personally and professionally.

See also Business Storytelling: The Hidden Power of a Purpose-driven Entrepreneur

By staying true to your mission and core values, you can cultivate a sense of authenticity and integrity in your work, which helps to resonate with your audience and builds trust and credibility over time.

This alignment and focus enable you to maximize your impact and effectiveness, thereby driving meaningful results in your business and professional endeavors.

Inspiration and Motivation

Another great benefit of having a clear sense of purpose and direction is inspiration and motivation. Defining your future and mission provides inspiration and motivation to pursue your goals with passion and purpose.

It gives you a reason to strive for excellence and persevere in the face of challenges because, in life, both personal and business ecosystems are full of challenges.

But when you have a clear vision of where you want to go and why it matters, you are more likely to stay committed and resilient in the pursuit of your dreams. Your mission is, therefore, a source of inspiration not only for yourself but also for others. It helps for rallying stakeholders and collaborators around a shared purpose and vision.

Note also that this inspiration and motivation fuel innovation, creativity, and growth, thereby propelling you toward success in your business and professional endeavors.

What You Can Include In Your Life Mission

Are you thinking about what you might need to include in your Life Mission? Here are 5 considerations:

Alignment with Personal Values

A fulfilling life mission should be aligned with your core values and beliefs. It should reflect what matters most to you and resonate deeply with your sense of identity and purpose.

When your mission is aligned with your values, you feel a sense of authenticity and integrity in your actions. This leads to greater fulfillment and satisfaction in your work.

Meaningful Impact

A fulfilling life mission should involve making a meaningful impact in the world. It should go beyond personal success and encompass a broader sense of contribution and service to others.

Whether it involves helping individuals, communities, or the planet, your mission should be driven by a desire to create positive change and leave a lasting legacy that inspires and uplifts others. What about Personal Growth?

Personal Growth and Development

A fulfilling life mission should challenge you to grow and evolve as a person. It should push you outside of your comfort zone, and encourage continuous learning and self-improvement. It should equally foster resilience in the face of obstacles and setbacks.

See also The Resilience and Legacy of Negro League Baseball: A Story of Struggle and Triumph

So, when defining your mission, make sure it’s a journey of growth and discovery. This is what allows you to unleash your full potential and become the best version of yourself.

Alignment with Passions and Talents

A fulfilling life mission should be aligned with your passions, interests, and talents. It should allow you to leverage your unique strengths and abilities in pursuit of your goals. Take advantage of “Own Your Story” our program which offers a structured path to success in less than 90 days. There you will learn how to align your passion and talent with your optimate objective.

When your mission aligns with what you love to do and what you excel at, you experience a sense of flow and fulfillment that energizes and motivates you to keep going, even in the face of challenges. The last but not the least is Legacy.

Legacy and Long-Term Vision

A fulfilling life mission should be guided by a long-term vision and a desire to leave a positive legacy. It should transcend individual goals and aspirations and encompass a broader vision of what you want to contribute to the world.

Yes, your life mission should be something that you can look back on with pride and satisfaction in your old age, knowing that you made a meaningful difference and inspired others to do the same.

Conclusion on What Is Your Life Mission – OWNING YOUR STORY Pt. 4

Congratulations on reaching the end of article 4! This part of the article series has been a pivotal chapter in your journey, where you focused on defining your future and life mission.

You learned that by envisioning where you want to go and articulating your life’s mission, you have taken bold steps toward creating a purposeful and impactful path forward.

See also Your Story – Owning A Transformative Path to Professional Success

In exploring your future, you have identified the goals, aspirations, and dreams that resonate with your deepest values. This vision serves as your North Star, guiding your decisions and actions toward a life of meaning and fulfillment.

That is not all. Defining your mission has not only clarified your purpose but has also ignited a sense of direction and motivation that will drive you to achieve your greatest potential.

As we prepare to move into part 4, where you will focus on identifying who you want to serve, take a moment to reflect on the clarity and inspiration you have gained.

Your future is a canvas, and with your life mission as your guide, you are equipped to paint a life that is both impactful and rewarding. So, embrace the power of your vision and mission as you continue this journey.

Remember this – you are not just defining your future; you are crafting a legacy that will leave a lasting impact. In line with that, move forward with confidence and purpose!

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.