So far I’ve challenged the idea that you have one perfect job waiting for you out there and that you should be asking yourself “What’s the best thing for me to do?” among other career myths that are holding us back.

This time, I want to explore another career myth I hear every so often. And I’m sure this will ruffle some feathers.

Myth #10: Everyone needs a mission statement.

Yes, the highly lauded personal mission statement. Businesses have mission statements. And you know that your personal brand is your business, so it makes sense that you should have one too.

While not inherently bad, personal mission statements don’t encourage the growth we’re hoping to experience. In truth, a personal mission statement is just a couple extra and unnecessary steps that will distract and limit you. Here’s how:

Unnecessary Stress

Has defining (or updating) a personal mission statement been on your life of to-do-eventuallys for a while now? Maybe you catch yourself thinking, “[Person X] looks like they have their life together. I should just sit down and gather my thoughts, and then everything will figure itself out.” Wrong. Rarely do we fix things by just brainstorming. More action than thinking is needed.

Unnecessary Limitations

By defining ourselves, we limit ourselves. Look, we are complex, multidimensional human beings. We can like both science and crafts, music and marketing, athletics and literature. By following Stephen R. Covey’s advice “Begin with the end in mind,” we shut down curiosity for different ways to achieve fulfillment. Curiosity is king when it comes to building the life you want.

Unnecessary Work

If you’ve read about crafting a personal mission statement, you’ll notice a lot of people say to start by defining your values. That’s excellent advice! And I recommend stopping there because values are the only real worthy aspect of it. 

What to Do Instead

People become fixated on trying to create a personal mission statement when their energies are best spent elsewhere. So instead, focus on noticing and brainstorming your values, for both work and life. Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, authors of Designing Your Life*, a book that applies design theory to your life, offer guiding questions. They ask about your work life and your life life (for lack of a better term). Here are a few to ask yourself:

• Why do you work?
• How does work relate to you, your people, and your larger community?
• What makes work good or worthwhile?
• What is the meaning or purpose of life?
• What is the relationship between the individual and others?
• What are the roles of joy, sorrow, justice, injustice, love, peace, and strife in life?

When it comes to these questions, I suggest both to notice and brainstorm. That way the pressure is off to find 20 minutes of quiet. Throughout your day, when you experience a heightened emotion, whether good or bad, take note of what caused it. It’s possible that a value has been touched on (again, either in a good or bad way). Did you smile after helping a confused coworker? Maybe you value nonjudgmental teaching. Or did a manager take credit for another coworker’s work? Maybe you value honesty and integrity. Write it down somewhere so you don’t forget it. And if you have 20 minutes, revisit these notes and brainstorm a little more. 

More importantly, come back to these values, at first more frequently since you’re still new to defining them. But certainly revisit them once a year. Your values can change with time and circumstances; personal statements have such a more permanent feel to them. 

Values are more important than personal statements. Values are fluid and always present. Personal statements are forced and limited. Your values are instinctual, they’re not goals you wish to achieve. Stop chasing after what you aren’t and listen to who you are right now. Because you’re a pretty cool person just as you are.

If your mission is elusive, stop chasing it. Go about your life with curiosity and let it find you. Live your life according to your values and see what happens. 

*No, I’m not getting paid to promote his product. This link doesn’t contain affiliate links. I’m just a big fan of their methods.

I’m Stacey Lane: Career Coach | Transition & Career Strategist | Personal Brand Specialist

I help individuals with unique backgrounds find their perfect fit and effectively market themselves so they find work that is as interesting as they are.

Contact me to get started!