Mission Level Goals
Goal setting is one of the most written on topics in leadership, management and personal development. So popular is the topic that goal setting has a multiplicity of tools, illustrations, templates and even acronyms to help people create effective plans. Jim Collins coined and popularised Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGS), The 4DX methodology came up with Wildly Important Goals (WIGs), there is the Business Canvas, Productivity Pyramid, among countless others. For me, one of the most influential books in this area is Patrick Lencioni’s “The Advantage” where he asks 6 questions every business needs to answer. The first of which is “Why do you exist?” This aligns with a business mission statement.
I am currently reading “The Art Of The Impossible” by Steven Kotler. One thing that stood out for me was his methodology on setting personal goals. He recommends having clear goals that are aligned with high-hard goals that are further aligned with mission-level goals. Do you have a mission for your life? What is your purpose? Are you clear on who you want to be?
Clarity equals action. When you are clear on who you want to be, you can be that person every day - in your thoughts, words and actions, and that is who you will become. How will you know your life has been successful? Is it the time you have spent with family and friends and the positive influence you have had upon them? If so, look back over the last week and month. How much of your time, energy and focus has gone towards this? Our days, lived one after the other, become our lives. Much of our lives are composed of the accumulation of the ordinary, routine rhythm of your days. When you have a mission, a calling, a desire that lies beyond yourself it can steer you through your days.
The tradition is to set personal goals at New Year (with the knowledge that one is unlikely to keep them!). If you’ve never thought of what your life mission is, I encourage you to make some time to explore the topic. People like to follow people who have purpose. People are inspired by someone on a mission. It does not need to be glamorous. Mother Teresa set up the order of “The Missionaries of Charity”, whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. It can be a huge goal. The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation has as one of their key missions the eradication of malaria. When selecting life missions it is best to limit these to 1-3 to avoid the dissipation of energy and focus.
If you are in business it can be incredibly energising to align your personal mission with your business mission. We are blessed to have managed to do this. Our business mission is to help people realise and reach their potential. Remember that energy flows where your focus goes so focus on what you want more of.
