How to Map Out your Family's Mission Statement

Based on the website www.FamiliesWithPurpose.com, “a family mission statement is a written statement of what you want your life and family to be and the values by which you will live your life.” Your family mission statement should ideally ask and answer questions such as: “How will we (or should we) live our lives? What values will help us make major decisions? What are our top priorities in life? What are our family values? Do we spend most of our time on our priorities or are we “wasting time” with things that aren’t important to us?”

Creating your family mission statement
Before you make your mission statement, it is ideal that you create a family vision statement or drawing first.

Once you have your completed family vision drawing, start identifying themes based on the different elements of happiness, fulfilment, and aspirations portrayed in your drawing. You can then use the themes to write your family mission statement and family goals.

Having a mission statement and goals will give you reasons to make the needed changes in your family life, and perhaps, even your individual personal lives as well. (This applies especially to the “head of the family” i.e. Daddy, and his “helpmate and partner,” Mommy).

Families with tweens, teens or working-aged children should include the children’s thoughts and opinions in the mission statement. If you have younger kids though, it may be better for the parents to try writing the mission statement first. Once you’re done, you can then share it with the other family members so they can give their inputs. Everyone should agree on all the aspects of the statement. Also, be open to making changes as needed.

Here’s an example of how to write a family mission statement in a “three-pronged format”:
 
1.    To…. (Do something)
2.    In such a way that….. (How and in which manner)
3.    So that…. (We gain these results or benefits)

A concrete example would be:
To realize our dreams, goals, and aspirations as a family and as individuals in a way that stretches our intellect, enriches our Christian faith, strengthens our character, and enriches our family life so that we are fulfilled, happy, confident, and we can grow close.

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Using the three-pronged approach
For the first part of your family mission statement, decide on the action your family will take. Try answering these questions:

• “What is your family going to do?”
• “What specific steps or actions are you going to make?”
• “What are the specific efforts you are going to make as a family?”

Remember to keep the first part very action oriented – each family member should exert effort to do whatever it is you have decided to do.

The second part talks about “the quality of our action.” Answer these questions:

• “In what manner are we going to accomplish this?”
• “Should it be in a way that gets us what we want no matter what, or in a way that nurtures our spirit?”
• “Should it be in a way that gets us the fastest results possible, or in a way that is comfortable to all family members?”
• “Should it be in a way that lets us be creative?”
• “Should it be in a way that uses our individual skills and abilities, or in a way that everyone can participate?”

The second part of your family mission statement is ideally where you are able to express clearly your family values.

Lastly, the third part of your statement describes the results of your actions. The answers to these questions may help you flesh out this last part:

• “What do you want to come out of all of this?”
• “Are these what you want to be the `products’ of your family life: strong independent kids; successful and happy parents; caring and actively involved kids; a better marriage; a closer relationship with your kids?”
• “As a family, what impact do you want to make on

1. The people around you;

1. Your faith community or your church congregation or parish community;

1. Society in general?”

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Your next steps
After completing your family vision drawing and family mission statement, look for different places where you can place them, so that every family member can remember to apply them in your daily life.

A good suggestion is to have them framed and hung on a central place in your home. You may also opt to just post them on your refrigerator, your mirror, or place copies of them in each room of the house.

You could also come up with a family blog or website and post your vision and mission statements there. Alternatively, you could also opt to post them as “Notes” on Facebook, or even make a video depicting it (or of the family members reciting it) and post it on YouTube. This may also help increase your “accountability” to live out your vision and mission – because other people outside your family will know about it. The important thing to remember is that your family vision and mission remain the focus of your family’s attention every day.

Having a family vision and mission will bring about greater purpose in your family’s life, and also in each individual family member’s life. Living with purpose will help us move forward in this journey we call “life,” despite anything and everything that may come our way.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfil it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is struggle, accept it.
Life is tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
 – Blessed Mother Teresa

(For more help in making your family vision and mission statement, you can also go to www.uniquefamilyvision.com and www.franklincovey.com.)

Source:
www.familieswithpurpose.com

Photo from flickr creative commons