When it comes to finding success, it helps to establish a purpose for your life and company. Writing mission statements is the first step to officially begin your business. To start let’s look at a number of quotes of what it means to establish purpose.

• Roger Fisher, a renowned psychiatrist states, “There is a fundamental human need for guiding ideals that give meaning to our actions.”
• William Damon, a leading scholar of human development, defines purpose as, “A stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is at once meaningful to the self, and of consequence to the world beyond the self.”
• Helen Keller wrote that happiness comes from “fidelity to a worthy purpose.”
• Webster’s dictionary defines purpose as, “something set up as an object or end to be attained.”

I believe that having a purpose is not only a good idea, but is vital to our success. Both as an individual and a business owner.

Here’s the importance of mission statements

Mission Statements are beneficial in many ways:

• Establishing a written purpose is like the destination on a map to keep you on track.
• Helps develop a commitment to yourself and others close to you.
• Builds loyalty both to a cause and those you work with.
• Creates unity to your actions and those around you.
• Provides you the opportunity to take the time necessary for personal evaluation.
• Provides encouragement when times get hard and difficult.
• Helps us stop making excuses by taking ownership of our actions.
• Boosts our confidence and frees us up to explore new options and opportunities.

“Purpose without action is a daydream. Action without purpose is a nightmare” Japanese Proverb

How to write mission statements

The simplistic way is to write all the things you want your business to represent  (What we hope to accomplish, business philosophy, goals, how we want our customers to see us etc). After you have your list, you have to edit by trying to combine all your ideas into a few short pithy statements.

Here are 4 key elements taken from the website Big Commerce Essentials

• Value – What is the value of the business to both customers and employees?
• Inspiration – Why should people want to work for the company?
• Plausibility – Make it sound reasonable
• Specificity – Tie it back to the business

Here’s a simple 3 Parts of a Mission Statement from the website Brickroadmedia

1. The Key Market – Who is your target audience? To which group are you offering goods and/or services that would find them beneficial? The key market is the first component that must be created when composing a mission statement. You must be able to successfully draw in the attention of your target audience and keep their attention in order to have an effective mission statement
2. Your Contribution – The next component to a successful mission statement is outlining your contribution. In short, this is the products and/or services that your business or organization offers.
3. Distinction – The next component to a highly effective mission statement is distinction. You must use this time to determine exactly what makes your goods and/or services unique and why consumers should purchase it from your business or organization over others that sell similar items in your industry.

Here’s some mission statements from successful companies

Southwest Airlines – “dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit.”

REI – “we believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived. We believe that it’s in the wild, untamed and natural places that we find our best selves, so our purpose is to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors, for all.”

The Walt Disney Company – “To entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.”

Starbucks  -“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.”

Peace Corps: – “To promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals: To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.”

Forbes – “To convene, curate and cover the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world.”

Google – “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

It helps to have a Tagline, Motto or  Slogan as well.

Every successful company on the planet has them. Chances are you could name the business just by hearing the first few words or even the first few notes of their theme song. The US army had – “Be all you can be, and an army of one”, McDonald’s had – “You deserve a break today”, and “Just loving it”; Nike has – “Just do it”,  Apple has – “Think different”, and the list goes on and on.

Motto – a short phrase encapsulating a brand’s values and goals.
Disneyland – The happiest place on earth.  Maintenance Hawaii – We fix it right (my old company motto)

Tagline – very short (3-5) words representing a brand without obviously mentioning a product or service. KFC’s – Finger Lickin’ Good –  L’Oréal’s  – Because You’re Worth It

Slogan  – a memorable phrase focusing attention to specific marketing targets.
N.Y.Times – All the news that’s fit to print.  Bounty – the quicker picker upper.

In the end, coming up with mission statements is one of the first steps in writing your business plan. And to help you stay true to your purpose.