After talking about the power of intention and having a mission statement in my last post, I began thinking about my first forays into working with mission statements, which was YEARS ago, in college. I remember writing my mission statements each year and then thinking, "So what?" It was a great exercise, but didn't impact my daily life. At all.
For a mission statement, or manifesto, to change daily behavior, it is really, really helpful to create your own personal precepts. Precepts are a set of instructions that guide our actions. Concepts that support who we want to be and where we want to go. By their very nature, they are different for each and every person, just like mission statements. To give you an idea of what that would look like, here are mine:
My Personal Precepts for Happiness & Fullfillment
1. End the war. First with yourself. Others will follow.
2. Be curious about your own experience and the world at large.
3. Make a point to uncover, celebrate, and use your superpowers for good.
4. Clean, clear energy is critical - stay on top of your emotional and mental health.
5. Appreciate change and let it work it's magic.
6. Embrace your mistakes- they are a springboard for greatness.
7. Stay flexible, both mentally and physically.
8. Meet yourself where you are. Meet others where they are. With compassion, please.
9. Gratitude and laughter are ideal tonics for liberal daily use.
10. Take diligent action in the direction of your choice. It's the only way to get things done.
11. Always speak honestly, always with kindness.
12. Be impeccable in caring for yourself: mind, body, spirit.
13. Stay open. Everything is subject to change.
There are so many good reasons to write your own precepts! First and foremost, you give yourself an opportunity to define what is important to you in a very real, tangible way. Mission statements tend to be lofty ideals, precepts are more reality based, as in, "this is the kind of action I need to take to make bring my mission to life". Second, you provide yourself with a way to measure how your "real" life actions match up with your ideal life values. It is only by noticing (take note of #2, #6) that you can make course corrections, but it's not possible to evaluate your actions unless you have a yardstick. Third, if you are like me, it's just plain fun and inspiring to frame your life in this way. Feeling as if we have no choices is incredibly damaging and depressing. Defining our mission and drafting personal precepts are the ultimate affirmation of our choice to create a reality of our choosing.
Even if you don't have any interest in writing a mission (or manifesto), what are your personal precepts? What actions and ways of being in the world will bring you happiness and fullfillment? I would love to hear about it in the comments.
Post, twittified:
Precepts are instructions that guide actions toward values. Writing your own affirms your ability to create a reality that you choose.
Photo courtesty of Chris Gin under a Creative Commons license.
{ 2 comments }
Nona, I like this idea on precepts. A personal mission statement feels daunting, and this feels so do-able. With brief sentences like these, I also feel free to easily edit them as new ideas strike me.
I love your first one. Byron Katie truly is an inspiration.
Jenny
@Jenny – I agree, a mission statement can seem daunting and also can seem really not pertinent to everyday life. I would love to see your precepts, if you decide to use them!
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