From the Vault: 2001 Personal Mission Statement

When I was in college over a decade ago (gag, nearly vomit, gag) I took a class in which we had to create a personal mission statement. The the purpose of the assignment was to get us to commit to concrete goals and objectives from which to base our lives.  Here is my "2001 Personal Mission Statement" in its entirety:

My core purpose in life is to build a pleasant living environment for myself and others through positive interaction whenever possible.


I will keep things in perspective and understand that everything is relative.  Often times the things that cause the most stress in life become insignificant when the big picture is brought into focus.


I will never stop laughing.  In my life humor is directly related to my happiness.  I will always try to find humor in even the worst situations, for a life without laughter is hardly worth living at all.

I will take responsibility for my actions.  I will not blame others for my shortcomings or mistakes.  Before looking for an outside explanation for sub-optimal performance I will first thoroughly examine myself.

I will never be jealous of others, as jealousy is the most insecure emotion.  I will be secure with myself and confident in my abilities as a capable individual.


I will understand and respect diversity in people.  I know that everyone will not always see things the same way I do, and I will accept these differences as part of life.


I will not complain when things become difficult for me.  I know that no matter what the circumstances of my situation, somewhere along the line I always had a choice.


I will not waste my time wondering about what could have been.  I will accept the outcome of my past decisions and take comfort in knowing that when I made the decision, the path I chose felt right at the time.


I will remain active in athletics.  Whether it be in an organized league or messing around with some friends, sports provide me with the exercise and social activity needed to maintain a balanced life.


I will keep an open mind when dealing with people or ideas unfamiliar to me. Ignorance is not really bliss, but rather a precursor of intellectual retardation.


I will never stop learning. I will continue to expand my knowledge and intellect by listening to, and learning from the experience of others.


I will never stop teaching.  Just as I will learn from others, I will share with them my own experiences in the hopes that the learning may be reciprocal.


I will get married and together with my husband build a stable ans secure base from which to build a family.


I will have children and shower them with love and affection I will teach them things like humility, integrity, and personal responsibility.  I will give them guidance, but I will not use them as a tool through which to correct my own failures.

I will...

Over the next few blogs I plan to take apart my 2001 mission statement and analyze my progress in 'sticking to it.' I'm excited to see how 10 years of experiences has impacted my thoughts on each of these points.  Stay tuned...

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