55 Personal Mission Statement Examples

Written by Chris Drew (PhD)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

A personal mission statement defines your purpose. It explains what you want to achieve in your life, career, personal relationships, and so on.

It differs from a career or educational mission statement because it’s more holistic: it’s not just about your job or school. It’s about what you want to achieve with your life overall. and what your personal philosophy is in life.

Here is my personal mission statement:

“I will be generous with my time both with family and strangers. I will consciously and intentionally spend quality time with my parents, my wife, and my children. I will pass-on love of life and self-belief to my children by living as a positive example. I will commit my career to working on projects that are meaningful to me. And I will be responsible with my health and finances for the longevity of my life and to ensure I can care for my family for many years to come.”

When I was asked to write a personal mission statement for applying for my job as a teacher, I tweaked it to focus more on my career:

“My personal mission statement as a teacher is to inspire and support my students, help them see their own potential, and build them up each and every day. I will commit my time to letting each student know they are capable of success, and I will help show them the path to personal and academic success.”

Below is a range of ideas for a personal mission statement. As the mission statement is personal, I recommend using these ideas as inspiration, but make sure you pick and choose the sentiments that are meaningful to you, and write your own.

Personal Mission Statement Examples

The following examples can be used as stimuli for you to think about what you want to include in your own mission statement. But, as the word suggests, a personal mission statement should be personal and unique to you. So, pick and choose key ideas from below, while coming up with your own mission statement that reflects your uniqueness.

1. Live a life that aligns with my core values: “I will strive to live a life that is consistent with my own values and ethics. To achieve this, I will ensure I reflect every day on how my daily actions and interactions with others will reflect upon me, and whether they’re consistent with who I strive to be.”
2. Seek to be a catalyst for change: “I will dedicate my life to being a catalyst for change in my world. The change I want to see is change toward greater social equality, fairness, and prosperity. To achieve this, I will advocate for the disadvantaged, seek career opportunities for supporting the underprivileged, and donate generously to causes I care about.”
3. Commit to a journey of self-discovery: “My daily mission is to embark on an ongoing journey of self-improvement and self-discovery, always on track to find my deeper purpose in life.”
4. Empower myself and others: “I will always strive to empower myself and others through positive affirmation, constructive feedback, and making smart choices. I will remove barriers to self-determination and always respect people’s choices in life.”
5. Seek opportunities to give back to the community: “I am grateful first and foremost to my community for their support and nourishment, and my personal mission from here on out is to find opportunities where I can give back to my community in both my career and volunteerism.”
6. Strive for excellence in all endeavors: “My credo is to always hold myself to a high standard. To me, this means always putting in maximum effort and trying to be the best I can be each and every day.”
7. Always have a growth mindset: “My core mission is to always maintain a growth mindset each and every day. For me, this means embracing challenges rather than shying away from them, having persistence and resilience when I face setbacks, and viewing effort as a pathway to mastery. “

Growth Mindsets: A growth mindset is defined as a way of thinking in which you believe that you can always learn, improve, and do much better over time. The concept was created by psychologist Carol Dweck, who juxtaposed growth mindsets to fixed mindsets, whereby someone doesn’t feel like they have the ability to improve upon themselves no matter how hard they try.

• Aim to leave a meaningful legacy: “At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and know that I’ve left a legacy for the world and my family. To achieve this, my mission will be to always give more to the world than I take, so I leave the world better off. I will leave a legacy of kindness and a spirit of service and community.”
• Continually redefine personal goals and aspirations: “I believe that a person is most successful when they self-reflect to achieve ongoing improvement. So, in my personal mission, I am committed to the ongoing process of personal evolution that will help me continue to refine myself over time. “
• Seek the silver lining: “The silver lining is the positive that we can extract out of every situation, even our failures. With this in mind, my mission is to cultivate optimism and to focus on what can be learned from every situation. This approach will both enhance my personal resilience and inspire others to adopt a similar perspective.”
• Develop resilience, adaptability, and grit in the face of adversity: “My mission is to develop and embody qualities of resilience, adaptability, and grit. I am determined to approach adversity as an opportunity for growth, learning to navigate through challenges with grace and tenacity. In doing so, I will become stronger and more capable.”

Resilience: Resilience is a term that refers to someone’s ability to continue and persevere through hardship. A person who is resilient won’t give up easily as they have the capacity to adapt, improve, and overcome hurdles.

1. To be generous with my time: “I will be generous with my time because I believe my time is the greatest gift I can give to others. This means I will commit to quality time with my friends and family and make sure I maintain a work-life balance so I can commit my time to the people who deserve it.”
2. Empowering people around me: “My mission is to empower the people around me, including my colleagues at work, my friends, and my family. By empowering others, I can bring out the best in my community, and leave my community a better place.”
3. Living with gratitude: “I will commit to expressing gratitude each and every day of my life. To do this, I will commit to meditating, reflecting on what I have, and being grateful for my health, wealth, and family.”
4. Develop wisdom: “My mission is to continue to develop wisdom. To me, wisdom is knowledge, intelligence, and insight developed through experience and humbly listening to people who have knowledge and experiences beyond mine.”
5. Seek authentic self-expression: “My mission is to express myself authentically, reflecting every day on how my words, actions, and creations align with my core values. This journey towards authenticity is ongoing and evolving, helping me understand and articulate who I truly am.”
6. Change what’s in my control: “I pledge to focus my energies on what I can control in my life. I will strive to change my circumstances when possible, and adapt my attitude when it isn’t. By understanding and accepting this distinction, I will bring about the most positive outcomes for myself and those around me.”

Locus of Control: A person’s locus of control refers to their belief about whether they have the power to make change or not. An internal locus of control means you think you have the control to affect outcomes; while an external locus of control means you feel you don’t have control over outcomes no matter how hard you try.

1. Creating harmony between mind-body-soul: “I am committed to fostering harmony between my mind, body, and soul. This means balancing mental challenges with physical exercise and spiritual nourishment, nurturing every part of my being, and achieving a healthier and more balanced life.”
2. Cultivate emotional intelligence: “I am committed to nurturing my emotional intelligence. This involves understanding my own emotions, demonstrating empathy, and adapting my attitude when necessary, leading to stronger and more effective personal and professional relationships.”
3. Foster innovative thinking: “My mission is to foster innovative thinking. I will strive to always question, explore, and reimagine the world around me, aiming to leave a legacy of creativity and change.”
4. Live sustainably and promote environmental consciousness: “I pledge to live sustainably, focusing my energies on what I can control to reduce my environmental impact. Moreover, I will advocate for environmental consciousness within my community, contributing to a healthier planet.”

Sustainability: Today, we generally think of sustainability as having a focus on cultivating a healthy environment and leaving it as strong as we found it. But we can also look at sustainability from the perspective of a sustainable business (one that can keep going on forever) or sustainable lifestyle (one where you keep yourself healthy so you’ll live a long life).

• Encourage diversity and inclusivity in my surroundings: “My mission is to promote diversity and inclusivity. I will strive to empower all voices and create an environment where everyone feels respected and valued, thereby fostering a sense of community and belonging.”
• Be a mentor and guide to others: “I will dedicate my time to mentoring and guiding others. By sharing my wisdom and experiences, I can help others navigate their own journeys, leaving a legacy of kindness and service.”
• Lead with integrity and honesty: “I am committed to leading with integrity and honesty in all endeavors. I will hold myself to a high standard, aligning my actions with my core values and striving for transparency in every interaction.”
• Cultivate a balanced and peaceful lifestyle: “My mission is to cultivate a lifestyle that is peaceful and balanced. I will practice mindfulness, express gratitude for my blessings, and strive to find harmony between my personal, professional, and spiritual life.”
• Maintain physical fitness and promote healthy living: “I pledge to maintain my physical fitness and promote healthy living in my community. I will strive to make smart choices regarding diet, exercise, and self-care, thereby embodying and promoting a vision of holistic health.”
• A lifelong learning mindset: “With a commitment to growth and a spirit of exploration, I will always seek to broaden my knowledge and perspectives. Embracing challenges and viewing effort as a pathway to mastery, I believe learning is an ongoing journey, not a destination.”

Lifelong Learning: The concept of lifelong learning refers to a person’s conscious choice to continue to learn new things and never stop working on personal and professional development. This can help you to continue to grow and find opportunities for self-improvement over time.

• Advocate for social justice and equality: “I am committed to advocating for social justice and equality. I will dedicate myself to being a catalyst for change, promoting fairness, and empowering the disadvantaged, contributing to a more equitable society.”
• Practice mindfulness and presence in daily life: “My mission is to cultivate mindfulness and presence in my daily life. By committing to this practice, I will enhance my emotional intelligence, develop resilience, and foster a deeper connection to the world around me.”
• Enhance personal and professional relationships: “I pledge to improve and deepen my personal and professional relationships. By demonstrating empathy, respect, and honesty, I will foster meaningful connections and contribute to a vibrant, supportive community.”
• Invest in self-care and well-being: “My mission is to invest time and energy in self-care and well-being. Through this practice, I will ensure a balanced life, promote a positive mindset, and prepare myself to better serve others.”
• Strive for financial independence and stability: “I am dedicated to achieving financial independence and stability. By making smart and informed decisions, I aim to create a secure foundation that enables personal growth, adventure, and service to my community.”
• Foster a spirit of exploration and adventure: “I commit to embracing a spirit of exploration and adventure. By welcoming new experiences and fostering curiosity, I will maintain a lifelong learning mindset, and continually evolve as an individual.”
• Practice empathy towards all: “My mission is to cultivate empathy in all my interactions. By striving to understand others’ perspectives, I will empower those around me and contribute to a community rooted in kindness and mutual understanding.”

Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It is a fundamental human quality that allows us to respond to the emotional needs of others. If you aspire toward empathy, you’ll help to cultivate a better, fairer, and kinder world.

• Embrace change and maintain flexibility: “I am dedicated to embracing change and demonstrating flexibility. I see change as an opportunity for growth, and I will cultivate resilience, adaptability, and a positive attitude in the face of evolving circumstances.”
• Nurture a positive and optimistic mindset: “My mission is to cultivate a positive and optimistic mindset. By seeking the silver lining in every situation, I aim to inspire myself and those around me to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.”
• Advocate for the welfare and rights of animals: “My mission is to advocate for the welfare and rights of animals. I will use my voice and actions to promote humane treatment of animals, contributing to a more compassionate and ethical world.”
• Make informed and responsible choices: “I pledge to make informed and responsible choices that align with my values and the greater good. I am committed to reflecting on the implications of my decisions and acting in a way that contributes positively to my community and the environment.”
• Create meaningful connections with people: “I strive to create meaningful connections with people. Through empathy, open-mindedness, and genuine engagement, I aim to nurture relationships that enrich my life and the lives of others.”
• Develop and demonstrate leadership skills: “My mission is to develop and demonstrate effective leadership skills. I strive to lead with integrity, empathy, and resilience, inspiring others to achieve their best and fostering a spirit of teamwork and mutual respect.”
• Seek to understand and respect differing perspectives: “I pledge to understand and respect differing perspectives. I believe that diversity of thought enriches our society, and I strive to promote inclusivity and mutual respect in all my interactions.”

Diversity: A core value you might highlight in your mission statement is diversity. This refers to your belief that surrounding yourself with people of diverse backgrounds, opinions, and cultures will enrich your life.

• Foster creativity in myself and others: “My mission is to cultivate creativity in myself and others. I will continually explore new ideas, foster an environment that encourages innovation, and inspire those around me to express their unique perspectives and talents.”
• Commit to the pursuit of knowledge: “I commit to the continuous pursuit of knowledge. By maintaining a curious and open mind, I strive to learn from every experience, deepen my understanding, and contribute to my personal and professional growth.”
• Seek to find joy in the everyday: “My mission is to find joy in everyday moments. I commit to practicing mindfulness, expressing gratitude for the simple things, and cherishing each day as a unique gift.”
• Be a source of encouragement and positivity: “I strive to be a source of encouragement and positivity for those around me. By uplifting others, celebrating their achievements, and offering supportive words, I aim to foster a more compassionate and optimistic community.”
• Pursue a path of continuous learning and development: “I am dedicated to pursuing a path of continuous learning and development. By always seeking to improve, learn, and grow, I aim to better myself and contribute more effectively to my community and the world at large.”
• Prioritize balance in all aspects of life: “I commit to prioritizing balance in all aspects of life. This includes fostering harmony between work and personal time, mental and physical health, and personal desires and community responsibilities, to cultivate a peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle.”
• Strive to be a good listener and communicator: “I aim to be a good listener and communicator. By practicing active listening and clear, empathetic communication, I will strengthen my relationships and foster mutual understanding and respect.”

• Cultivate and express artistic talents: “My mission is to cultivate and express my artistic talents. Through this creative exploration, I aim to express my unique perspectives, contribute to the cultural richness of my community, and inspire others to express their creativity.”
• Strive to make a positive impact on the environment: “I am committed to making a positive impact on the environment. By living sustainably, advocating for environmental consciousness, and influencing positive change, I hope to leave a meaningful environmental legacy.”
• Seek simplicity and contentment: “My mission is to seek simplicity and contentment in life. By valuing the essential, expressing gratitude for what I have, and finding joy in simple pleasures, I aim to cultivate a lifestyle of peace and fulfillment.”
• Develop and foster a spirit of entrepreneurship: “I am dedicated to fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship. By embracing innovation, taking informed risks, and learning from both success and failure, I aim to contribute to economic growth and social impact.”
• Strive for integrity in actions and communication: “I strive to uphold integrity in my actions and communication. By aligning my actions with my values, being transparent, and communicating honestly, I aim to build trust and respect in my personal and professional relationships.”

Integrity: Integrity is the trait of sticking to your code of ethics and moral principles at all times. Examples of a person with integrity include someone who keeps their promises, takes personal responsibility for their actions, treats others with respect at all times, and follows the rules.

• Embrace new technologies and innovation: “My mission is to embrace new technologies and innovation. By staying informed about technological advances and integrating them into my work and life, I aim to enhance productivity, creativity, and the quality of life for myself and my community.”
• Cultivate and foster peace and harmony in relationships: “I am committed to fostering peace and harmony in my relationships. By promoting understanding, showing empathy, and resolving conflicts with grace, I aim to create strong, fulfilling, and respectful relationships.”
• Advocate for responsible consumerism: “I pledge to advocate for responsible consumerism. By making informed choices, promoting sustainability, and encouraging others to do the same, I aim to contribute to a healthier planet and a more equitable economy.”
• Care and provide for my family: “My mission is to care for and provide for my family. By being present, offering support, and ensuring their needs are met, I aim to create a nurturing and secure environment for my loved ones.”
• Cultivate self-discipline and good habits: “I commit to cultivating self-discipline and good habits. By maintaining focus, setting realistic goals, and consistently pursuing them, I aim to achieve personal and professional growth.”
• Influence others by my deeds: “I strive to influence others positively through my deeds. By acting with kindness, integrity, and respect, I aim to inspire others to do the same and contribute to a more compassionate and respectful community.”

Conclusion

A personal mission statement for a resume needs to be personalized to you and your unique values and moral, goals, and life circumstances. You may also want to adjust it depending on the context in which you’re using it – i.e. if you’re asked to make a personal mission for work, then it’d likely incorporate elements of your job into it.

Also note that you’re always free to adjust your personal mission statement over time, so create one that’s true to you right now, but be willing to adjust it every few months.