A lot of clients have asked me lately about mission statements and how to write one. It feels as if it is a daunting task, like trying to run a marathon through mud. We feel we have just ONE shot to get it right, and if we don’t, there will be a whole bunch of flies waiting to stick on us.
Not so! Mission statements can be fluid and act as a guide to your business. The act of defining a MS is important… It’s like putting those Manano Blanc pumps on layaway at Macy’s… you have to set forth an act to get the purchase moving forward.
A lot of us feel resistance to putting something like a mission statement on paper. That resistance is that part of us that is afraid that maybe this won’t work, my spouse/aunt/friends think that starting a massage business is just crazy and why don’t I go get a real job. (Writing this article, I’m encountering resistance. A pack of Jr. Mints somehow migrated to my desk, and I am distracting myself by grabbing a handful.)
This stuff is often tough! There has got to be a better way to get this done. Here are a few tips that I use to get me through the hard stuff:
- Write it Down. I get out my journal and start writing about the issue. If I’m not sure of, say, my mission statement, I could start writing “I’m not 100% sure about what I want my business to be, but I do know that I like how I feel when I talk to clients about their websites. I wonder if I offered
- Take a Hike. I think really well when I’m out in the woods with fresh air. I feel less trapped and I seem more able to think creatively. Maybe the mall works for you.
- Ask the Universe. I like to go straight to the top with my questions. Ask in whatever fashion you like… you may find me screaming out questions in the car at midnight or sitting quietly at my desk in a short meditation. The point is to get the questions out of you… this sets up the Universe sending you answers.
- Help Me! If you get stuck, ask for help. Talking to someone you trust can really help bring some clarity. This may be a friend, a colleague or an expert who you pay to help you through this.
