Mission statements. Companies and organizations use them to give insight into the values and goals of their businesses. But it wasn’t until our son began attending his current school that we were introduced to the concept of family mission statements. It was a requirement for each family, but after writing it, we decided to use it as a guideline to help give direction to our family.
We knew our values and goals as a family. But putting them down on paper solidified what was important to us. Here’s an excerpt from the Wilder Family Mission Statement:
Our purpose is to love and serve God, love and serve each other and love and serve others.
What we believe: We believe in God and Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. We believe in the worth and value of all people. We believe love never fails.
Who we are: Our family is loving, supportive, kind, vulnerable and accepting. We listen without judgment or fear, and emotions are welcome here. We are helpers, givers and not takers.
When life gets busy and we’re in the routine of work, school, activities, church, family and social life, sometimes things can get off balance and we lose focus. It’s easy to get stuck in the wash, rinse, and repeat cycle. Our family mission statement helps us refocus on priorities socially, educationally and financially, so those decisions align with our goals and values.
Not sure where to start? Patrick Lencioni, founder of The Table Group and author of “The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family,” introduces the concept of how to reduce chaos in your family and live with greater purpose and clarity. First, there are three basic questions every family should answer:
1) What makes your family unique? Describe the differences that make your family unique from any other family.
2) What is your top priority, or rallying cry, right now? This means establishing a single, agreed-upon priority over the next two to six months.
3) How do you talk about and use the answers to these questions? Discussions and regularly scheduled family meetings. Lencioni’s website can help you learn more about family mission statements. https://www.tablegroup.com/books/frantic/
Another valuable resource is the book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families” by Steven Covey.
I encourage you to set aside the time to research and consider creating a family mission statement. You can’t put a price on the return of your investment!
