E.10 A Mission Driven Home
Episode 10 A Mission-Driven Home
The 3rd and final episode in the power of purpose series following:
E.8 Creating a Vision for your Family
We discuss creating a mission statement and motto for your family.
Show Transcript:
Intro.
Thanks for joining me again for episode #10 a Mission-Driven Home in the 4th and last episode in the power of purpose series. This week we are going to talk about the family mission statement and motto.
There was once a prince who was kidnapped from his kingdom. He was then exposed to all kinds of base language and debauchery. Those who took him knew that they didn’t need to kill the prince to win the kingdom. They just needed to win the affections of his heart by appealing to his carnal nature. Every time they tried to entice them with distracting addictions though he refused. After weeks of this, they asked him why he wouldn’t indulge and he responded, “Because I was born to be a king”.
What does this have to do with a family mission statement? Well, this prince knew his purpose and that conviction dictated his decisions.
I absolutely love to talk about mission statements with other families because it means something different to each person I’ve spoken with. Sometimes it is closer to a statement of values, a motto, or a vision statement but they all offer a clear purpose.
The purpose is so important because those with a focus on what they are trying to do, accomplish a lot more than those without it. And it’s not just about being busy and getting stuff done. The things they accomplish are building the world they want to be in, the family they want to love, and the people that were intended to become.
A purpose is one of the key driving factors in a life well-lived. Every person has their own purpose that they need to discover for themselves. With multiple people in the family that means there are multiple objectives. Coming together behind a common purpose as a family can help strengthen each person’s understanding of their own purpose and bond you together.
What is the purpose? A purpose is a reason for doing something. Everyone needs to find what fires them up and adds meaning and value to their life. Sometimes a purpose is found in talent or acquired skill. Sometimes a purpose is found in inspiring others, fighting for a cause, or perpetuating an idea. It can even be in a lifestyle or preserving tradition. Its something you do that adds meaning and value to your life and the lives of those around you.
Some of my purposes are to be an ambassador of liberty, creativity, and loving life. To really see people and help them develop a love for the world around them and for themselves. Some of my husband’s purposes are to preserve the tradition of loyalty, hard work, and innovation. To serve others by fixing things and build a solid foundation for our family. I can already see my children’s strengths that will shape their purpose. Helping those we love to live out their purpose is part of the reason why family is so important.
As a parent, we need to ask ourselves how we can help our children develop their talents and skills to serve the purpose that means the most to them. They will discover their purpose in their own time, but we have an intimate knowledge of their affections and can help them become the person they are meant to be by drawing out those talents, character, and abilities.
There is power in working towards a goal. As you set a mission for your family you’ll reflect on your vision, your values and the purpose behind the individual members of your family. How can you help each other reach your goals? What would be meaningful or impactful for our family to work towards that will help us reach our vision and align with our values? Is there a wrong we want to see righted? Or something we enjoy together or are passionate about?
Your mission can stay the same throughout the growing years as a family, evolve with time, or change with the season.
A mission is a purpose behind your daily actions. The WHY we do what we do. It becomes the framework for reaching our goals.
For example, our family’s current mission statement is: “We try new things to make new connections. When you open yourself to the world the world opens to you.”
Trying new things and making new connections ties in beautifully with our values of gaining wisdom through study and experience, innovating, having empathy and seeking understanding. Yet it is an action phrase. So, when we make goals for the school year, for example, we can check it against our mission statement.
If we choose to study Africa, how are we going to do it? Will we try new things? Taste new foods? Meet new people? Read living books? Or just learn the GDP and names of the countries? Are we tying what we’ve learned back to our previous understanding? And asking impactful questions? If we are, we are living our mission if we are not then we need to step back and look at how we can change this unit to align with our mission.
If there is something, you’d like to do that just does not tie back to your mission it may mean its something you should say no to in this season. A daily habit of TV for my kids won’t help them make new connections since they like to watch the same episodes over and over again, it is not giving them new experiences and distracts them from opportunities to learn and do. I may like the idea so I can have some peace and quiet where they are not making messes but if it doesn’t align with our mission then I need to be careful about what I allow in our life.
Even if everything you’d like to do does tie back into your mission you need to be mindful of how full you fill your days. Is there time for stillness and reflection? There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. With my mission to make new connections will there be quiet moments for those connections to be made or are we too busy rushing from one new experience to the next? Leaving room for quiet leaves room for growth and spontaneity.
That kind of focus. Intentionally tying all of our decisions back to our mission is how we will be able to quickly move the needle in that area of our life.
What I love about this style of a mission statement is it says what we are trying to do and why we are trying to do it. Some family goals we could set within this framework would be learning new ideas, doing stem challenges, writing creative stories, meeting new people, or traveling. The goals could also be anything that would support the mission like learning math and science so that we can make connections in other disciplines or persevering through hard experiences so that we can learn from them.
Every time you set a goal or make a choice that aligns with your mission you are giving one more vote for the people you want to be. One more step towards your vision, one more experience towards your character. Your mission will guide the actions to take daily which will help you reach that vision.
Now if my family fully adapts this mission as a way of life we may move on to another part of our vision. In the current season of our life, focusing on keeping an open heart and mind and trying new things suits the type of education I am trying to provide and the phase of life of my children are in. They are young and excited to learn about new things. Everything is fresh and new and exciting. Now is the time to cultivate their hearts to love others and seek for understanding.
If you’d like to create a mission statement of your own, you’ll look at your vision for your life and your key values then ask yourself: What actions can we take daily that will help us reach this vision? Go ahead and just list them all out. (You may want to go back to the sentences you wrote when writing your statement of values.) Then narrow in on what is either the most important for you or the thing you’d like to focus on first and list out several reasons WHY you want this to be your family mission. Having a compelling why makes it easier to prioritize these actions.
If, for example, you visualize a fit active family as your main goal (or your first focus) you may list things like drink more water, eat more vegetables, exercise, play outside together. Your mission statement may end up being something like “We are a family that moves. A healthy home is a happy home” and your goals would then fit in that framework. Does this make us active? Does this support a happy or active lifestyle?
What kinds of things would you be excited to do or become in the next year? I’d love to year your family mission statements as you work through them. Do you think having a framework like this would make prioritizing your time more effective?
The last thing I’ll be talking about today is a motto. A motto is a one-liner that captures the spirit of what you do. It is a very motivating a specific reminder of your values. It’s easy to memorize and internalize for kids. Think growth mindset phrases. You repeat it to help them remember how to treat themselves or others or focus on your mission. Some examples of family mottos are:
“We are builders”
“Work hard, pray often”
“Be kind”
“Elevate”
“Remember who you are and what you stand for”
And my personal favorite and family motto “I can do hard things”
The words we are exposed to repeatedly are imprinted on our minds and heart. I remember hearing a story of a man who was wrongly imprisoned for years with no outside contact. When asked later what helped him through that impossible situation, he said it was the poems and scripture his mother had made him memorize as a child. Those words were his companions and fed his thoughts with beauty, hope, and deep thought. It is what saved him in his darkest hour.
The words we choose to say repeatedly to our children will shape how they see their world. Let them internalize your values, their worth, and beautiful thoughts and imagery. Post your vision, value, or mission statement where they can read it often and make it part of themselves and pay attention to the types of books and lyrics that they consume. You are what you read.
The bottom line is creating a home where the kids have a strong sense of self. They know who they are, where they came from, and what they value. Working together helps them SEE the support that they have and gives them opportunities to learn how to work towards a goal. It illustrates the importance of being intentional with our time and serving a higher purpose. Its models living a purpose-driven life. This strong sense of self will help kids defend themselves against destructive influences and give them peace and resilience.
I’ve enjoyed this series and hope it has strengthened your family and renewed your sense of purpose. Next time we’ll move on to a new topic with a fun interview. Until then, stay curious and catch up with me @hatchingcuriosity on Instagram.