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How To Develop Your Personal Mission Statement

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This Personal Mission Statement kit will help you to: Lead and govern your life according to your deepest priorities. Meet life's day-to-day challenges by focusing on your long-term vision. Avoid diversions and distractions that don't contribute to your life's mission, vision, and goals. Become the powerful creative force of your life and influence for good the lives of others.

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First published January 1, 2009

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About the author

Stephen R. Covey

646 books6,319 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Stephen Richards Covey was an American educator, author, businessman, and speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. His other books include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, The 8th Habit, and The Leader In Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time. In 1996, Time magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people. He was a professor at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University (USU) at the time of his death.

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5 stars
857 (44%)
4 stars
638 (33%)
3 stars
322 (16%)
2 stars
78 (4%)
1 star
29 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
Profile Image for Michele.
81 reviews4 followers
January 5, 2020
I wish there were samples of a variety of others' Mission Statements. This book only had one or maybe two. I highly recommend using the Franklin Covey website Personal Mission Statement Generator. However, if you have extra time for reading, this book is only 40ish pages short and will do enough to get you started.
Profile Image for Harley.
Author 20 books107 followers
January 5, 2015
Worth reading for anyone who has NOT developed a personal mission statement. My mission statement which I developed years ago is: "I choose to plant seeds of hope in the heart of others." I believe everyone should have a personal mission statement and this small book can help you write one. A mission statement is your true north — how you want to live your life.
Profile Image for Roderick Vonhogen.
484 reviews69 followers
September 30, 2024
In "How to Develop Your Personal Mission Statement," Stephen Covey, renowned for his best-seller "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," provides a practical guide to crafting a personal mission statement. Covey emphasizes that understanding your ultimate goals, values, and mission can illuminate what truly drives you and where you are headed. This clarity helps you break free from living by others' agendas and enables you to achieve your goals more effectively¹².

Personally, this book inspired me to reflect on my own mission statement at this stage of my life. A personal mission can evolve as circumstances and personal growth occur. However, regularly revisiting and reassessing your mission can help refocus your daily decisions on what is most important to you in the long run.
Profile Image for Vivek Shah.
11 reviews
August 9, 2023
Probably one of the best ways to spend $1.49. Great book with some thought-provoking questions and insights to build a direction in life and develop a personal “mission statement.”

An easy read that’s not too long either.
Profile Image for Vasiliy Sikorskiy.
91 reviews6 followers
December 9, 2017
Благодаря одному своему другу задумался и прочитал книгу про формирование личной миссии. Кажется, что созрел до этой потребности :) книгу написал Кови, она совсем небольшая, правда, не уверен, что есть на русском. На мой взгляд, полезная. Не могу сказать, что даёт четкий алгоритм, но даёт определенные вехи, мысли и мотивацию. Зачем вообще нужна столь эпатажно звучащая "личная миссия"? Важно понимать, что это совсем не про одну амбициозную сверхцель типа "победить рак" или "вырастить урожай картошки на Венере". А про конечный образ своей жизни - как ты хочешь ее прожить, что для тебя важно, к чему хочешь стремиться, кому помогать, кому отдавать. В конечном итоге это очень нужно для того, чтобы отвечать себе на вопрос "зачем?". Хочу пробежать марафон за 3 часа. А зачем? Хочу путешествовать на микроавтобусе большой семьёй. А зачем? Хочу такой-то доход/машину/квартиру. А зачем? И так далее. Короче говоря, она позволяет правильным образом упорядочить и сонаправить свои долгосрочные действия и желания. Даже если на большую часть вопросов не получается ответить, то размышления об этом очень полезны. Ну и конечно: 1. Миссия не составляется за один вечер 2. Она составляется так, словно дальше меняться никогда не будет 3. Миссия может меняться в течение жизни
60 reviews6 followers
July 23, 2020
Concise and Powerful!

Great as a stand alone book or as a partner to "The 7 Habits". In a few short chapters, Covey gives direction and inspiration to create a principled core for one's life.
Profile Image for Kilian Metcalf.
986 reviews24 followers
July 25, 2016
I participate in a book bingo challenge every summer with friends. One of them is as competitive as I am, so we taunt one another as we rush to complete a blackout of the bingo card. This year's card has a space for self-help books. Just shoot me now. I picked this book because it was short and as void of actual content as most self-help books, so it was a quick read. If I had a personal mission statement it would be along the lines of 'Don't be a dick,' but I think that one's taken already. So I turned to the handy, dandy random mission statement generator site (csmorse.org/missiongen) and picked this one to adapt from corporate to personal: It is my challenge to continue to utilize seven-habits-conforming methods of empowerment to stay relevant in tomorrow's world.

Nice, yes? And it didn't involve any of the work that Covey recommends in his slim volume. Now, I call that efficient.
Profile Image for Winter Arcane.
205 reviews11 followers
August 11, 2014
I feel like everyone should read this, especially those who feel like they are just spinning their wheels or going in circles in life.
Profile Image for Dave.
Author 8 books41 followers
March 2, 2025
At under 50 pages, this book was easily consumed over the course of an afternoon. And while I was hoping for some more practical “how-to” steps, the realization that this is exactly what a mission statement is not (a repeatable number of steps to its conclusion) might be the most important takeaway from this short read.

It’s not a process that you whip through in a few hours and begin living immediately from that point forward. Furthermore, it’s not something you invent. Rather, it’s something you detect or discover. It’s an evolution that leads to a revolution. These might be kitschy catchphrases, but that’s the underlying (and critical) message that I received through the words of Dr. Covey alongside many of his contributing co-authors.

I have read the introductions to several other books that state what a personal mission statement should be, and what it should not be. That in itself is a red flag, because the uniqueness of a mission statement or purpose in life is as unique as the individual writing it. And even that is an important misnomer that jumped off the page at me. A mission statement doesn’t need to be limited to words. It can be a sketch, an image, a song, or any other means of self-expression that works for the individual it’s connected to. You are not developing this for anyone but yourself, so no one should tell you what it should or shouldn’t be. The most important aspect of it is that it works… for you, as you navigate each choice–big or small–in your daily life.

I might retitle this short book as something different: Thoughts on Developing Your Personal Mission Statement. Because that’s what is required, a deep reflection during those private moments in your life when you are alone with yourself, to honestly and authentically assess what matters most to you.

I have a problem when it comes to engaging in most tasks, a desire to get from start to finish in a single session. To break things up into smaller pieces is a difficult thing for me. I crave instant gratification and that immediate sense of accomplishment that comes with it, perhaps a few things that I would do well to test against the universal laws and natural principles on which a mission statement is founded. And that’s where one of the short chapters co-authored by a colleague of Dr. Covey really hit home.

Don’t try to do it all at once. And don’t think that you have to. Spend ten minutes doing something that brings you joy and then jot down how you feel and what feels important to you immediately after that. It’s not everything, but it is a small nugget to mine. It’s the beginning of a mission statement. Live with it and let it percolate, mature, and grow. The evolution becoming a revolution feels less like a catchphrase and more like an astute realization.

After reading and re-reading “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” several times over the years, this short book complements Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind as a companion that just might nudge you back in the direction of creating a path to the most authentic and purposeful version of yourself.
Profile Image for Aleksey Roslyakov.
5 reviews
June 19, 2018
The review for the book “How to develop your personal mission statement” by Stephen Covey.
The aim of the book: to persuade the reader to pay the price of time and write down the personal mission statement on the paper with permanent reconsidering one later.
The key idea: your mission statement is the best way to start with the end in your mind and describe what you want to be in terms of character and what you want to do in reference to contributions and achievements. There are 4 criteria of a good mission statement: it has to be timeless, contain ends (achievements and contributions) and means (based on unaltered principles), cover all your roles and deal with whole dimensions of human nature: body (physical, professional, well-being), social/emotional aspect (relationships), mind (intellectual facilities) and spirit (serve, leave the legacy).
The proof of the book’s worth: the author of the book wrote the renowned “7 habits of highly effective people”, and now he gives recommendations how to develop your most important life’s idea with other experts from the world leading leadership training company “FranklinCovey”.
The use of the book: 1. to put your personal mission statement on the paper eventually, or 2. to reexamine your most significant life’s idea right now, following what Victor Hugo once said, “There is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come.”
Profile Image for Julie L.
213 reviews3 followers
September 11, 2022
I'm nor sure how this book has 4+ stars.


By its title it is a "how to" book. But, almost in its entirety, it is a compilation of what are supposed to be inspirational stories and anecdotes.

It tells you to focus on something inspirational for 10 min, then write down what you intuitively *think* your mission statement should include, then set it aside to reflect on and tweak in the future. Sounds good.

Covey shares his own (surprisingly long) statement, and goes over elements of what make a poor mission statement (good example and poor example).

Beyond these elements, he never details the concrete steps you should actually take to determine your statement--not in any but the vaguest terms.

After the conclusion of the book he provides some reflection questions, that are perhaps more instructive than the book itself.

If you were unaware that a mission statement should not be comprised of goals, or things you "want" in life, then perhaps this book will be helpful.

However, if you already have a vague notion that your mission statement should be based on things like your core values and the overarching purpose/meaning of your life--a quick Google search will probably be as beneficial as this book.
1 review
January 20, 2020
Short but thought provoking

The content of this book is good but it is quite short. It only takes an hour or two to read from cover to cover.

I largely enjoyed the book, the material provided some insight for revising my own personal philosophy which I greatly appreciate. While I do recommend this book for someone seeking to improve focus in their lives, I can't give this book five stars. Considering it's length I think I would be justified in reducing it to three stars but at the end of the day I do still recommend it.

I was disappointed to see some content reused from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. There could have been some more examples of personal mission statements and I would have liked to see some more reflection Questions at the end like, "When did you last feel fulfilled and why?", or perhaps, "What kinds of things combine your strengths and priorities?". A book shouldn't be expected to spell out the world for us but this one is so short and it's already reusing a parable, it just feels lazy.
Profile Image for Christian Jacquez.
4 reviews2 followers
November 22, 2023
Concise and instructive

The book is very short and can easily be read on a couple of hours or in less if you engorge its words. However, this is the kind of content to let soak in and mull over. The purpose of the book is based on self-reflection but the organization of the content is strategically written to where the ideas are presented in a clear and understandable manner while keeping things short. Rightly so because this book is intended to be a follow up for anyone who’s read Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. That book is where the concepts go deep and expounded.
This book is wonderful because it’s written to balance the urge to begin drafting a mission statement but also to do a quick control check before getting started. The questions provided at the end of the book gear the reader up to start writing and reflecting. Wonderful accompaniment to the original book.
1 review
January 1, 2018
It's my first finished book in 2018.
Actually it is also my first finished English book my whole life.

I took a note,like :
To live encompasses our physical and economic needs and well-being.
To love deals with our relationships with others and how we relate together and deal with each other—kindness, respect, dignity, support, and so forth.
To learn involves helping each other continually with education, learning from our experiences and identifying, developing, and using our talents.
To leave a legacy is our spiritual need for a sense of meaning, for a sense of mattering in life, that we truly contribute, add value, make a difference, and have a deep connection with the eternal and divine part of our nature.

Really nice book about life-thinking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
107 reviews2 followers
February 18, 2023
Must read

This is a must-read for anyone who wants to live with meaning, purpose and integrity; who aspires to leave a legacy after they are gone from this earth, and who strives to demonstrate the best of who they are at the core for themselves, their relationships, their life's work, their community, nation and the world. This heads you towards discovering what things accomplish a statement unique to you, that we can use to guide us every day, and to serve as a compass to return to when we miss the mark or lose our way. 47 pages I highly recommend every person read. If followed, it will likely change the trajectory of your life.
Profile Image for Mohsin Tariq.
19 reviews
December 17, 2020
MUST READ FOR EVERYONE!

This book is a must read for everyone. This books helps you reflect inside you and helps you think about who you are. This distracted world most of the times we are focusing outside of us and never get a chance to think about it inside of us I think this book gives you tools and couple of pointers on how you can start looking inside of yourself. I would recommend this book to everyone men women teenagers and adults the earlier you start into this process the earlier you you know about yourself.
2 reviews
April 28, 2018
Thought-provoking, Precise and Powerful.

This book is thought provoking. It wakes you up to the reality of how you are living your life. Do you have a purpose or you are just living purposeless life? What matters to you? Who are the people that matters to you? And many other important questions that may give a new direction to your life.Its definitely a good read. Precise and powerful
Profile Image for Katrina Jordan.
6 reviews
January 3, 2019
Brilliant Book!!!

This book won't take you long to read and that's a good thing because you can't wait to begin drafting your mission statement. There are so many thought provoking questions in the book that you really need to ask yourself. Included is the mission statement of a guest contributor which really helped. As for the format, that's really up to you. This is a book for all those wanting to find their true north.
Profile Image for Gabriel Novoa.
12 reviews
August 21, 2019
Excelente libro para meditar sobre tus propósitos y prioridades

Definitivamente cumplió con todas mis expectativas, lo recomiendo para todos los que estén tratando de re ordenar sus prioridades en la vida, trabajo, familia, etc. Tendrán excelentes antecedentes e ideas sobre cómo empezar y especialmente como escribir su misión y propósito en la vida. Después, solo será de seguirlo y enfocarte cada día en cumplirlo a mejor cabalidad.
1 review
October 12, 2025
Powerfully Brief

I found this book light on verbiage, strong on practical advice and jargon free. Business, life and living in an AI world, we need straightforward guidance and encouragement to look under our own hoods.
I found it valuable and made strong points in an entirely fresh way. The message is clearly put and positions the reader in a powerful position. Great work.
Neil
103 reviews2 followers
November 10, 2016
Good book

Too often we miss the forest because of our default tunnel vision. A personal mission statement helps us to define our personal values and keep you on course. In short, we navigate life by our decisions; those choices may not reflect who we truly. A personal mission statement is essential for authentic living.
1 review
March 21, 2018
Got to read at least once

I read kindle version of fewer pages. Still it had content which it was intended for. After reading kindle version lots of thoughts pop up in your mind. It takes time to sink in with book and thoughts.
You got to read it at least once, to analyse the path you are in to reach your destination.
Profile Image for Reddys.
5 reviews15 followers
January 16, 2019
Thoughtful and awaken

Stephen has greatly put all the innerlife questions in a precised,small book. It relfects most of the inner questions in most of the people..One should read and practice,merly reading wont surve any purpose.
Thank you Stephen R.Covery for this great gift to the humanity.
43 reviews
August 31, 2025
It doesn't teach you how to write a mission statement. Of course it's highly personal. But this book is more about anecdotes, instead of giving actual instructions or some guidance.
Whatever helpful there is in this book, you already know or come across it somewhere else. It's a short read, but not worth it in my opinion.
8 reviews
June 4, 2017
Short sections by different people and experiences that were shaped by a mission statement.

I looked the quick look at questions we can ask ourselves on life being lived or lived life. Focus energy and stay on track.
Profile Image for Edith Burch.
13 reviews
June 12, 2017
Quick and to the point

This book helped me to start the process of creating a mission statement and gave me the tools to complete it. I enjoyed the direct approach to getting it done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews

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