Most people measure us by our accomplishments or “what we’ve done”. In my experience, most people compile their track record of accomplishments by mistake. That is, we don’t have a plan, we simply react to opportunities as they arise. In other words, our accomplishments are externally motivated, not internally driven. What we need is a consciousness of mission. This consciousness of mission is commonly stated in their Mission Statement. For example, the fire department that I spent most my career with had the mission statement; ” To Prevent Harm Through Professional, Compassionate Service”. We expect businesses and organizations to have this consciousness mission
That’s what this short article will discuss — your Firefighter Career Personal Mission Statement. A Firefighter Career Personal Mission Statement will help you to organize your drive for your career, both now and in the future. This Personal Mission Statement will focus your time, your thoughts, and your priorities. Actually, a personal mission statement, conscientiously developed, will change the way you view everything in your life.
Find Your Why picks up where Start With Why left off. It shows you how to apply Simon Sinek’s powerful insights so that you can find more inspiration at work – and in turn inspire those around you.
Re-Evaluate Who You Are
Your firefighter personal mission statement will force you to constantly re-evaluate who you are, what you’re about, and what you’re doing. As an example, just look at the Constitution of the United States. The essential mission statement there is “…to create a more perfect union.” Where would we be as a nation today if they had not outlined the goals and hopes of a new nation in those terms?
The basics of a mission statement are as follows:
1. Make it short and to the point. Abraham Lincoln upon his inauguration as President. “Preserve the Union.” Note that mission statements can change. Perhaps a mission is accomplished. Franklin Roosevelt started his presidency with a mission to “End the Depression.” By the time that was almost done another threat had arisen and the United States had become involved in World War II. Now the mission statement was “End the War.”
As a future firefighter your personal mission statement might be “become a top 1% candidate”. A career firefighter personal mission statement might be “become a fire service leader”.
2. Keep your mission statement simple. Use direct language. Be sure that a 12-year-old could understand the statement and you’ll be more or less on track.
3. Make it memorable so it can be burned into your consciousness. The rule of thumb here is that if you can’t recite it from memory, it’s too long and too complicated. Remedy: simplify, condense, “laser” your thought process until you’ve said everything you need to say in the fewest and strongest possible words.
4. Eliminate excuses. Before you can write an effective mission statement you must clear away the excuses that prevent most people from writing one in the first place. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your drive to be a firefighter is your mission. It’s only part of it. Remember that a mission is larger than the career. Your career direction may change, but your mission may not. In fact, there are times that a career must change in order that a mission be completed. So don’t lock yourself in a box that says that you Are your current situation or career. You’re far more than that. Another trap or excuse is “My role is my mission.”
The operating principle here is that your role, too, may change. In fact, as your life, evolves your role will almost certainly change. The third excuse — the one most of us don’t want to cop to — is that we may believe that we’re just not important enough to have a mission statement. Sure, it’s fine for a big company to have one, or for a country to have one, but I’m just one of the “little people,” so I don’t deserve one. Parenthetically, we almost never say this aloud. What we do say, at least to ourselves, is that we don’t need one. Wrong, get rid of all that level of thinking. Focus. You’ll be glad you did.
Finally, clear out influences that have driven you in the past. A mission statement isn’t about what you think you should be doing. It’s about what excites you. So instead of listening to all those voices from the past…the ones that told you you weren’t worth anything, that you’d never succeed, and so forth. Concentrate on your gifts, your dream of becoming a career firefighter.