Pull It All Together

Finally, you’re ready to think about and write a statement about your ‘life mission’. It’s worth doing because you’ll have a sense of direction and will always know whether any career changes you make are compatible with what you want out of life.

Your life mission will act as a beacon on the sometimes dark road of your career journey.

But your personal life mission isn’t set in stone. You should revisit it whenever you make a big transition in your life – whether it’s in your work or outside of it.

Here’s a couple of example life missions:

• ‘I want to build a career that focuses on challenge and excitement. And I think that I’ll only ever be able to get that sense of challenge by working in small, entrepreneurial companies or start-up businesses. I’m willing to work very hard, but I want to be rewarded by promotions and financial benefits for it.’

• ‘In my life, I want to balance my career against my family goals. I simply don’t enjoy working long hours for the sake of it. I need to be able to enjoy the pleasures of life outside of my work. Whatever jobs I go for, I would always like to be able to take a full four weeks’ holiday. Also, I want to be able to pick my children up from school at least twice a week and spend the whole evening with them.’

Remember to...

• Think about what you do and don’t enjoy about your job. Can you think of ways to improve your working life?
• Don’t rush through these exercises. Take your time to think about them. And be honest about what you really want out of your life.
• Talk to friends, family, and colleagues about your goals. What advice can they give you about the direction your life might take?