PURPOSE • MISSION • IMPACT
Impact is a product of purpose. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, corporate leader, or just figuring out who and what you are, having a clear and strong personal purpose and/or business purpose are what determine the force of your impact.
Stronger Connection to Purpose = Bigger Bang “pow!” of Your Impact
A lot of people tend to use “mission” and “purpose” interchangeably these days, but this is a mistake. Purpose and Mission are inextricably connected. But they are not the same.
• P U R P O S E •
Defining your Purpose cannot be an arbitrary selection process. It needs to emerge from a naturally occurring collection of factors.
This is what I like to call “True Purpose”, which I tend to capitalize with a “P”, because “Purpose” is the one that nature intended for you, that the industry created for you, that you’re meant to serve the world community by utilizing your utmost potential as a human being. It’s what makes you a perfectly-fitting puzzle piece, solving the most intricate puzzle of problems.
True Purpose is the battery, the fuel source, and the power behind the punch of your Impact. So if your connection to your fuel source isn’t secure or well rooted, you’re likely not going to reach the highest potential of that “pow!” of impact.
I outline the Impact Formula for connecting to Purpose in my TEDx Talk - check it out if you haven’t already.
Purpose is why you exist, why you take action, and why you feel inspired to solve a problem. It has nothing to do with what you are doing and everything to do with who you are being. It’s the problem you’re solving by being your most authentic self. Purpose is what drives Mission.
• M I S S I O N •
Mission is the actions you take to fulfill your Purpose. It’s how you do to solve the problem. It’s the opportunities that arise for you to express your most authentic self. A mission statement is not the core of your business - it’s the road you’re traveling on to accomplish your goal. It will inevitably go through ups and downs, but if the decisions you make are aligned with Purpose, you’re bound for accomplishments.
(Since Mission is the actions utilized to fulfill your Purpose, towards Impact, you can technically have multiple Missions with the same Purpose in the same way that a leader may have multiple businesses expressing different aspects of their authenticity.)
• I M P A C T •
Impact occurs when your Mission, driven and fueled by Purpose, is being accomplished. It’s what happens when the mission hits various peaks or completes. It’s the ultimate goal too.
There can be many layers to impact and many rippling effects, and impact can also occur many times along the path of the mission. It’s not a destination, and more like a an ongoing marker that the Mission is going well .
• P U R P O S E • M I S S I O N • I M P A C T •
With a well defined Purpose that leadership feels engrained in, Mission becomes a clear expression that leads to great Impact.
Once you define these three components, this in entirety, becomes your Vision Statement.
If you would like some help in clarifying your vision statement, let’s connect.
