Crafting Mission Statements That Compound Your Growth by 20% Each Year

Mission statements create compound growth

Few people would doubt that having clear goals produces growth compared with just drifting through each day.
However, to achieve compound growth you first need to craft a mission statement before you set any goals.
A “mission statement” appears not only in Katsuma’s books but also in titles like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and it plays a crucial role in guiding personal development.

Sato (alias)

When you say “mission statement,” you mean those lofty lines like “contribute to the world,” right?
Things like that feel so grand that they don’t resonate with me. I’m a little embarrassed to write them down…

Partner

Mission statements aren’t something you have to publish just because you wrote them, so they don’t need to sound impressive.
Many of the mission statements you find online are the result of repeated revisions, crafted to spark the actions that lead to the growth and outcomes the writer wants.
So the more polished they are, the more likely it is that other people won’t immediately relate to them. You don’t have to weave in grand social roles or meanings.

The difference between goals and mission statements

When you look at mission statements, some can be hard to distinguish from goals at first glance. Let’s take a moment to review how they differ.

Goal: Something you aim to achieve

Goals can range from something you accomplish in a short time to things that take years to achieve, so there is a wide span of time frames.

Mission statement: An expression of how you want to live

A mission statement describes the way you want to be, regardless of whether you have “achieved” it yet.

It is often compared to a constitution (mission) that guides the laws (goals and tasks). You can also think of it as the foundation or blueprint for your goals and tasks.
For example, if your mission is to “stay healthy,” the specific goals you set to realize it will naturally change based on your condition and the season of life.

Example mission statement: “Stay healthy”

• Bring next year’s health check numbers back into the normal range (annual goal)
• Go to the gym 10 times a month (monthly goal)
• Eat 350 grams of vegetables every day (daily goal)

Goals rooted in the right mission statement are more likely to create compound growth

Let’s say you vaguely decide on the goal of “increasing annual income by X yen.” Even if you manage to accomplish it by putting in more overtime, sacrificing your health, and simply working longer hours, it probably won’t lead to good results.

If, instead, that goal is grounded in the mission of “staying healthy,” you might set a goal such as “change jobs to a workplace that lets me secure the time and budget for exercise while I work.”

Start with a steady, dependable mission statement

When you begin drafting a mission statement, consider starting with something like “Live a healthy life, blessed with good relationships.”

Sato (alias)

Saying “improve my relationships by 20 percent” is hard to grasp, but the idea is to set goals that make them a little better than they are now without getting hung up on the numbers, right?

Partner

Exactly. When something can’t be measured numerically, it can end up improving not just 20 percent but even doubling or tripling, so why not enjoy that possibility as you work on it?

Start there, and keep adjusting or rewriting whenever inspiration strikes. As you do, you will arrive at a mission statement that belongs solely to you.
Because a mission statement touches something deeply personal, you do not have to share it even when you work with Task Management Partner.

That said, if you are able to share it, we can help you set better goals and tasks. When you use Task Management Partner, we’re happy to support you in crafting your mission statement as well. Please feel free to consult us!