reflective essay on mission statement

20 Inspiring Examples: How to Write a Personal Mission Statement

By Status.net Editorial Team on May 3, 2023 — 5 minutes to read

A personal mission statement is a declaration of your guiding principles, goals, and aspirations in life. It helps you articulate your purpose, clarify your values, and make better decisions, both personally and professionally.

Having a personal mission statement is important for staying grounded and focused, especially when faced with difficult choices or setbacks in your life. By clearly defining your mission, you can:

Gain a sense of direction
Set priorities
Align actions with core values
Improve decision-making
Motivate yourself
Enhance personal growth and development

Key Components

In order to craft an effective personal mission statement, it’s important to consider three key components:

Purpose: Reflect on your passions, what motivates you, and what you believe you were meant to do in this world.
Core values: What are the principles that govern your behavior and decision-making? Think about the qualities you value most, such as integrity, kindness, or perseverance. Learn more: Core Values List: 150+ Awesome Examples of Personal Values
Goals: What do you hope to achieve in life, both personally and professionally? Determine what kind of impact you want to make in the world and set specific, measurable objectives that will help you reach that goal.

Be honest with yourself and choose elements that truly resonate with you, rather than adopting someone else’s beliefs or expectations. If your mission statement reflects your authentic self, it will be a far more effective tool for personal growth and fulfillment.

Examples of Personal Mission Statements

In this section, you’ll find a variety of personal mission statement examples tailored to different roles, lifestyles, and aspirations.

Example 1: Student

As a student, your mission might be to excel academically and develop meaningful relationships. Example: “To achieve academic excellence, cultivate lifelong friendships, and make a positive impact on my university community.”

Example 2: Career Professional

Your mission as a career professional could be to advance in your industry, exemplify integrity, and balance work and personal life. Example: “To grow professionally, maintain a high level of integrity, and achieve a healthy work-life balance.”

Example 3: Parent

As a parent, your mission could be to nurture, teach, and support your children, preparing them for the future. Example: “To provide a loving, enriching environment for my children, empowering them with the tools to succeed and grow.”

Example 4: Retiree

Your mission as a retiree can be to enjoy your golden years, staying healthy, and remaining active in your community. Example: “To maintain my health, engage in fulfilling hobbies, and contribute positively to my community.”

Example 5: Entrepreneur

“To create innovative solutions and provide exceptional value to my customers and my community.”

Example 6: Freelancer

“To deliver outstanding work to my clients while maintaining flexibility and work-life balance.”

Example 7: Community Volunteer

“To dedicate my time and skills to causes that make a meaningful impact in my community.”

Example 8: Environmentalist

“To contribute to a sustainable future through conscious choices and meaningful actions.”

Example 9: Artist

“To express my creativity, tell compelling stories, and touch the lives of others through my art.”

Example 10: Innovator

“To think critically, explore new possibilities, and develop groundbreaking solutions for the future.”

Top-20 Examples of Personal Mission Statements:

To live a life of purpose and make a positive impact on the world around me.
To constantly learn and grow, both personally and professionally, and inspire others to do the same.
To be a compassionate and empathetic listener, and provide support to those who need it.
To live a life of integrity and honesty, and always act with kindness and respect towards others.
To use my creativity and innovation to solve problems and bring new ideas to the table.
To make a difference in my community and give back to those in need.
To be a role model for others, especially young people, and inspire them to pursue their dreams.
To live a life of balance, and prioritize my relationships, hobbies, and passions alongside my work.
To be a leader who empowers others and helps them reach their full potential.
To embrace challenges and failures as opportunities for growth and learning.
To live a life of mindfulness and presence, and appreciate the beauty of the world around me.
To be a responsible and ethical citizen, and contribute to the betterment of society.
To be a lifelong advocate for social justice and equality.
To be a positive force in the lives of those around me, and spread joy and positivity wherever I go.
To be a lifelong learner and teacher, sharing my knowledge and experiences with others.
To be a steward of the environment, and work towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
To be a supportive and loving partner, parent, and friend.
To prioritize my physical and mental health, and encourage others to do the same.
To be a lifelong learner and seeker of truth, always questioning and challenging my own beliefs.
To be a champion for diversity and inclusion, and celebrate the unique qualities of every individual.

Creating Your Personal Mission Statement

Identifying your values.

Understanding your core values is essential in creating a personal mission statement. These values should reflect what is most important to you, and they will be the foundation of your mission statement. To help you identify your values, consider the following steps:

Reflect on your past experiences and the values that were demonstrated in those situations.
Ask yourself what values you hold most dear and which ones guide your decisions.

Learn more: Core Values List: 150+ Awesome Examples of Personal Values Once you have a list of potential values, narrow it down to the top 3-5 that resonate with you the most: these will serve as the basis for your personal mission statement.

Setting Your Goals

Now that you have identified your values, it’s time to set your personal and professional goals. These goals should align with your values and form the framework of your mission statement. Here are some steps to assist you in setting your goals:

Break your life into categories (such as career, relationships, and personal growth).
Consider both short-term and long-term goals within each category.
Be specific and realistic about what you want to achieve.

With clearly defined goals, you will be better equipped to create a mission statement that is focused and actionable.

Writing Your Statement

Now that you have defined your values and goals, you can begin crafting your personal mission statement. Keep the following tips in mind while writing your statement:

Begin with a powerful opening sentence that encapsulates your values and aspirations.
Be clear in expressing your goals and how they align with your values.
Write in the present tense and use positive language to project confidence.

Your personal mission statement should be a reflection of who you are and what you hope to achieve. Revise and refine your statement until you feel it accurately represents your values, goals, and aspirations.

A great mission statement should resonate deeply within you and help to shape your decisions and actions.

20 Examples of Life Goals
Core Values List: 150+ Awesome Examples of Personal Values
20+ Best Core Values: Examples for Healthcare Industry
How to Live By Your Values
10+ Mission Statement Examples for Energy & Chemicals
10 Best Mission Statements Examples for Travel & Accommodation

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How to Write a Reflective Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide
Learn English
James Prior
No Comments
Updated November 8, 2024

Learn how to write a reflective essay with our easy guide. Follow step-by-step instructions to craft an impactful reflection on your personal experiences.

Reflective essays allow you to dive deep into your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. They help you explore how personal events have shaped you, whether in a classroom, a workplace, or in life. This guide will walk you through every stage of writing a reflective essay, showing you how to organize your ideas, craft a strong narrative, and present your insights effectively.

Table of Contents

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is a personal type of writing that focuses on your thoughts and reactions to a specific experience or event. It’s often a personal response rather than an objective recounting of facts, as seen in academic essays. Reflective essays are commonly used in academic settings for subjects like psychology, literature, nursing, and even education. However, they’re also valuable for self-reflection and personal development, helping you analyze experiences that shape your identity.

In a reflective essay, you narrate an experience and then explore its significance, impact, and meaning. This isn’t about providing only external details; it’s about looking within. Reflective essays encourage critical thinking and help you understand how your experiences influence your beliefs, values, and attitudes.

How to Write a Reflective Essay

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft a thoughtful and well-structured reflective essay. Follow these points to organize your experiences and insights, guiding readers through your journey of personal growth and discovery.

Choose a Topic

Selecting the right topic is crucial for a meaningful reflective essay. You should choose an experience or event that impacted you emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually. Reflective essays require introspection, so your topic should provide ample material for self-examination.

Examples of Reflective Essay Topics:

A memorable event, like a family gathering or significant achievement.
A challenging experience, such as overcoming failure or dealing with a loss.
A learning experience, perhaps a class project or workshop.
An impactful conversation or advice that changed your perspective.

Tip : Pick a topic that sparks strong feelings or has lasting meaning for you. Avoid topics that feel too superficial, as deeper emotions and thoughts make for a richer essay.

Reflect on the Experience

Reflection is the core of this process. Before you begin writing, take time to think deeply about your chosen experience. To understand it fully, ask yourself the following questions:

How did I feel during and after the event?
What new insights did I gain from this experience?
How did it change my beliefs or attitudes?

Reflective essays require honesty, so it’s essential to look beyond the surface. Think critically and examine how the experience shaped you. Reflecting helps you gather the insights you’ll need to write a meaningful essay.

Outline Your Essay Structure

While reflective essays are personal, they still need a clear structure. Using an organized format ensures your essay remains coherent and readable. Here’s a basic outline to get you started:

Introduction : Introduce the topic and provide context. Mention the significance of the experience briefly.
Body : Describe the experience in detail, analyze its impact, and explore your reflections.
Conclusion : Summarize your insights and explain how the experience has changed you. Emphasize personal growth.

Tip : Writing a brief outline can help you stay on track and avoid straying from your main points. A structured approach gives your essay clarity and keeps the reader engaged.

Consider Your Language

Once you’ve established the outline of your reflective essay, it’s important to remember to use the right sort of language before you start writing. You should:

Use a Reflective Tone and Personal Language

Reflective essays are personal, so use a conversational tone. Writing in the first person helps make the experience feel relatable. Avoid overly formal or academic language; instead, write as though you’re sharing with a close friend.

Example : “At first, I felt nervous, unsure of how to handle the animals. But as the days passed, my confidence grew.”

This conversational tone makes the essay feel more intimate and relatable.

Use Descriptive Language

Descriptive language helps your reader visualize your experience. Reflective essays benefit from vivid descriptions that pull readers into the story. Describe sounds, colors, and emotions to make your writing come alive.

Example : “The dog’s brown eyes sparkled with excitement, and his joyful bark filled the room.”

Adding descriptive details like this will make your narrative engaging and immersive.

Include Specific Examples

Specific examples add authenticity to your writing. Instead of vague statements, focus on concrete moments that highlight your emotions or insights. This detail creates a more vivid and impactful story.

Example : “When I first walked into the shelter, a little dog wagged his tail and looked up at me. In that moment, I realized how much I wanted to help.”

Balance Description and Reflection

Reflective essays require a balance between describing events and analyzing them. While it’s essential to set the scene and narrate what happened, don’t let the description overshadow your reflections. Spend equal time explaining what you learned or how you grew.

Stay Honest and Open

Authenticity is key in reflective writing. Embrace vulnerability and share your thoughts sincerely. If an experience was difficult, discuss that honestly rather than glossing over it. Readers connect best with genuine reflections.

Example : “It wasn’t easy facing my fears that day, but doing so taught me courage.”

Write the Introduction

In the introduction, set the stage for the reader by providing essential background on the experience. Introduce the event or topic you’ll discuss and briefly mention why it’s significant to you. The idea is to hook the reader and make them want to read on. The following structure works well:

Start with a Hook : Begin with an engaging sentence to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a memorable moment, a strong feeling, or a question that reflects the main idea of your essay.

Introduce the Experience : Briefly introduce the experience or topic you’ll be reflecting on. Provide just enough context to orient the reader without giving away too much detail.

Present the Thesis Statement : Conclude your introduction with a thesis statement for your reflective essay. This statement should encapsulate the main insight or lesson you gained from the experience. Unlike a typical thesis statement, a reflective thesis is personal and sets up the reflection to come.

For example:

“Through my experience volunteering, I discovered the transformative power of empathy and how small acts of kindness can make a lasting impact.”
“My journey through unexpected failure taught me resilience and helped me realize that growth often stems from adversity.”

Remember to keep the introduction short; it should give the reader a glimpse of what’s to come without going into too much detail.

Full Introduction Example : “Last summer, I volunteered at a local animal shelter. I thought it would be an easy way to help, but the experience deeply impacted me, changing my perspective on responsibility and empathy.”

This introduction sets up the reader with a clear expectation of the essay’s topic and why it matters to the writer. It engages the reader while leaving space for more details in the body paragraphs. Here you can expand on specific events, reactions, and reflections.

Describe the Experience in the Body

The body of your essay is where you’ll describe the experience in detail and reflect on its significance. Using sensory language can help create vivid imagery and immerse the reader in your experience. Describe sights, sounds, smells, and emotions to paint a clear picture.

Elements to Include in the Body :

Chronological Description : Explain the experience step-by-step so the reader understands the sequence of events.
Personal Feelings : Discuss your emotions at different points in the experience.
Key Insights : Share the lessons you learned and reflect on their impact.

Example : “When I arrived at the shelter, I expected a light workload. However, within minutes, I was helping feed over a dozen animals. The task was challenging, but I felt an unexpected surge of responsibility, realizing that these animals depended on me.”

Here, sensory details and emotional responses make the narrative more engaging.

Connect with Personal Growth and Insights

Reflective essays aim to show growth. After describing the event, examine how it shaped your perspective or values. Think about how the experience influenced your behavior or attitudes. Consider questions such as:

Did this experience shift your outlook on life?
How did it help you develop as a person?
Are there new values or beliefs you now hold?

Discussing these aspects will show the reader your growth. Link your reflections to real changes in your thoughts or actions, showing how this event contributed to your development.

Craft a Strong Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize your key insights. Reflect on the long-term significance of the experience and how it will influence you in the future. This section should leave the reader with a sense of closure.

Questions to Consider in the Conclusion :

How did the experience change you?
What new understanding did it bring?
How will this insight affect your future choices?

Example Conclusion : “My time at the shelter taught me that empathy and responsibility go hand-in-hand. Today, I feel more equipped to make a difference in my community, and I look forward to volunteering again soon.”

This conclusion emphasizes the long-term impact, rounding off the essay with a forward-looking statement.

End with a Call to Action or Thought-Provoking Idea

A reflective essay should leave the reader with a lasting impression. Consider ending with a thought-provoking question or a statement of purpose for future growth. This reinforces your theme and gives the reader something meaningful to ponder.

Reflect on the Future

To emphasize personal growth, think about how the experience will affect your future. Mentioning how you plan to use these lessons reinforces the significance of the event and underscores your development.

Edit and Refine Your Essay

Once you finish your draft, set it aside for a day before revising. Reviewing it with fresh eyes helps you spot areas for improvement. Focus on clarity, coherence, and flow, ensuring that each paragraph transitions smoothly to the next.

Editing Tips :

Read Aloud : This can help you identify awkward phrasing or unclear sections.
Grammar and Spelling Check : Proofread carefully for grammatical errors.
Ask for Feedback : Get a second opinion to spot overlooked issues.

Reflective Essay vs Narrative Essay

When it comes to personal writing, reflective and narrative essays are often confused, but they serve different purposes. While both can center on personal experiences, each type of essay has a unique focus and structure.

A reflective essay emphasizes introspection, where you analyze the impact of an experience and what it taught you, while a narrative essay centers on storytelling, focusing on recounting an event with rich detail.

Reflective and narrative essays may seem similar because both involve storytelling, but they have distinct purposes and structures.

Understanding these differences can help you choose the right approach to effectively convey your message.

Here’s a breakdown of the differences:

Reflective Essay : The primary aim is self-examination. You analyze how an experience affected you, what you learned, or how it shaped your views. Reflection and introspection are the main focuses.
Narrative Essay : This type of essay mainly focuses on storytelling. The goal is to narrate a personal or fictional experience in a compelling, often descriptive way, without necessarily delving into personal insights or lessons.

2. Structure

Reflective Essay : While it includes a narrative element, it’s organized around your insights. After narrating an experience, you’ll explore its impact on your thoughts, beliefs, or behavior, usually using a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
Narrative Essay : It follows a straightforward story arc (beginning, middle, end) without needing extensive analysis. While some narrative essays may have a lesson, the main emphasis is on the plot and character development.

3. Tone and Perspective

Reflective Essay : The tone is introspective and often more formal, though it remains personal. Writing is in the first person, as you focus on your thoughts and feelings about the experience.
Narrative Essay : The tone is more flexible and can range from formal to conversational. The essay may use first or third person, depending on whether it’s a personal story or a fictional narrative.

4. Focus on Analysis

Reflective Essay : The emphasis is on analyzing the experience. Reflection is key, so you spend time examining the “why” and “how” of your reaction to the events.
Narrative Essay : The focus is on describing what happened. While you might touch on emotions or lessons, detailed analysis is generally not required.

Example Topics

Reflective Essay Topic : “What volunteering taught me about empathy and resilience.”
Narrative Essay Topic : “The time I got lost in a foreign country.”

In short, a reflective essay emphasizes personal growth and insights gained from an experience, while a narrative essay prioritizes telling a vivid story without necessarily requiring deep introspection.

Writing a reflective essay can be challenging, but it’s a powerful exercise in self-discovery. By carefully selecting your topic, using vivid language, and connecting your experiences with personal insights, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates.

Reflecting honestly, structuring your essay well, and balancing description with introspection will help you craft an engaging and meaningful essay that truly reflects your personal growth.

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55 Personal Mission Statement Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

personal mission statement examples and definition, explained below

A personal mission statement defines your purpose. It explains what you want to achieve in your life, career, personal relationships, and so on.

It differs from a career or educational mission statement because it’s more holistic: it’s not just about your job or school. It’s about what you want to achieve with your life overall. and what your personal philosophy is in life .

Here is my personal mission statement:

“I will be generous with my time both with family and strangers. I will consciously and intentionally spend quality time with my parents, my wife, and my children. I will pass-on love of life and self-belief to my children by living as a positive example. I will commit my career to working on projects that are meaningful to me. And I will be responsible with my health and finances for the longevity of my life and to ensure I can care for my family for many years to come.”

When I was asked to write a personal mission statement for applying for my job as a teacher, I tweaked it to focus more on my career:

“My personal mission statement as a teacher is to inspire and support my students, help them see their own potential, and build them up each and every day. I will commit my time to letting each student know they are capable of success, and I will help show them the path to personal and academic success.”

Below is a range of ideas for a personal mission statement. As the mission statement is personal, I recommend using these ideas as inspiration, but make sure you pick and choose the sentiments that are meaningful to you, and write your own.

Personal Mission Statement Examples

The following examples can be used as stimuli for you to think about what you want to include in your own mission statement. But, as the word suggests, a personal mission statement should be personal and unique to you . So, pick and choose key ideas from below, while coming up with your own mission statement that reflects your uniqueness.

Live a life that aligns with my core values : “I will strive to live a life that is consistent with my own values and ethics. To achieve this, I will ensure I reflect every day on how my daily actions and interactions with others will reflect upon me, and whether they’re consistent with who I strive to be.”
Seek to be a catalyst for change: “I will dedicate my life to being a catalyst for change in my world. The change I want to see is change toward greater social equality, fairness, and prosperity. To achieve this, I will advocate for the disadvantaged, seek career opportunities for supporting the underprivileged, and donate generously to causes I care about.”
Commit to a journey of self-discovery: “My daily mission is to embark on an ongoing journey of self-improvement and self-discovery, always on track to find my deeper purpose in life.”
Empower myself and others: “I will always strive to empower myself and others through positive affirmation, constructive feedback, and making smart choices. I will remove barriers to self-determination and always respect people’s choices in life.”
Seek opportunities to give back to the community: “I am grateful first and foremost to my community for their support and nourishment, and my personal mission from here on out is to find opportunities where I can give back to my community in both my career and volunteerism.”
Strive for excellence in all endeavors: “ My credo is to always hold myself to a high standard. To me, this means always putting in maximum effort and trying to be the best I can be each and every day.”
Always have a growth mindset: “My core mission is to always maintain a growth mindset each and every day. For me, this means embracing challenges rather than shying away from them, having persistence and resilience when I face setbacks, and viewing effort as a pathway to mastery. “

Aim to leave a meaningful legacy: “At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and know that I’ve left a legacy for the world and my family. To achieve this, my mission will be to always give more to the world than I take, so I leave the world better off. I will leave a legacy of kindness and a spirit of service and community.”
Continually redefine personal goals and aspirations: “I believe that a person is most successful when they self-reflect to achieve ongoing improvement. So, in my personal mission, I am committed to the ongoing process of personal evolution that will help me continue to refine myself over time. “
Seek the silver lining: “The silver lining is the positive that we can extract out of every situation, even our failures. With this in mind, my mission is to cultivate optimism and to focus on what can be learned from every situation. This approach will both enhance my personal resilience and inspire others to adopt a similar perspective.”
Develop resilience, adaptability, and grit in the face of adversity: “My mission is to develop and embody qualities of resilience, adaptability, and grit. I am determined to approach adversity as an opportunity for growth, learning to navigate through challenges with grace and tenacity. In doing so, I will become stronger and more capable.”
To be generous with my time: “I will be generous with my time because I believe my time is the greatest gift I can give to others. This means I will commit to quality time with my friends and family and make sure I maintain a work-life balance so I can commit my time to the people who deserve it.”
Empowering people around me: “My mission is to empower the people around me, including my colleagues at work, my friends, and my family. By empowering others, I can bring out the best in my community, and leave my community a better place.”
Living with gratitude: “I will commit to expressing gratitude each and every day of my life. To do this, I will commit to meditating, reflecting on what I have, and being grateful for my health, wealth, and family.”
Develop wisdom : “My mission is to continue to develop wisdom. To me, wisdom is knowledge, intelligence, and insight developed through experience and humbly listening to people who have knowledge and experiences beyond mine.”
Seek authentic self-expression: “My mission is to express myself authentically , reflecting every day on how my words, actions, and creations align with my core values. This journey towards authenticity is ongoing and evolving, helping me understand and articulate who I truly am.”
Change what’s in my control: “I pledge to focus my energies on what I can control in my life. I will strive to change my circumstances when possible, and adapt my attitude when it isn’t. By understanding and accepting this distinction, I will bring about the most positive outcomes for myself and those around me.”
Creating harmony between mind-body-soul: “I am committed to fostering harmony between my mind, body, and soul. This means balancing mental challenges with physical exercise and spiritual nourishment, nurturing every part of my being, and achieving a healthier and more balanced life.”
Cultivate emotional intelligence : “I am committed to nurturing my emotional intelligence. This involves understanding my own emotions, demonstrating empathy, and adapting my attitude when necessary, leading to stronger and more effective personal and professional relationships.”
Foster innovative thinking: “My mission is to foster innovative thinking. I will strive to always question, explore, and reimagine the world around me, aiming to leave a legacy of creativity and change.”
Live sustainably and promote environmental consciousness: “I pledge to live sustainably, focusing my energies on what I can control to reduce my environmental impact. Moreover, I will advocate for environmental consciousness within my community, contributing to a healthier planet.”
Encourage diversity and inclusivity in my surroundings: “My mission is to promote diversity and inclusivity. I will strive to empower all voices and create an environment where everyone feels respected and valued, thereby fostering a sense of community and belonging.”
Be a mentor and guide to others: “I will dedicate my time to mentoring and guiding others. By sharing my wisdom and experiences, I can help others navigate their own journeys, leaving a legacy of kindness and service.”
Lead with integrity and honesty: “I am committed to leading with integrity and honesty in all endeavors. I will hold myself to a high standard, aligning my actions with my core values and striving for transparency in every interaction.”
Cultivate a balanced and peaceful lifestyle: “My mission is to cultivate a lifestyle that is peaceful and balanced. I will practice mindfulness, express gratitude for my blessings, and strive to find harmony between my personal, professional, and spiritual life.”
Maintain physical fitness and promote healthy living: “I pledge to maintain my physical fitness and promote healthy living in my community. I will strive to make smart choices regarding diet, exercise, and self-care, thereby embodying and promoting a vision of holistic health.”
A lifelong learning mindset: “With a commitment to growth and a spirit of exploration, I will always seek to broaden my knowledge and perspectives. Embracing challenges and viewing effort as a pathway to mastery, I believe learning is an ongoing journey, not a destination.”
Advocate for social justice and equality: “I am committed to advocating for social justice and equality. I will dedicate myself to being a catalyst for change, promoting fairness, and empowering the disadvantaged, contributing to a more equitable society.”
Practice mindfulness and presence in daily life: “My mission is to cultivate mindfulness and presence in my daily life. By committing to this practice, I will enhance my emotional intelligence, develop resilience, and foster a deeper connection to the world around me.”
Enhance personal and professional relationships: “I pledge to improve and deepen my personal and professional relationships. By demonstrating empathy, respect, and honesty, I will foster meaningful connections and contribute to a vibrant, supportive community.”
Invest in self-care and well-being: “My mission is to invest time and energy in self-care and well-being. Through this practice, I will ensure a balanced life, promote a positive mindset, and prepare myself to better serve others.”
Strive for financial independence and stability: “I am dedicated to achieving financial independence and stability. By making smart and informed decisions, I aim to create a secure foundation that enables personal growth , adventure, and service to my community.”
Foster a spirit of exploration and adventure: “I commit to embracing a spirit of exploration and adventure. By welcoming new experiences and fostering curiosity, I will maintain a lifelong learning mindset, and continually evolve as an individual.”
Practice empathy towards all: “My mission is to cultivate empathy in all my interactions. By striving to understand others’ perspectives, I will empower those around me and contribute to a community rooted in kindness and mutual understanding.”
Embrace change and maintain flexibility: “I am dedicated to embracing change and demonstrating flexibility. I see change as an opportunity for growth, and I will cultivate resilience, adaptability, and a positive attitude in the face of evolving circumstances.”
Nurture a positive and optimistic mindset: “My mission is to cultivate a positive and optimistic mindset. By seeking the silver lining in every situation, I aim to inspire myself and those around me to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.”
Advocate for the welfare and rights of animals: “My mission is to advocate for the welfare and rights of animals. I will use my voice and actions to promote humane treatment of animals, contributing to a more compassionate and ethical world.”
Make informed and responsible choices: “I pledge to make informed and responsible choices that align with my values and the greater good. I am committed to reflecting on the implications of my decisions and acting in a way that contributes positively to my community and the environment.”
Create meaningful connections with people: “I strive to create meaningful connections with people. Through empathy, open-mindedness, and genuine engagement, I aim to nurture relationships that enrich my life and the lives of others.”
Develop and demonstrate leadership skills : “My mission is to develop and demonstrate effective leadership skills. I strive to lead with integrity, empathy, and resilience, inspiring others to achieve their best and fostering a spirit of teamwork and mutual respect.”
Seek to understand and respect differing perspectives: “I pledge to understand and respect differing perspectives. I believe that diversity of thought enriches our society, and I strive to promote inclusivity and mutual respect in all my interactions.”
Foster creativity in myself and others: “My mission is to cultivate creativity in myself and others. I will continually explore new ideas, foster an environment that encourages innovation, and inspire those around me to express their unique perspectives and talents.”
Commit to the pursuit of knowledge: “I commit to the continuous pursuit of knowledge. By maintaining a curious and open mind, I strive to learn from every experience, deepen my understanding, and contribute to my personal and professional growth.”
Seek to find joy in the everyday : “My mission is to find joy in everyday moments. I commit to practicing mindfulness, expressing gratitude for the simple things, and cherishing each day as a unique gift.”
Be a source of encouragement and positivity: “I strive to be a source of encouragement and positivity for those around me. By uplifting others, celebrating their achievements, and offering supportive words, I aim to foster a more compassionate and optimistic community.”
Pursue a path of continuous learning and development: “I am dedicated to pursuing a path of continuous learning and development. By always seeking to improve, learn, and grow, I aim to better myself and contribute more effectively to my community and the world at large.”
Prioritize balance in all aspects of life: “I commit to prioritizing balance in all aspects of life. This includes fostering harmony between work and personal time, mental and physical health, and personal desires and community responsibilities, to cultivate a peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle.”
Strive to be a good listener and communicator: “I aim to be a good listener and communicator. By practicing active listening and clear, empathetic communication, I will strengthen my relationships and foster mutual understanding and respect.”
Cultivate and express artistic talents: “My mission is to cultivate and express my artistic talents. Through this creative exploration, I aim to express my unique perspectives, contribute to the cultural richness of my community, and inspire others to express their creativity.”
Strive to make a positive impact on the environment: “I am committed to making a positive impact on the environment. By living sustainably, advocating for environmental consciousness, and influencing positive change, I hope to leave a meaningful environmental legacy.”
Seek simplicity and contentment: “My mission is to seek simplicity and contentment in life. By valuing the essential, expressing gratitude for what I have, and finding joy in simple pleasures, I aim to cultivate a lifestyle of peace and fulfillment.”
Develop and foster a spirit of entrepreneurship: “I am dedicated to fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship. By embracing innovation, taking informed risks, and learning from both success and failure, I aim to contribute to economic growth and social impact.”
Strive for integrity in actions and communication: “I strive to uphold integrity in my actions and communication. By aligning my actions with my values, being transparent, and communicating honestly, I aim to build trust and respect in my personal and professional relationships.”
Embrace new technologies and innovation: “My mission is to embrace new technologies and innovation. By staying informed about technological advances and integrating them into my work and life, I aim to enhance productivity, creativity, and the quality of life for myself and my community.”
Cultivate and foster peace and harmony in relationships: “I am committed to fostering peace and harmony in my relationships. By promoting understanding, showing empathy, and resolving conflicts with grace, I aim to create strong, fulfilling, and respectful relationships.”
Advocate for responsible consumerism: “I pledge to advocate for responsible consumerism. By making informed choices, promoting sustainability, and encouraging others to do the same, I aim to contribute to a healthier planet and a more equitable economy.”
Care and provide for my family: “My mission is to care for and provide for my family. By being present, offering support, and ensuring their needs are met, I aim to create a nurturing and secure environment for my loved ones.”
Cultivate self-discipline and good habits: “I commit to cultivating self-discipline and good habits . By maintaining focus, setting realistic goals, and consistently pursuing them, I aim to achieve personal and professional growth.”
Influence others by my deeds: “I strive to influence others positively through my deeds. By acting with kindness, integrity, and respect, I aim to inspire others to do the same and contribute to a more compassionate and respectful community.”

See Also: How to Write a Values Statement

A personal mission statement for a resume needs to be personalized to you and your unique values and moral, goals, and life circumstances. You may also want to adjust it depending on the context in which you’re using it – i.e. if you’re asked to make a personal mission for work, then it’d likely incorporate elements of your job into it.

Also note that you’re always free to adjust your personal mission statement over time, so create one that’s true to you right now, but be willing to adjust it every few months.

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How to Jumpstart Your Career With a Personal Mission Statement

A little self-reflection goes a long way

LaKeisha Fleming is a prolific writer with over 20 years of experience writing for a variety of formats, from film and television scripts to magazines articles and digital content. She is passionate about parenting and family, as well as destigmatizing mental health issues. Her book, There Is No Heartbeat: From Miscarriage to Depression to Hope , is authentic, transparent, and provides hope to many.

Oscar Wong / Moment / Getty

You’ve just graduated college, degree in hand, and are excited to conquer the world. Or, after years of raising a family or caring for a parent, you want to reinvent yourself and your career . Problem is, you’re not exactly sure where to start. As you look to make that next step, a personal mission statement can help you determine your direction and chart your course.

“A personal mission statement declares your impact and how you will get there. It encapsulates your vision, values and goals and is often focused on who you will serve or help,” explains Linda M. Perry , a Mindset Coach. “A personal mission statement is important because it guides your choices and keeps you connected to your deep why.”

A personal mission statement sounds inspiring, but how do you create one? And how can it help you to jumpstart your career, no matter what phase of life you’re in? Read on to find out more.

Crafting or Refining Your Personal Mission Statement

Before you sit down to plug away at creating a mission statement, you should understand the purpose for having one. It’s not necessarily something you give to others. A personal mission statement is to guide and focus the person who is the most important key to your success—you.

“The biggest reason to create a mission statement is to create clarity and direction for yourself and others to achieve the goals that are most important to you. Your mission should be big-picture, long-term, and meaningful,” states Mary Olson-Menzel , Founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development.

In terms of implementing it in your career, your mission statement will help you further clarify the type of job you want, your desires for how you want your day-to-day interaction to look, and the type of companies you want to work for.

“Crafting a personal mission statement is an introspective process, which means you'll need to do some self-reflection. I know, maybe not the most fun, but it's crucial if you want to use mission statements as a tool for growth,” says Katie Hostasa , Founder, KMH Leadership.

Consider what values matter to you and why, and what are your strengths and weaknesses. Then, it’s time to get started taking steps to put your personal mission statement together following these steps:

First, be honest about your current situation. “The first thing you want to consider is who you are right now. Do you have clarity about that? What is the essence of who you are as a person? Always start from where you are today. Only then can you design where you want to go from here,” Olson-Menzel notes. What are you good at and what do you like to do?
Next, clarify your vision for both now and in the future. Of course, your vision can change, develop, and expand over time. But you’re looking at it from the perspective of where you are right now, and where you want to go, in terms of your goals and aspirations .
Now focus on your core beliefs, your principles, and your values. “Values are the principles that guide your behaviors and what you would like to truly be known for,” Perry says. “Spend two minutes writing as many values that come to mind and then circle the top three that genuinely resonate with you and your vision.”
Figure out what groups or people you want to serve. How does supporting them align with your vision and purpose? “That may sound something like this: 'I support business owners to move beyond their personal plateaus by moving through their blocks and showing them their hidden strengths!'” says Perry.
Finally, take each of these components and write it down in a statement. It may take a few tries to get it clear, concise, and focused. But once you refine it, it should give you a sense of direction and purpose on what you want to do with your life and career.

These steps also work if you already have a personal mission statement, and you need to refine or update it. Brush off what you wrote in the past and use the steps above to help you figure out where you’re headed for the future.

“This is a living, breathing document, and you should always be refining as you develop and grow yourself. As you evolve and change, sure, your truest values may stay the same, but the impact you want to have on the world may shift,” Hostasa says. “Continue to be self-reflective .”

Simple steps like putting your mission statement as a screensaver on your phone can keep it at the forefront of your thinking. That helps you consciously implement it in practical ways, like choosing between two jobs or whether a position works for you. Compare it with your mission statement to see if the two align.

Being Inspired

You may still feel stumped thinking about what your personal mission statement can look like. Individuals and companies have statements to help guide them on a daily basis. These statements can not only be a blueprint for you but can inspire and motivate you to keep plugging away.

“So many people get stuck on a plateau and don’t know how to move forward. [I use] a mindset-first approach to support individuals and teams in tapping into their core motivations and strengths, freeing them from their blocks so they can soar past seven figures,” Perry says of her own personal mission statement. Another mission statement she lauds is from Netflix. “I love this one because it’s so simple, yet perfect: 'To entertain the world.'”

Boxing champion Lennox Lewis showed what a mission statement looked like in action. His statement became the template for his career: “The mission I set out in the beginning—to become heavyweight champion of the world, undisputed, lineal champion—you could say that mission is complete."

For Hostasa, her personal mission statement is what helps her work today doing something she loves and is passionate about. “To ignite potential by empowering exceptional leadership, simplifying lives, and creating a more impactful and connected world.”

Ultimately, jumpstarting and maintaining a fulfilling career hinges on finding work that you enjoy and that keeps you motivated. Your personal mission statement can help point you in the right direction.

“Creating your personal mission statement is like giving yourself a compass that always points to your true north. It guides you in everything—from career moves to personal relationships. Understanding your purpose gives you clarity on the impact you want to make, and reflecting on your values, passions, and strengths ensures your mission is authentically you,” Hostasa concludes.

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Reflection on My Personal Philosophy and Mission Statement

Categories: Personal Philosophy Personal Statement Values

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Published: Jun 17, 2020

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How to Write a Personal Mission Statement

5 Min Read | Aug 29, 2024

You’ve probably seen mission statements everywhere, like walls in company lobbies and inside promotional brochures.

Mission statements define a business or organization’s identity and purpose, and they can go a long way to help a company create a vision for the future.

But did you know you can have a mission statement too? This is called a personal mission statement , and it could be exactly what you need to identify your goals and find the motivation to accomplish them.

If you don’t already have a personal mission statement, there’s no time like the present to write one. Let’s dive into learning why it’s important and how to write a personal mission statement.

What Is a Personal Mission Statement?

A personal mission statement defines who you are as a person (or as a team member where you work) and identifies your purpose—whether that’s on the job or simply in life. It explains where you see yourself in the future, how you plan to pursue that purpose , and why it matters so much to you.

People fail at what they hope to achieve because they lack clear goals and focus. They get distracted and lose sight of their purpose and who they were made to be. In other words, they ignore their personal mission statement. But a successful person will have a rock-solid vision spelled out in their personal mission statement.

Author and career coach Dan Miller says a good mission statement should include three things:

Your skills and abilities (what you like to do)
Your personality traits (how you operate)
Your values, dreams and passions (why you want to excel)

That’s it! It should be just one or two sentences long and say—in simple terms—exactly what you’re all about without any lofty principles tacked on.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, store manager, college student, business executive or truck driver, crafting a personal mission statement will serve you well in life. Everyone should have one.

Why a Personal Mission Statement Is Useful

A personal mission statement is important because it helps you focus on your character and figure out how to meet your long-term goals . It’s like a guidepost for where you want to go in life and who you want to be.

A personal mission statement keeps you from wandering off track. For example, if a decision you’re considering doesn’t fit in the picture of your personal mission statement, you shouldn’t follow through with it. Something may be a cool idea or interesting opportunity, but that doesn’t mean you need to commit to it or even bring it into your life. On the other hand, having a personal mission statement can help you know when it’s time to make a change or take that leap.

I love a good sports visual, so think of it this way: A good mission statement marks what’s in bounds or out of bounds. If your passion is teaching, is it really in the bounds to work a job that doesn’t involve sharing information with people? Be realistic here, and don’t set yourself up for failure.

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Writing a personal mission statement seems pretty straightforward. But to do it well, it actually requires a lot of effort and thoughtfulness to create. So take some time to think about and write down how each of Miller’s three areas apply to you. That lays a good foundation for crafting your mission statement.

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Think about your life principles and goals . Why did you set these goals? How do your goals make you a better person or help you improve your career ? The personal mission statement should answer these questions in 50 words or less, so try to get to the heart of who you are and leave out unnecessary details. Don’t worry if your statement doesn’t mirror someone else’s—every statement should be unique because no two people are the same.

Putting Your Personal Mission Statement to Use

Once you have a written mission statement, start using it. Frame it and put a copy in your home or office so you see it often. You want to surround yourself with your own positive attitude.

Not only should you live according to your personal mission statement, but it’s also important that others know about it. You want people to know you’ll live up to what you wrote, so spread the news. Accountability from those closest to you will help you stick to it.

Personal Mission Statement Examples

Speaking of letting people know, our mission statement here at Ramsey Solutions is posted throughout the building, and every team member is required to know it like the back of their hand. It’s why we exist. It goes like this:

“We provide biblically based, commonsense education and empowerment that give HOPE to everyone in every walk of life.”

But that’s a business mission statement. Personal mission statement examples will look a little bit different. Here are a few examples of personal mission statements from successful CEOs in business:

“I want to be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” — Oprah Winfrey
“To have fun in [my] journey through life and learn from [my] mistakes.” — Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group
“To use my gifts of intelligence, charisma, and serial optimism to cultivate the self-worth and net-worth of women around the world.” — Amanda Steinberg, founder of DailyWorth

And here are a few other mission statements from some well-known nonprofits:

“Inspiring hope and promoting health through integrated clinical practice, education and research.” — Mayo Clinic
“Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.” — Habitat for Humanity
“PBS empowers individuals to achieve their potential and strengthen the social, democratic, and cultural health of the U.S.” — Public Broadcasting System (PBS)

Take the Next Steps in Writing Your Personal Mission Statement

Ready to start working on your own personal mission statement? Having your purpose written down will add value and productivity to your life, so get started today.

Then, let the mission statement writing begin. Brainstorm your values and goals to get started. Don’t worry if your first drafts are a little messy!
Ask people who know you best for their input. Are your values and goals true for you? Having someone proofread your mission statement can make it even better.
Check out my Get Clear Career Assessment. It’s all done online, so you can take the test and get your results instantly.

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About the author

Ken Coleman

Ken Coleman is the author of the national bestselling book From Paycheck to Purpose and the #1 national bestseller The Proximity Principle. He hosts The Ken Coleman Show, a caller-driven show that helps listeners find the work they’re wired to do. Ken also co-hosts The Ramsey Show, the second-largest talk radio show in America, and makes regular appearances on Fox News and Fox Business. Through his speaking, broadcasting and syndicated columns, Ken gives people expert advice, providing strategic steps to get clear on their unique purpose and grow professionally. Learn More.

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Reflective Essay: Examples and Other Guidelines

Icon Calendar 29 July 2024
Icon Page 6355 words
Icon Clock 29 min read

This article is a guideline on how to write a good reflective essay, addressing key areas students should pay attention to when their lecturers give them assignments to produce such papers. Basically, a reflective essay examines a writer’s experience in life. People explore how their involvement changed or developed their characters and gather accurate details to support a main argument. In this case, each topic is essential because it teaches readers most important details that should guide their writing, from choosing a topic, following a correct outline, and going through each technical step to produce a quality document. Reading this guideline gives writers critical insights on writing an outstanding reflective essay, guaranteeing they can create a high-quality paper under any context. Although this article focuses on students as a primary audience, anyone needs to understand that an effective reflective essay should have a proper introduction, a compelling body, and a conclusion that brings an appropriate closure and applies a particular knowledge to be an expert, thoughtful essay writer.

General Aspects

When lecturers give students writing reflection papers, they aim to develop intellectuals. A particular writing process of different types of papers demands learners to utilize their academic training to produce knowledge others can consume for enlightenment. As such, various types of essays are central to providing college students with a platform for their reflection papers, constructing their intellectual personas, and influencing others. Reading this guideline helps students and anyone interested in writing to gain insights into essential requirements when organizing essays. Specifically, this article provides a guideline for writing a reflective essay by addressing key aspects that authors of reflection papers need to know and some prompts they can choose to produce a high-quality scholarly document.

What Is a Reflective Essay and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a reflective essay is a type of writing whose primary focus is a writer’s self-reflection on his or her experiences, thoughts, feelings, or other personal topics. Ideally, students writing such a composition must use their creative thinking skills to examine an experience or an issue and clearly state what it means to them without relying on others’ inputs (Bassot, 2023). Therefore, the main purpose of writing a reflective essay is to present a writer’s own perspective on a specific issue, analyze and evaluate their life events, understand how these experiences have influenced them, and articulate their learning and personal growth. On the other hand, college professors assign their students tasks to write these essays because they understand that applying knowledge is the most effective strategy, meaning to entrench knowledge (Williams et al., 2020). Self-reflection on an experience or topic means a unique way in which students apply what they have learned and create new knowledge through creative thinking. However, a reflective composition is not similar to argumentative, analytical, cause and effect, and expository essays, or typical research papers because, while writing about personal aspects allows students to use their own knowledge and experience, other papers have different purposes and requirements. In terms of pages and words, the length of a reflective essay depends on academic levels, specific assignment instructions, course contents, or instructor’s preferences, while general guidelines are:

High School

Length: 1-2 pages
Words: 250-500 words
Length: 2-3 pages
Words: 500-750 words

University (Undergraduate)

Length: 3-5 pages
Words: 750-1,250 words

Master’s

Length: 5-6 pages
Words: 1,250-1,500 words
Length: 6-10 pages
Words: 1,500-2,500 words

Reflective essays take different forms because limiting what students can reflect on is impossible. Typically, English professors require students to write thoughtful texts about what they have read or studied in class and their experience on something personal as their reflection (Cogni, 2019). A particular reason behind such expectations is that human beings have an imaginative ability to judge events that occur in diverse contexts. Everyone learns something from experiences that shape their existence. Hence, when writing a reflective essay, students must first understand its purpose because it forms a valid foundation for their focus.

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Reflection on an Assigned Reading

College students read various texts in any semester, including assigned textbooks, articles, research papers, essays, reflections, commentaries, and opinions. These documents have one similarity in common since they all address topics lecturers consider important to learners’ intellectual development (Christensen & Wärnsby, 2023). Moreover, to write a reflection paragraph, people describe a specific experience, analyze their thoughts and feelings about it, and discuss crucial insights or lessons learned. In this respect, it is common for students to receive paper assignments requiring them to write a reflective paper on an article, poem, play, novel, or research topic. While professors often specify essay topics, students may encounter scenarios where they must construct sentences themselves. The most important thing they must consider when organizing reflection papers properly is that they must reflect a specific text a tutor prescribes.

Articles are texts commonly found online where writers pick an issue of concern to society or a specific community and discuss it from various perspectives as a reflection. For example, authors of articles posted in the New York Times journal may write about how social policies of the New York state government have contributed to homelessness (Williams et al., 2020). Some authors may claim that these policies have resulted in high rental prices, forcing many individuals and families to seek alternative accommodation, including living with relatives and in homeless shelters. A lecturer may require students to write a reflective essay on such articles. In turn, one must read an online article to understand author’s perspectives in such an instance. As a result, students must reflect on how these viewpoints apply to them, people they know, and society. Their reflection paper writing should underscore an article’s significance.

Poems are texts that paint a picture of society through words. Like art, they address many societal issues, such as leadership, love, family, morality, and tragedy. However, unlike most texts, poems are complex since their language requires readers to engage in critical thinking and reflection (Bassot, 2023). Like an artist hides a message in a mural, a poet uses words to communicate deep insights. As such, lecturers often require students to read poems and write reflective papers. In such a scenario, students should read poems through their creative thinking lens and pick critical insights they can expound on. However, their exposition and reflection should be based on what they think and not what others say.

Literature Play

Like poems, literature plays serve a particular purpose of communicating ideas with a profound message or hidden meaning. It is common for college students to read plays as part of course content and write reflection papers (Cogni, 2019). As such, reflecting on such literature plays helps learners to apply knowledge to specific contexts. Therefore, when writing a reflective essay on a poem, students should read assigned plays to understand the information or knowledge an author intends to convey. The next step is to write a reflective paper that allows them to self-reflect by explaining how a profound message or hidden meaning applies to real life.

Unlike plays and poems, novels are long texts to analyze and write about. Nonetheless, they are similar to an extent they address issues common in society. Most novelists use their creative imagination and reflection to communicate social problems through texts (Taylor, 2023). Therefore, reading novels across generations is the best way to know how modern society reflects human civilization. With this understanding, English professors often require students to read novels and write reflective essays for their final semester assessment. In such a context, students should read an assigned novel and interact with other materials about this work, such as commentaries and reviews by different authors. However, these texts should only help students to better understand a specific novel rather than form part of a reflective essay.

Research Topic

It is common for college students to read research topics as part of their academic work. Almost all disciplines have issues that attract a particular attention of researchers. However, social sciences tend to have a highest level of attention and reflection because they are about a social world. One approach through which lecturers in social sciences develop students into intellectuals requires them to analyze different research topics and produce a reflection paper (Williams et al., 2020). If students receive such writing instructions, they should read an assigned study to understand critical points. Because researchers tend to be broad in assessing issues, writers should narrow their focus by picking a problem they think has a greatest significance to them or an aspect of their academic or social environment.

Reflection on an Experience

The most effective way of helping students to gain a deeper understanding of concepts, thoughts, and ideas is to require them to apply what they have learned to their personal lives as their reflection. In this case, a typical format of a reflective essay includes an introduction with a thesis, a body that describes a specific experience and analyzes its impact, and a conclusion that summarizes key insights and reflections (Bassot, 2023). Like everyone else, learners have personal life situations that enrich their existence despite their impact. In other words, a unique episode may have been pleasant or unpleasant. In turn, people can always get a moral lesson if they view it through optimism. Lecturers often require students to write reflective essays on personal aspects, including a life event, work experience, peer relation, domestic experience, and a hobby.

It is natural for everyone to experience a life event that leaves a lasting impact on them and close relations, including parents, siblings, friends, and even neighbors. Basically, a reflection paper consists of a description of a specific personal experience, an analysis of its impact, and key insights or lessons learned from it (Bassot, 2023). Examples of these events include a near-death episode, such as an automobile accident, a chronic disease, or a personal loss, such as losing a parent. While these events are unique, they can trigger people’s creative imagination and reflection if they are discussing such topics. Lecturers understand this truth, and they give their learners assignments to write reflective essays about personal experiences. When students receive such instructions, they should use their imagination and reflection to link what they have learned with what happened to them in their past that remains significant today. Doing so gives a reflection essay a scholarly characteristic, allowing it to be an academic text others can consume.

Work Experience

Working is an activity no one can avoid from adolescence. While students may not be employable because they have yet to complete their education, employers give them opportunities to gain practical work situation along their academic journey. Work attachments are integral to a college education because they allow students to experience a particular work environment before graduation (Christensen & Wärnsby, 2023). Moreover, some students come from families with established businesses, while others seek employment during holidays to fund their education. This reality explains why professors ask learners to write reflective essays about a work experience. Under such an instruction, students should recall and talk about an incident in a work environment with a lasting impact as their reflection.

Peer Relation

Peer relations are rich sources of personal experiences for college students. As social beings, adolescents develop friendships with their peers in diverse environments, including schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. For example, a significant peer relationship reflection can be romantic or friendly (Williams et al., 2020). Almost every college student has experienced a romantic encounter that left them with lasting memories. Professors can ask their audience to write a reflective essay on a romantic relationship and how it generally shapes their view of life. In such a reflection paper, writers should include how the relationship challenged their perceptions or entrenched ideals, like commitment and honesty. In turn, people can focus on friendship and how it changed their lives. Essentially, a written text should focus on specific dynamics that shaped a particular relationship, such as availability, and how they think they are essential or nonessential for a lasting engagement.

Domestic Experience

A domestic environment directly impacts people’s attitudes and behaviors. It is impossible for one to live without a difrect influence of parents, whether biological or foster, guardians, or siblings. Standard domestic experiences for writing a reflection paper include family vacations, parental divorce, domestic violence, or events like family get-togethers (Bassot, 2023). Lecturers often require students to think about how such life events have impacted their worldview, including entrenching values, like hard work, empathy, and integrity. When students have to write a reflective essay on a domestic experience, their focus should be on events that have a lasting impact on their memory. Such events are easy to evaluate because they stand out in the writer’s behaviors and mannerisms.

Hobbies are personal engagements that form part of a person’s social experience. People have different hobbies because only some of them are fascinated by one thing, like watching a football game or hiking a mountain. However, everyone has an interest they engage in as a form of unwinding after a difficult task or life season (Taylor, 2023). College tutors view reflective essays as essential for students to relate their hobbies to a course concept or idea. When learners receive instructions to write a reflective paper, they should be honest and talk about their hobby, not someone else’s. Ideally, reflections enable students to view their hobbies through a particular lens of coursework.

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Examples of Reflective Prompts

Since everyone has unique life situations and perspectives on different personal themes, lecturers often instruct students to write reflective essays without specifying a particular topic. For example, the key points of a reflective essay include describing a personal experience, analyzing its impact, and connecting some insights gained to broader themes or personal growth (Bassot, 2023). However, reflecting on a text differs because a lecturer can select a specific reading. When it comes to an individual episode, students have a free hand in deciding personal essay topics. In turn, the main difference between reflective and narrative essays is that the former focuses on analyzing and gaining insights from personal experiences, while the latter primarily tells a story without author’s reflections (Williams et al., 2020). As a result, some examples of reflection essay prompts students and other people can choose to write about are:

Assigned Readings

Examining Gatsby’s Pursuit of Daisy: Love or Obsession
Modern Interpretations of Shakespeare’s Female Characters
Narrative Techniques in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
How “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley Applies to Contemporary Society
The Moral Lesson in the Play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
The Essence of Morality Through the Lens of the Poem “Morality” by Mathew Arnold

Personal Experience

Learning From Failures: A Personal Account
Overcoming a Fear That Changed My Life
The Journey to Mastering My Favorite Hobby
The Challenges of Long-Distance Dating
How Family Fosters Togetherness
How a Near-Death Experience Shaped My Ideals

How to Write a Reflective Essay: Examples, Intro, Body, & Conclusion

Note: Some sections of a reflective essay may be added, deleted, or combined with each other. A key characteristic of reflective writing is its emphasis on self-examination and personal growth, analyzing how experiences shape one’s thoughts and behaviors.

I. Essay Introduction

Attention-grabbing hook: Dating is a social experience shaped by multiple dynamics.
Overview of the topic: The challenges of long-distance dating.
Thesis statement: Long-distance dating has taught me that human beings are naturally dishonest, love cannot flourish without supervision, and faithfulness results from commitment.

II. Body Paragraphs

First paragraph: Open with a topic sentence about a first lesson and provide a reflection paper for this first lesson.
Second paragraph: Present a second lesson and reflect on this second lesson.
The third paragraph: Start by emphasizing a third lesson and write a reflection for this third lesson.

Note: The number of body paragraphs depends on a particular length of an assignment. Usually, the length of a reflective essay is about 500-1,000 words, which means 2-4 double spaced pages or 1-2 single spaced pages.

III. Conclusion

Summary of body points.
Restate a thesis statement of a reflection.
Conclude with a final remark.

Example of a Reflective Essay

Topic: The Challenges of Long-Distance Dating

Introduction Sample

Dating is an experience that enriches one’s worldview because of specific dynamics that shape it. However, long-distance dating has significant drawbacks that create a wrong impression of dating as a social experience. My experience with long-distance dating is awful because I have learned that human beings are naturally dishonest, love cannot flourish without supervision, and faithfulness is a product of commitment.

First Body Paragraph Example

Long-distance dating challenges the adage ‘honesty is the best policy’ because it reveals humans as naturally dishonest. After my reflection, I learned this painful lesson when I developed a relationship with a friend I met online in my early adolescence. Since this period of growth is when individuals develop most peer relationships, dating is common among youth, especially those in college. A real essence of dating for many adolescents is a freedom it represents since one can choose whom they love without social restrictions. However, dating someone you do not regularly meet because of distance is troublesome. After meeting someone on the Internet I thought was a perfect match for me, I hoped to develop a lasting romantic relationship. However, things turned ugly when I learned that a person of my dreams was married. This experience convinced me that human beings are naturally dishonest.

Second Body Paragraph Example

A greatest lesson from my dating experience is that love cannot flourish without supervision and reflection. I always tell myself it was good that I discovered a person was married because I would have continued investing emotionally in a relationship built on a lie. My desire to know my online date more closely saved me from a futile endeavor. Generally, this burning interest in learning more is a form of social supervision because it helps one to discover truths. Although my reflection quest for truth led to a final end of my relationship, it helped me to learn that love cannot flourish if no one desires to know more about their partner. I consider this desire to know as supervising love.

Third Body Paragraph Example

More importantly, my experience with long-distance dating taught me that faithfulness is a product of commitment. I was committed to my relationship because I was faithful, neither married nor dating anyone else. Unfortunately, my partner was not trustworthy because this person was married, explaining why he was less committed to investing emotionally in our relationship. The genesis of my reflection quest for more information about him was that he turned down several of my requests for a physical meet-up. After learning he was married, I understood why he would not agree to meet physically because he was not committed to the relationship. To him, dating was a passive hobby.

Conclusion Sample

The above experiences with long-distance dating have shaped my worldview about people and love. While one may consider some individuals pleasant or unpleasant, all are transformative because they have shifted my perceptions. They have convinced me that people are naturally dishonest, one cannot nurture love without supervision, and commitment births faithfulness. While my experience was awful, these lessons are essential for my reflection and emotional well-being in my future romantic relationships.

Steps on How to Write a Reflective Essay

While reflection writing is straightforward, producing a reflective essay can be complex because one must observe technical details that shape a high-quality paper. For example, to write a reflective essay, people describe a personal experience, analyze its impact on their thoughts and feelings, and connect these insights to broader themes or lessons learned (Bassot, 2023). Ideally, students should approach such a composition as an academic exercise because there are specific issues and rules they must observe and satisfy to make their work meet basic requirements of a good document. These issues include sufficient preparation, setting up the stage, producing a first draft, and perfecting a final draft. Important rules include creating an error-free document, meaning a good reflection paper must not have grammar or formatting mistakes or plagiarized information.

Step 1: Preparation

In this first step, students must prepare themselves by doing specific things. Firstly, they should choose a particular topic of interest and define it. Ideally, such a topic should indicate a specific kind of essay they want to produce, whether a self-reflection about a text or a personal experience (Cogni, 2019). In the case of the former, a lecturer specifies an assigned topic. The next task is to prepare ideas through brainstorming with classmates or friends while considering a target audience for their work. A good reflective essay should be an academic paper that meets quality standards because those who will consume it include a lecturer, fellow students, and anyone wanting to know more about a choosen topic. When writing a reflective essay, students should understand that a primary purpose of their texts is to provide an opportunity for self-reflection by presenting their papers.

Step 2: Setting Up the Stage

The next step in writing a reflective essay is to set up the stage where students need to consider several tasks. The first aspect is to find credible sources if a main mission is to talk about assigned readings, such as a poem, short story, or novel. Locating reliable sources is vital to ensure one stays within an assigned topic. Secondly, one should read valid sources while making notes. For reflection papers, they should use the ideas generated in the preparation stage to guide note-taking (Taylor, 2023). The third task is creating a well-organized structure and outline that reflects a standard format of this type of essay as described by a sample above. Lastly, writers should create an annotated bibliography to ensure that borrowed information in a text has a corresponding original source. Doing so helps to avoid plagiarizing an entire work. However, this task does not apply to a reflective essay about a personal experience.

Step 3: The Writing Process

The third step in producing a reflective essay is to create a first draft. At this stage of writing a reflective paper, students should focus on capturing all the ideas generated when preparing to execute a particular task. As such, they should not worry about an overall quality, like grammar and formatting. In this case, a real importance of a first draft is that it allows writers to put their ideas together (Bassot, 2023). If a particular reflection topic is about assigned readings, students may use this stage to find more sources that help to expand their reasoning. They may also alter an outline to accommodate any additional instructions, such as a specific paper’s length. Moreover, the three parts of a reflective essay are an introduction with a thesis statement or central claim, body paragraphs covering main points, and a conclusion with a logical ending of a paper. The most important thing one should do is develop a clear thesis statement because it should guide their work. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a reflective essay include:

Looking back on my experience during [specific event or time], I realize that it profoundly shaped my understanding of [specific concept or theme], and it continues to influence my perspective on [related topic].
When I first encountered [specific situation or challenge], I was overwhelmed by [initial reaction], but, upon my reflection, I can see how it led to significant personal growth and a deeper appreciation for [related lesson or value].
One of the most significant moments in my life journey was when I [specific action or decision], as it forced me to confront my beliefs about [specific issue] and ultimately transformed my approach to [related aspect of life].
Reflecting on this life event, I can see how my initial assumptions about [specific topic] were challenged, leading me to develop a more complex understanding and a newfound respect for [related subject or person].
At the time, I felt [specific emotion] about [specific event or decision], but, looking back, I realize that it was an essential moment that taught me a real importance of [specific lesson or value].
This experience taught me that [specific insight], and, after that, it has become a guiding principle in my life, shaping my decisions and interactions with others in meaningful ways.
Initially, I was unaware of how much [specific life moment] would impact me, but, as I reflect on it now, I see that it played a crucial role in my development as a [specific role or identity].
Through this event, I discovered [specific insight or realization], which not only changed my perspective on [related topic] but also inspired me to pursue [related goal or interest] with a greater purpose.
It was during this moment that I first recognized a true meaning of [specific concept or value], and this understanding has since influenced many aspects of my life, from [related area] to [related area].
Upon reflection, I understand now that [specific experience] was more than just a challenging period but also a transformative transition that taught me resilience, patience, and a value of [specific lesson or value].

Writing an Introduction

An introduction section is a first part of any essay and contains an overall paper’s focus. Basically, to start a reflective essay, writers begin with an engaging hook that introduces specific experiences and provides unique contexts for their reflections (Williams et al., 2020). When developing this part, students should ensure they capture a reader’s attention, establish a topic’s background, and conclude with a thesis statement. They also should provide background information about a discussed topic. In reflection papers, these three components are essential features of an essay’s opening section. To a greater extent, they determine whether a target audience will complete reading a whole text or not. On the other hand, students should know — people do not read unexciting texts when organizing this section. Such texts lack a hook that grabs one’s attention and ignites a desire to learn more in the rest of a reflective paper.

Writing Body Paragraphs

A body section of a reflective essay should capture all the ideas writers have generated in the preparation stage. However, tutor’s instructions regarding a college essay length should determine whether writers use all the ideas, add new ones, or drop some of them. Each paragraph should open with a topic sentence emphasizing an idea in the thesis statement (Cogni, 2019). These ideas may be lessons for a reflection paper about a personal life situation, but, if the focus is on reading a specific article, they should be arguments or observations since specific details and evidence make an overall work compelling. In turn, real-life examples make a reflection relevant and persuasive. Ideally, this part of a reflection paper should cover an evidence-based format by integrating course concepts and ideas. Moreover, writers can include references in a reflection paper by citing relevant theories, concepts, or literature that support or relate to their personal experiences and insights (Cogni, 2019). In turn, all parts must relate to one another, while achieving a proper flow of ideas improves an overall quality of a reflective paper. Finally, people should use the rest of a single paragraph to explain a specific lesson or observation or enrich a central argument. Other essential components of each paragraph include a concluding sentence and a transition. Therefore, body paragraphs of a reflection paper must be clear and logical.

Writing a Conclusion

A conclusion section is the last part of a reflective essay. The most important features include summarizing an entire reflective paper by emphasizing key lessons for a piece about a personal experience or arguments or observations for an article about a text (Bassot, 2023). Basically, writers sum up all the main points discussed in a body section. The next step is restating a thesis statement by rewording it, and, lastly, it is to make a final remark about a discussed topic. Such a remark must underscore writers’ primary worldviews as a product of their reflection. Therefore, when organizing this section, students should know their focus is to finalize a particular text by making declarations that allow readers to be satisfied. It is illogical for a reflective paper to leave a reader hanging unless it is fiction. Thus, one should bring a reflective essay to a logical closure.

Step 4: Wrapping Up a Final Paper

The last step in writing a reflective essay is to produce a final draft by perfecting a first draft. This wrap-up exercise involves revising a first version of a particular text to ensure it captures all the author’s ideas. The second task for writing a reflection paper is to edit a written text by adding or eliminating sentences to provide a logical flow of ideas and thoughts. The next mission is to ensure all three parts — introduction, body, and conclusion — capture all essential features, including thesis, topic sentences, and final remarks, as appropriate (Williams et al., 2020). The last task is to eliminate all mistakes, including grammatical errors, incorrect punctuation, formatting flaws, and missing citations. To produce a perfect reflection paper, authors must familiarize themselves with all the rules of academic writing and use them as a valid measure for polishing a final draft.

Important Rules

When writing a reflective essay, students should observe all the rules applicable to their work, even if a lecturer does not emphasize them. The first convention that one should satisfy is to maintain a formal tone. Apart from using a first-person voice, students should ensure their work is academic. As such, they should avoid slang and any language that dilutes a particular formality of their text, and they need to write following an active voice (Gardner, 2023). Another convention to consider when writing a reflection paper is to cite ideas writers borrow from different sources. As such, when students use quotes from an assigned text they are reflecting on, such as an online article, they should cite it properly by paying attention to APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian writing styles.

What to Include

Common mistakes.

Lack of Focus: Failing to clearly define a main theme or purpose of a particular reflection essay.
Vague Analysis: Providing shallow reflections without deep analysis or critical thinking.
Overly General Statements: Using vague language and not providing specific examples or details.
Ignoring Structure: Not organizing a reflective essay with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
Neglecting Personal Insight: Focusing too much on describing events and not enough on personal growth and insights.
Inconsistent Tone: Shifting between informal and formal language inappropriately.
Poor Grammar and Spelling: Making frequent grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
Lack of Connection to Broader Themes: Failing to relate personal experiences to larger concepts or theories.
Ignoring Feedback: Not considering or incorporating feedback from peers or instructors.
Overloading With External Sources: Relying too heavily on external references and not enough on personal reflection.

A reflective essay involves examining personal experiences and their impact on a particular writer. It also requires choosing a meaningful topic, describing a specific life event in detail, analyzing its effects, and connecting insights to broader themes. Essential components include a clear introduction, a detailed body, and a concise conclusion. Writers should also focus on personal growth and learning while incorporating relevant theories or concepts. Besides, proper structure, honest reflection, and critical thinking are key to producing a compelling reflective essay. In turn, some lessons to learn include:

Reflective essays allow students to discuss relevant events or course readings that influenced their lives.
This guideline shows that writing a good reflective essay is a rigorous exercise, and it requires one to understand several tips.
Understand a topic when writing a reflection essay: whether one is to reflect on a text or a personal experience.
Brainstorm and create a mental database of ideas.
Develop a clear outline that emphasizes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion and the key features of each.
Review all the technical steps of producing a high-quality reflective essay.
Produce a first draft and then perfect a document into a final draft by eliminating all mistakes, like wrong grammar, poor formatting, and illogical sentences.
Proofread final drafts before presenting them to lecturers.
It is advisable to give a final draft to someone to read a reflection paper and avoid missing out key details or obvious mistakes.

Bassot, B. (2023). The reflective practice guide: An interdisciplinary approach to critical reflection . Routledge.

Christensen, J., & Wärnsby, A. (2023). Reflective writing in course design for active learning in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education , 59 (3), 756–771. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2023.2213285

Cogni, M. (2019). From sentences to essays: A guide to reflective writing through reflective thinking . Vernon Press.

Gardner, P. R. (2023). The reflective essay in social research methods education: An analysis of student assessment experiences. College Teaching , 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2023.2205629

Taylor, E. (2023). Promoting student reflection through reflective writing tasks. Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence , 7 (1), 44–60. https://doi.org/10.26077/eafb-b4ea

Williams, K., Woolliams, M., & Spiro, J. (2020). Reflective writing . Red Globe Press.

Grow Your Business

Vision and mission examples: inspiring statements for success, share this article.

If someone asks, “Why do people start businesses?”, the first answer that comes to mind might be, “To make money”.

On the surface, that’s true. But making money isn’t all there is to a successful business.

In business, there’s no guarantee you’ll make money just because you have a product or service to sell. Instead, you make money when people actually buy your product(s) or hire you to perform a service for them. However, no one will buy a product or service unless they stand to gain something valuable from it — be it a smoother workflow, lighter workload, or a better way of living.

And that right there is the bedrock of a successful business — value. Without offering value to your customers and employees, you can’t have a successful business. But then, how can you show people the value that your brand offers?

Short answer: Vision and mission statements.

Organizations use vision and mission statements to communicate their goals and aspirations to internal and external stakeholders. Well-crafted mission and vision statements provide internal teams with clarity, direction, and focus on their goals. On the other hand, external stakeholders, use these statements to gauge if a brand aligns with their personal values and is worth supporting.

In this article, we’ll explore what vision and mission statements are, the differences between them, the key components of both statements, and great statement examples that can inspire your own.

Skip ahead:

Understanding Vision and Mission Statements

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A vision statement is one that expresses your brand’s meaning and plans for the future to stakeholders, especially employees and customers. It serves as a reminder — and a roadmap of sorts — of how you want your business to impact the world, which prevents you from losing sight of the big picture even as you’re inundated with your day-to-day activities. A great example is Microsoft’s early vision of putting “a computer on every desk and in every home.”

A good vision statement gives customers and employees a glimpse into the direction your business is taking, and shows them why your end goal is worth their time and investment. This is especially important as 82% of consumers now prefer to buy from brands that align with their values.

A vision statement is important because it outlines the shared goal of everyone in the company — from the C-suite to the receptionists. This plays a huge role in figuring out which new hires are a culture fit because anyone who applies to work at your company will know exactly what goal their efforts will be contributing to. And when employees know what their collective efforts are leading up to, they’re more inclined to stay and see it through.

The same goes for people who share similar values as your company — they’ll be more interested in buying from you and helping you achieve your goals.

Mission statement

A mission statement is a concise declaration of the present goals and core values of an organization. It helps your employees and customers immediately understand what your company is about, your top priorities, and how you differ from your competitors.

The best mission statements are a combination of physical, logical, and emotional elements that not only explains their companies’ purpose , but also fosters a connection with customers and employees. This connection helps build customer loyalty, which will eventually increase your overall profitability.

Since a mission statement is primarily about a company’s present goals, it should be revised as the company’s goals change. This way, the mission statement will always reflect the business’ current culture as it achieves its objectives and sets bigger goals.

Differences between vision and mission statements

Sometimes, the terms “vision statement” and “mission statement” are used interchangeably, but they’re actually different. The difference between them lies in the purpose they serve.

Simply put, a vision statement describes how a company plans to improve its immediate community, or the world at large, while a mission statement clarifies what your company wants to achieve, the product (or service) it offers, the audience it caters to , and why it’s doing it. Thus, a mission statement is a roadmap for a company’s vision.

It’s a case of “where you are right now” versus “where you’re going.”

For example, if someone asks you, “What do you do?” , you might answer, “I’m a content writer at a new software startup” or “I’m a barista at a nearby Starbucks shop.”

But if they ask you, “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” , you won’t give the same answer, will you? You’d probably say, “My goal in five years is to occupy a management position where create the company’s marketing strategy and oversee its execution” or “I want to own my own coffee company, selling locally-sourced coffee beans.”

The first scenario symbolizes a mission statement — the current purpose a company serves. And the latter scenario represents a vision statement — a glimpse into a company’s future.

To craft a great vision statement, here are some key components you should keep in mind:

Ambitious: The purpose of a vision statement is to inspire stakeholders — customers, employees, and investors — to believe in your company. Having a lofty vision statement showcases how much impact you want your business to have in the world as it grows. It also conveys to people your passion for making a positive difference in others, far and wide.
Practical: While your company’s vision should be aspirational, it shouldn’t feel impossible. You want to craft something that your company can work towards, so be careful not to make it so far out of reach that it feels unattainable. It’s a vision, after all — not a fantasy.
Broad: A vision statement shows the correlation between your mission and your goals — but it isn’t a goal itself, so it shouldn’t feel too finite. Instead, it should be broad enough to cover all your brand’s overall goals and objectives.

Here are some examples of vision statements to inspire yours:

Vision statement: “Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”

LinkedIn is the world’s largest online professional network with over 900 million members across 200 countries worldwide . With LinkedIn, these individuals and businesses are connected with one another, which enables them to find jobs, hire qualified candidates, find investors, expand their investment portfolio, get speaking gigs, increase the creator economy, and more.

LinkedIn’s vision statement clearly shows why the company is doing what it’s doing: to create economic opportunity for every working person, regardless of their background or level. And one look at the community on LinkedIn and you’ll see that the company takes its vision statement seriously.

The statement itself is concise. It’s one sentence that encompasses what LinkedIn is doing (creating opportunities), why it’s doing it, and who it’s catering to (members of the global workforce).

Vision statement: “To make our oceans as rich, healthy, and abundant as they once were”

Right off the bat, Oceana’s vision statement makes anyone who reads it envision bodies of water filled with plastic, which makes up 80% of all marine debris found in oceans. This appeals to their emotions — sadness and shame for all the ways they might have contributed to polluting the world’s oceans and encouraging environmental crises.

However, Oceana’s vision also gives people hope that there’s an organization that’s working hard to fix the situation and renew the health of these oceans.

Vision statement: “ To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices”

Customers are at the center of what Amazon does — and their customers know it. There’s nary a thing you can’t find on Amazon — from books to kitchen appliances to clothing to skincare. And these items are affordable, too.

Amazon’s vision statement encapsulates everything it wants to offer: a huge selection of everything, low prices, and convenience. All of that merges into one ultimate goal: to become Earth’s most customer-centric company.

This vision statement is succinct and memorable, and clearly shows the values that Amazon upholds.

When formulating your mission statement, here are some important things to remember:

Purpose : Ask yourself: “Why does this business exist?” What does your product or service do, how does it do it, and who is it created to help? A mission that summarizes your purpose gives everyone who reads it a high-level overview of the essence of your brand.
Values: A mission statement is a way to communicate your values and core beliefs to stakeholders. What does your company stand for? What do you believe in that sets you apart from competitors? Perhaps your products are environment-friendly or you donate part of your annual revenue to a charity your customers choose. Whatever your values are, include them in your mission statement.
Clarity: Always write your mission statement in simple language that people can easily understand, interpret, and remember. You also need to keep the statement to a sensible length — not too short that it excludes important information, and not too long that it becomes forgettable and unwieldy.
Emotional appeal: A mission statement isn’t just a quick rundown of what your company does; it’s a reflection of who you are. So as you write it, focus on appealing to people’s emotions and inspiring them to think (and act) differently. Doing this will increase the chances of your mission resonating with people and building customer loyalty.

Below are some real-life examples of mission statements that positively impact the stakeholders of the companies:

Mission statement: “To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them”

IKEA is known as a company where people can get very cheap, but functional, furniture. So IKEA’s mission statement clearly states what it already does. But you may notice that the statement isn’t about offering beautiful furniture; instead, it’s about making life better for their customers .

Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, states, “I KEA is not the work of one person alone, it is the result of many minds and many souls working together through many years of joy and hard work. ” The phrase “many minds and many souls” conveys a sense of teamwork, togetherness, and inclusion that helps IKEA meet the needs of its customers.

Mission statement: “To entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling”

With classics like The Lion King, The Adventures of Aladdin, and Frozen, Disney’s storytelling is immaculate. Thankfully, Disney’s mission statement accurately portrays how central storytelling is to the work Disney does.

Disney’s mission goes beyond simply entertaining kids and tweens; it intends to put out high-qualities stories that inspire other people’s creativity, increase personal growth, and enact positive change in the world. This mission statement is impeccable because it portrays Disney’s desire to inspire others to channel their own creativity to make their communities better.

Cradles to Crayons

Mission statement: “To provide children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play”

Cradles to Crayons is a non-profit organization that is trying to eradicate a popular economic issue in the United States (and the world): child poverty. This organization’s mission statement appeals to the humanity in people by showing how dedicated it is to give young children who live in poverty the basic things they need to survive and thrive.

This inspires people to donate items and money to support Cradles to Crayons’ mission to equal the playing field for children all over the country, regardless of background. The more people who donate, the more children the non-profit will be able to help.

Here are some tips for creating compelling vision and mission statements:

Think about your “why”

Your “why” is the heartbeat of your mission and vision statements. Why are you here? What problems do you solve? What ultimate impact do you want your business to have in your industry, your community, and the world at large?

For Thinkific, it’s to “revolutionize the way people learn and earn online by giving them the tools they need to turn their expertise into a sustainable business that impacts both them and their audience.”

Before writing your mission and vision statements, think about what drove you to start your business. It doesn’t have to be some lofty goal to save the world from imminent destruction, but there has to be a reason for every action you take and product (or service) you offer that goes beyond simply making money.

Involve your stakeholders

Great mission statements are almost always a result of the collaboration of a company’s stakeholders. So, work with your stakeholders — including leadership, employees, customers, and investors — to bounce off ideas and get their perspectives on your company’s purpose.

Speaking to customers is especially important because, without them, you have no business. Your mission statement should encompass the views of your internal team, as well as external stakeholders to explain what you have to offer, the problems you’re solving, and why your business is the right consumer choice.

Pro tip: If you don’t have a team just yet, you can get your friends and family to help you out.

Don’t fixate on what you do

Your mission and vision statements are quite different from your unique selling proposition (USP). So, with your mission and vision statements, don’t fixate on the products (or services) you offer and why they’re so awesome. Instead, look at your offers from your customers’ point of view and communicate how your offers will improve their way of life.

For example, you mightn’t be excited about shoes in general, but if a shoe company says that they’ll donate a pair of shoes per purchase to people who have no shoes in certain parts of the world, that’ll pique your interest, right?

Connect your statements with your brand goals and objectives

Your mission and vision statements should be more than a catchy tagline. Instead, they should be reflective of the goals, objectives, and values your brand is working toward. These three elements play a significant role in building brand loyalty, because they show that you’re not just running a brand to get rich. You actually want to make a positive difference in the world, and seeing this can appeal to people on an emotional level and influence their decision to support you, be it through their hard work or their money.

Use plain language

If your mission and vision statements were only used for internal purposes, then there’d be nothing wrong with using buzzwords and complicated industry terms to describe your company.

However, individuals who probably have no idea what “agile manifesto” and “decentralized blockchain applications” mean still need those statements to gauge whether your company aligns with their personal values or not. So your best bet to converting these people is to use plain, simple language for your mission and vision statements.

Get rid of any corporate speak or industry jargon, replace complex words with plain language, and be specific. Not only does this help people interpret your words correctly and easily, but it also makes your statements feel authentic and genuine.

Keep them at optimal lengths

While most agree that mission and vision statements should be concise and succinct, things aren’t that cut and dry. You want your statements to be short enough that people can remember them and repeat them quickly, but long enough to contain the main thing(s) you want people to know about your brand.

So, the lengths of your statements are completely up to you. If it’s too long, only the writers may use it. But if it’s short enough to be recited, employees can use it as a decision-making and culture-shaping guide . And if it’s memorable, customers will connect with your brand and purchase your products (or services).

Pro tip: As a rule of thumb, they should be between 1-2 sentences long. Anything longer is probably too long and hard to recall.

When written well, vision and mission statements can be powerful at attracting customers and driving business growth. They can be a beacon of light that keeps the team focused on the things that actually matter.

The key to creating the best vision and statement statements is clarity. For your mission statement, clearly define what you do and how you hope to help others with your brand. And for your vision statement, define why your brand exists and the kind of difference you want your business to make in the world.

When you stay true to your values and show people what matters most to your business, the right audience will resonate with your statements and support you in achieving your goals.

If you’re currently in the process of crafting a vision and mission statement, the examples outlined above can inspire the direction you take. Try, however, to be as honest and original as possible.

What is the difference between a vision and a mission statement?

Simply put, a mission statement is a concise phrase that outlines what your business is doing right now, while a vision statement is an aspirational sentence that describes what your business hopes to achieve in the future.

How do I create a compelling vision statement for my organization?

To create a compelling vision statement for your business, work closely with your internal team and customers to define your organization’s purpose, values, and long-term aspirations. Then write a short, aspirational paragraph of no more than two sentences that encapsulates all of these elements in a way that’s memorable and appeals to the emotions of all who read it.

What are some examples of personal mission statements?

A personal mission statement is a statement that describes a person’s values, their goals, and how they define success. Here are some examples of personal mission statements from famous people:

Amanda Steinberg: “To use my gifts of intelligence, charisma, and serial optimism to cultivate the self-worth and net worth of women around the world.”
Oprah Winfrey: “To be a teacher and to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.”
Richard Branson: “To have fun in my journey through life and learn from my mistakes.”
Maya Angelou: “ My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”

Can I use a vision and mission statement interchangeably?

While some people use the terms “vision statement” and “mission statement” interchangeably, they serve slightly different purposes. Mission statements focus on the “how” and “what” of a company — letting people know everything there is to know about your brand at present. Vision statements, on the other hand, focus on the “why” of a company — letting people know what your brand hopes to achieve in the far future.

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Althea Storm is a B2B SaaS writer who specializes in creating data-driven content that drives traffic and increases conversions for businesses. She has worked with top companies like AdEspresso, HubSpot, Aura, and Thinkific. When she's not writing web content, she's curled up in a chair reading a crime thriller or solving a Rubik's cube.

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Reflective writing: Reflective essays

What is reflection? Why do it?
What does reflection involve?
Reflective questioning
Reflective writing for academic assessment
Types of reflective assignments
Differences between discursive and reflective writing
Sources of evidence for reflective writing assignments
Linking theory to experience
Reflective essays
Portfolios and learning journals, logs and diaries
Examples of reflective writing
Video summary
Bibliography

Writing a reflective essay

When you are asked to write a reflective essay, you should closely examine both the question and the marking criteria. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do. Once you have examined the question you should start to plan and develop your essay by considering the following:

What experience(s) and/or event(s) are you going to reflect on?
How can you present these experience(s) to ensure anonymity (particularly important for anyone in medical professions)?
How can you present the experience(s) with enough context for readers to understand?
What learning can you identify from the experience(s)?
What theories, models, strategies and academic literature can be used in your reflection?
How this experience will inform your future practice

When structuring your reflection, you can present it in chronological order (start to finish) or in reverse order (finish to start). In some cases, it may be more appropriate for you to structure it around a series of flashbacks or themes, relating to relevant parts of the experience.

Example Essay Structure

This is an example structure for a reflective essay focusing on a single experience or event:

When you are writing a reflective assessment, it is important you keep your description to a minimum. This is because the description is not actually reflection and it often counts for only a small number of marks. This is not to suggest the description is not important. You must provide enough description and background for your readers to understand the context.

You need to ensure you discuss your feelings, reflections, responses, reactions, conclusions, and future learning. You should also look at positives and negatives across each aspect of your reflection and ensure you summarise any learning points for the future.

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How to Write a Reflective Essay?

07 August, 2020

17 minutes read

Author: Elizabeth Brown

A reflective essay is a personal perspective on an issue or topic. This article will look at how to write an excellent reflexive account of your experience, provide you with reflexive essay framework to help you plan and organize your essay and give you a good grounding of what good reflective writing looks like.

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay requires the writer to examine his experiences and explore how these experiences have helped him develop and shaped him as a person. It is essentially an analysis of your own experience focusing on what you’ve learned.

Don’t confuse reflexive analysis with the rhetorical one. If you need assistance figuring out how to write a rhetorical analysis , give our guide a read!

Based on the reflective essay definition, this paper will follow a logical and thought-through plan . It will be a discussion that centers around a topic or issue. The essay should strive to achieve a balance between description and personal feelings.

It requires a clear line of thought, evidence, and examples to help you discuss your reflections. Moreover, a proper paper requires an analytical approach . There are three main types of a reflective essay: theory-based, a case study or an essay based on one’s personal experience.

Unlike most academic forms of writing, this writing is based on personal experiences and thoughts. As such, first-person writing position where the writer can refer to his own thoughts and feelings is essential. If the writer talks about psychology or medicine, it is best to use the first-person reference as little as possible to keep the tone objective and science-backed.

To write this paper, you need to recollect and share personal experience . However, there is still a chance that you’ll be asked to talk about a more complex topic.

By the way, if you are looking for good ideas on how to choose a good argumentative essay topic , check out our latest guide to help you out!

The Criteria for a Good Reflective Essay

The convention of an academic reflective essay writing will vary slightly depending on your area of study. A good reflective essay will be written geared towards its intended audience. These are the general criteria that form the core of a well-written piece:

A developed perspective and line of reasoning on the subject.
A well-informed discussion that is based on literature and sources relevant to your reflection.
An understanding of the complex nuance of situations and the tributary effects that prevent them from being simple and clear-cut.
Ability to stand back and analyze your own decision-making process to see if there is a better solution to the problem.
A clear understanding of h ow the experience has influenced you.
A good understanding of the principles and theories of your subject area.
Ability to frame a problem before implementing a solution.

These seven criteria form the principles of writing an excellent reflective essay.

Still need help with your essay? Handmade Writing is here to assist you!

What is the Purpose of Writing a Reflective Essay?

The purpose of a reflective essay is for a writer to reflect upon experience and learn from it . Reflection is a useful process that helps you make sense of things and gain valuable lessons from your experience. Reflective essay writing allows you to demonstrate that you can think critically about your own skills or practice strategies implementations to learn and improve without outside guidance.

Another purpose is to analyze the event or topic you are describing and emphasize how you’ll apply what you’ve learned.

How to Create a Reflective Essay Outline

Analyze the task you’ve received
Read through and understand the marking criteria
Keep a reflective journal during the experience
Use a reflective framework (Schon, Driscoll, Gibbs, and Kolb) to help you analyze the experience
Create a referencing system to keep institutions and people anonymous to avoid breaking their confidentiality
Set the scene by using the five W’s (What, Where, When, Who and Why) to describe it
Choose the events or the experiences you’re going to reflect on
Identify the issues of the event or experience you want to focus on
Use literature and documents to help you discuss these issues in a wider context
Reflect on how these issues changed your position regarding the issue
Compare and contrast theory with practice
Identify and discuss your learning needs both professionally and personally

Don’t forget to adjust the formatting of your essay. There are four main format styles of any academic piece. Discover all of them from our essay format guide!

Related Posts: Essay outline | Essay format Guide

Using Reflective Frameworks

A good way to develop a reflective essay plan is by using a framework that exists. A framework will let help you break the experience down logical and make the answer easier to organize. Popular frameworks include: Schon’s (1983) Reflection in action and reflection on action .

Schon wrote ‘The Reflective Practitioner’ in 1983 in which he describes reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action as tools for learning how to meet challenges that do not conform to formulas learned in school through improvisation. He mentioned two types of reflection : one during and one after. By being aware of these processes while on a work-experience trail or clinical assignment you have to write a reflective account for, you get to understand the process better. So good questions to ask in a reflective journal could be:

<td “200”>Reflection-pre-action <td “200”>Reflection-in-action <td “200”>Reflection-on-Action<td “200”>What might happen? <td “200”>What is happening in the situation? <td “200”>What were your insights after?<td “200”>What possible challenges will you face? <td “200”>Is it working out as you expected? <td “200”>How did it go in retrospect?<td “200”>How will you prepare for the situation? <td “200”>What are the challenges you are dealing with? <td “200”>What did you value and why?<td “200”> <td “200”>What can you do to make the experience a successful one? <td “200”>What would you do differently before or during a similar situation?<td “200”> <td “200”>What are you learning? <td “200”>What have you learned?

This will give you a good frame for your paper and help you analyze your experience.

Kolb’s (1984) Learning Cycle

Kolb’s reflective framework works in four stages:

Concrete experience. This is an event or experience
Reflective observation. This is reflecting upon the experience. What you did and why.
Abstract conceptualization. This is the process of drawing conclusions from the experience. Did it confirm a theory or falsify something? And if so, what can you conclude from that?
Active experimentation. Planning and trying out the thing you have learned from this interaction.

Gibb’s (1988) Reflection Cycle

Gibbs model is an extension of Kolb’s. Gibb’s reflection cycle is a popular model used in reflective writing. There are six stages in the cycle.

Description. What happened? Describe the experience you are reflecting on and who is involved.
Feelings. What were you thinking and feeling at the time? What were your thoughts and feelings afterward?
Evaluation. What was good and bad about the experience? How did you react to the situation? How did other people react? Was the situation resolved? Why and how was it resolved or why wasn’t it resolved? Could the resolution have been better?
Analysis. What sense can you make of the situation? What helped or hindered during the event? How does this compare to the literature on the subject?
Conclusion. What else could you have done? What have you learned from the experience? Could you have responded differently? How would improve or repeat success? How can you avoid failure?
Action plan. If it arose again what would you do? How can you better prepare yourself for next time?

Driscoll’s Method (1994) and Rolfe et al (2001) Reflexive Learning

The Driscoll Method break the process down into three questions. What (Description), So What (Analysis) and Now What (Proposed action). Rolf et al 2001 extended the model further by giving more in-depth and reflexive questions.

What is the problem/ difficulty/reason for being stuck/reason for feeling bad?
What was my role in the situation?
What was I trying to achieve?
What actions did I take?
What was the response of others?
What were the consequences for the patient / for myself / for others?
What feeling did it evoke in the patient / in myself / in others?
What was good and bad about the experience?
So, what were your feelings at the time?
So, what are your feelings now? Are there any differences? Why?
So, what were the effects of what you did or did not do?
So, what good emerged from the situation for yourself and others? Does anything trouble you about the experience or event?
So, what were your experiences like in comparison to colleagues, patients, visitors, and others?
So, what are the main reasons for feeling differently from your colleagues?
Now, what are the implications for you, your colleagues and the patients?
Now, what needs to happen to alter the situation?
Now, what are you going to do about the situation?
Now, what happens if you decide not to alter anything?
Now, what will you do differently if faced with a similar situation?
Now, what information would you need to deal with the situation again?
Now, what methods would you use to go about getting that information?

This model is mostly used for clinical experiences in degrees related to medicine such as nursing or genetic counseling. It helps to get students comfortable thinking over each experience and adapting to situations.

This is just a selection of basic models of this type of writing. And there are more in-depth models out there if you’re writing a very advanced reflective essay. These models are good for beginner level essays. Each model has its strengths and weaknesses. So, it is best to use one that allows you to answer the set question fully.

This written piece can follow many different structures depending on the subject area . So, check your assignment to make sure you don’t have a specifically assigned structural breakdown. For example, an essay that follows Gibbs plan directly with six labeled paragraphs is typical in nursing assignments. A more typical piece will follow a standard structure of an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Now, let’s look into details on how to craft each of these essay parts.

How to Write an Introduction?

There are several good ways to start a reflective essay . Remember that an introduction to a reflective essay differs depending on upon what kind of reflection is involved. A science-based introduction should be brief and direct introducing the issue you plan on discussing and its context.

Related post: How to write an Essay Introduction

For example, a nursing student might want to discuss the overreliance on medical journals in the industry and why peer-reviewed journals led to mistaken information. In this case, one good way how to start a reflective essay introduction is by introducing a thesis statement. Help the reader see the real value of your work.

Do you need help with your thesis statement? Take a look at our recent guide explaining what is a thesis statement .

Let’s look at some reflective essay examples.

‘During my first month working at Hospital X, I became aware just how many doctors treated peer-views journal articles as a gospel act. This is a dangerous practice that because of (a), (b) and (c) could impact patients negatively.’

The reflective essay on English class would begin differently. In fact, it should be more personal and sound less bookish .

How to Write the Main Body Paragraphs?

The main body of the essay should focus on specific examples of the issue in question. A short description should be used for the opener. Each paragraph of this piece should begin with an argument supporting the thesis statement.

The most part of each paragraph should be a reflexive analysis of the situation and evaluation . Each paragraph should end with a concluding sentence that caps the argument. In a science-based essay, it is important to use theories, other studies from journals and source-based material to argue and support your position in an objective manner.

How to Write the Conclusion?

A conclusion should provide a summary of the issues explored, remind the reader of the purpose of the essay and suggest an appropriate course of action in relation to the needs identified in the body of the essay.

This is mostly an action plan for the future. However, if appropriate a writer can call readers to action or ask questions. Make sure that the conclusion is powerful enough for readers to remember it. In most cases, an introduction and a conclusion is the only thing your audience will remember.

Reflective Essay Topics

Here are some good topics for a reflective essay. We’ve decided to categorize them to help you find good titles for reflective essays that fit your requirement.

Medicine-related topics:

Write a reflective essay on leadership in nursing
How did a disease of your loved ones (or your own) change you?
Write a reflection essay on infection control
How dealing with peer-reviewed journals interrupts medical procedures?
Write a reflection essay about community service
Write a reflective essay on leadership and management in nursing

Topics on teamwork:

Write a reflective essay on the group presentation
What makes you a good team player and what stays in the way of improvement?
Write a reflective essay on the presentation
Write about the last lesson you learned from working in a team
A reflective essay on career development: How teamwork can help you succeed in your career?

Topics on personal experiences:

Write a reflective essay on the pursuit of happiness: what it means to you and how you’re pursuing it?
Write a reflective essay on human sexuality: it is overrated today? And are you a victim of stereotypes in this area?
Write a reflective essay on growing up
Reflective essay on death: How did losing a loved one change your world?
Write a reflective essay about a choice you regret
Write a reflective essay on the counseling session

Academic topics:

A reflective essay on the writing process: How does writing help you process your emotions and learn from experiences?
Write a reflective essay on language learning: How learning a new language changes your worldview
A reflective essay about a choice I regret

Related Posts: Research Paper topics | Compare&Contrast Essay topics

Reflective Essay Example

Tips on writing a good reflective essay.

Some good general tips include the following:

Do's and don'ts of reflective essay writing

As long as you use tips by HandMade Writing, you’ll end up having a great piece. Just stick to our recommendations. And should you need the help of a pro essay writer service, remember that we’re here to help!

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Why Your Company Needs a Mission Statement + Examples and Tips

What is a mission statement purpose and benefits, how to write a mission statement , 21 examples of the best mission statements, mission statement vs. vision statement, mission statement faqs, ways to make your mission statement stronger.

Increased motivation, engagement, loyalty, and performance—these are all qualities leaders are tasked with inspiring, boosting, and maintaining within their companies. Yet, many businesses underperform and wind up failing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, less than 50% of startups survive through their fifth year. There’s reason to believe that one of the issues standing in their way is the lack of a clear, well-defined mission statement, which is needed to guide a company and its people.

Research done by McKinsey & Company and the University of Minnesota found that companies with a clear and concise mission statement are more likely to outperform their competitors . Similarly, Harvard Business Review reports that companies with a clearly defined and communicated mission statement have higher levels of employee engagement and loyalty. Additionally, 63% of employees at companies with solid mission statements report being motivated, versus 31% at other companies.

Every business and organization should have a well-crafted mission statement, considering it answers the question , “What do we do?” When you have a great mission statement that leads your organization, it serves as a guiding light that:

Clarifies the business’s purpose and goals.
Allows employees to understand how their work contributes to the organization’s success.
Helps customers, investors, and other stakeholders understand what the company does.
Describes why the company exists.
Explains how the business is different from competitors.

In this article, learn how companies and entrepreneurs can develop mission statements that effectively guide their organizations and teams so they can increase their impact and success.

Key Takeaways

A mission statement communicates an organization’s core values, defines its target audience, and outlines its primary products, services, and activities.
Crafting one is an important step for shaping organizational identity and business culture and for guiding strategic decision-making.
A business’s mission statement should first be established when the organization is founded or undergoes a significant change in its purpose or direction.
It can then be updated as needed and treated like a “living document.”
In order to be most useful, a mission statement should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
The best mission statements are concise, clear, realistic, easy to understand, and aligned with the organization’s overall strategy and objectives.

“A mission statement defines what an organization is, why it exists, its reason for being.” Peter Drucker

A mission statement is a concise statement that describes the fundamental purpose and values of an organization. A company’s mission statement provides a clear, compelling, and memorable description of the reason for the business’s existence , as well as its objectives. Additionally, it aligns employees’ actions and behaviors with the company’s goals. It can also differentiate the organization from its competitors to build a strong brand identity. In other words, it explains why a customer should buy or work with a specific company over others that are similar.

A well-crafted mission statement should answer several important questions about an organization, such as:

What does the organization do?
Who does it serve?
How does it serve them?
What are the organization’s core values and principles?
What makes this company unique and valuable?
What is the organization’s vision for the future?

“A mission statement should be a living, breathing thing that everyone in your organization can embody and strive towards.” SIMON SINEK

Crafting a powerful mission statement into a concise message starts by answering a few basic questions: “Who?” “What?” “Why?” “How?”

A mission statement should be concise and easy to understand yet comprehensive enough to capture the essence of the organization’s purpose and goals. It should also be aligned with the organization’s overall strategy and key objectives.

Elements to Include in a Mission Statement

What problem is being solved: The mission statement should clearly state the organization’s purpose, offerings, products, and the problems it’s trying to solve for its customers.
Values: It should reflect the organization’s core values and principles.
Customers/target audience: It should identify the target audience or customers that the organization serves.
Unique selling proposition: The mission statement should explain what sets the organization apart from its competitors.
Goals/objectives: It should outline the organization’s goals and objectives, which should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Culture: The mission statement should reflect the corporate culture (the shared values and beliefs that exist within a business) and the personality of the organization.
Vision: It should express the organization’s vision for the future.

Keeping in mind that mission statements should be concise (typically 40 words or less), you don’t necessarily have to address every element mentioned above in your statement. Overall, try to touch upon at least 2–3 of the points, especially those most important to the company’s goals.

To understand the components that make up a good mission statement, it helps to look at some examples from companies that do it right. Below are 21 mission statement examples taken from various companies and organizations:

1. Google: “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

Why it’s good: It identifies the service provided, its unique offerings, and is concise.

2. Amazon: “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”

Why it’s good: It states the unique services provided, mentions the target audience, and explains how it operates.

3. Starbucks: “To inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.”

Why it’s good: It’s unique, memorable, enduring, and inclusive.

4. Nike: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. (*If you have a body, you are an athlete.)”

Why it’s good: It inspires, mentions the target audience, and is motivational and memorable.

5. Disney: “To entertain, inform, and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.”

Why it’s good: It’s specific, explains the products and services offered, addresses the target audience, and differentiates the brand.

6. Walmart: “To save people money so they can live better.”

Why it’s good: It’s to the point, clear, and understandable.

7. LinkedIn: “To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.”

Why it’s good: It’s clear, states the main objectives, and addresses the audience.

8. FedEx: “To enable global commerce through our extensive portfolio of e-commerce, transportation, and business solutions.”

Why it’s good: It’s specific, clear, and states the services offered.

9. IBM: “To be essential to our clients’ success by providing world-class solutions and services that leverage industry and business process expertise, and our global scale, while demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.”

Why it’s good: It’s specific, it mentions the target audience, and it differentiates the company from other brands.

10. Airbnb: “To create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.”

11. Tesla: “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”

12. Ford: “To drive human progress through freedom of movement.”

Why it’s good: It’s concise, it explains key objectives, and it’s motivating and enduring.

13. Etsy: “To keep commerce human, and we’re committed to using the power of business to strengthen communities and empower people.”

Why it’s good: It explains the service provided, mentions the audience, and is enduring.

14. Procter & Gamble: “To provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers, now and for generations to come.”

Why it’s good: It’s rooted in the company’s values, it’s enduring, and it elevates the brand.

15. The New York Times: “To enhance society by creating, collecting, and distributing high-quality news and information.”

Why it’s good: It’s specific, clear, action-oriented, and timeless.

16. The American Red Cross: “To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

Why it’s good: It states the objectives, mentions the target audience, and is rooted in the organization’s values.

17. Teach for America: “To enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation’s most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence.”

Why it’s good: It’s clear, understandable, motivating, and enduring.

18. Amnesty International: “To conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated.”

Why it’s good: It’s specific, action-oriented, rooted in core values, and understandable.

19. The Nature Conservancy: “To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.”

Why it’s good: It’s concise, action-oriented, and rooted in core values.

20. The World Wildlife Fund: “To conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.”

21. Doctors Without Borders : “To provide independent, impartial assistance to those in need, irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation.”

Why it’s good: It’s rooted in core values, explains the target audience, and is memorable and timeless.

“Your mission statement becomes your constitution, the solid expression of your vision and values. It becomes the criterion by which you measure everything else in your life.” Stephen Covey

A mission statement describes what an organization currently does , while a vision statement describes where it wants to go in the future. Both are important for setting the direction of an organization, but they serve different purposes.

Here’s the main difference between the two:

A mission statement outlines an organization’s purpose and objectives. It is typically short, concise, and focused on the present , with the goal of explaining what a company currently does.
A vision statement, on the other hand, is a statement of an organization’s aspirations for the future. It is typically more inspirational than a mission statement and sometimes longer, although studies suggest that successful companies usually have overall concise vision statements . The vision statement answers the question, “Where do we want to be?” It also outlines the organization’s long-term goals, its desired future state, and its ideal outcomes.

Here is an example of a mission statement vs. vision statement from the same company:

Mission: “To provide energy solutions that reduce the world’s carbon footprint.”
Vision: “Our vision is to be the world’s leading provider of sustainable energy solutions, empowering individuals and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and create a cleaner, more sustainable future for all.”

How can you write an effective mission statement?

A mission statement should be concise and focused. Get to the point explaining what your company offers, for who, and why. Focus on doing this in just 1–2 sentences, if possible, while also including what makes your company unique.

What makes a mission statement bad?

Avoid certain things when writing a mission statement, such as making it far too long, unrealistic, or unrelated to your company’s values. You don’t want to include information that is irrelevant to the organization’s purpose and values, or that’s too misleading.

Keep these tips in mind when writing a mission statement:

Specific financial goals or performance targets, which should be included in the organization’s strategic plan and financial projections instead.
Technical details, jargon, or specific industry terms that may be difficult for non-experts to understand.
Generic or cliched language that is overused or doesn’t convey a clear sense of the organization’s purpose.
Buzzwords or words that are open to interpretation.
Superfluous information that’s not relevant, such as the company’s history, its founders, or its location.
Promotional language that is too self-aggrandizing.

When determining the difference between a bad and good mission statement, ask yourself:

Could someone easily recite this back?
How will the target audience respond?
Does this statement inspire or elicit a positive emotional response?
Are the company goals and core values clearly expressed?
Is this mission realistically achievable?

Can a mission statement change?

Yes, they can. While you don’t want to constantly change your mission statement, it’s acceptable and even expected for it to change as the business grows, develops, and has new needs and goals.

A company may also need to revise or update its mission statement over time to reflect changes in the market, customer needs, or the company’s goals and objectives. For example, if a company expands into new markets or introduces new products or services, its mission statement may need to be updated to reflect these changes.

It is also important to note that a mission statement is not a one-time task, but an ongoing process. A company should regularly review its mission statement to ensure that it still accurately reflects the company’s purpose, values, and goals, and to make updates or revisions as needed.

Overall, a good mission statement should be considered a living document that evolves with the company.

A strong mission statement should be a powerful and memorable statement that concisely communicates the essence of the organization’s purpose. To help make a mission statement more actionable, keep these tips in mind:

Get clear on your vision, values, and purpose first: These must be established so that the right information is being conveyed. To gather input, schedule a brainstorming meeting with key players on staff. Ask the team what they believe the company mission is or should be. Create a list of the messages employees convey.
What voids are being filled by the organization?
Why is the company valuable to others?
What collective goals does the business work together on?
Why should customers care?
Be memorable and authentic: Reflect on the true values of the company and not just its aspirations. Think of what makes the company different from others and include information to represent its uniqueness.
Be relevant but timeless: A strong mission statement should be relevant to the organization’s target and also timeless and enduring. It should reflect the reason that the organization was originally founded, even if the organization evolves and changes over time.
Communicate within the organization: Start by communicating the company mission with employees before sharing it with customers. Employees need to understand the new mission statement and any transitions being made within the organization.
Make the statement visible: To be impactful, a mission statement needs to be visible across various brand touchpoints. This includes, but is not limited to, the company’s website, product labels, social media accounts, marketing materials, and promos for community events.

Want to learn more about crafting your personal life’s vision and mission? Check out this article: “ How to Create a Vision for Your Life .”

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Small Business Funding. Small business success and failure rates . Retrieved from https://www.smallbusinessfunding.com/small-business-success-and-failure-rates/
Robbins, S.P., Coulter, M., & DeCenzo, D.A. (2017). 4.3 The Roles of Mission, Vision, and Values. In Principles of Management. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. Retrieved from https://open.lib.umn.edu/principlesmanagement/chapter/4-3-the-roles-of-mission-vision-and-values/
Kaplan, R. S., & Mikes, A. (2020). More than a mission statement: How the 5Ps embed purpose to deliver value. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/more-than-a-mission-statement-how-the-5ps-embed-purpose-to-deliver-value .
Economist. (2019, November 11). Why are we here? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2019/11/why-are-we-here
Pearce, J. A., & Robinson, R. B. (2019). Vision, mission, and goals . In Strategic management (pp. 26-32). Virginia Tech Libraries. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.lib.vt.edu/strategicmanagement/chapter/2-2-vision-mission-and-goals/
Brenner, M. (2021). Chapter 4: Strategy and strategic planning . In Strategic marketing (2nd ed.). Oregon State University Open Textbook Library. Retrieved from https://open.oregonstate.education/strategicmarketing/chapter/chapter-4-strategy-and-strategic-planning/
Mohd Isa, N. A., Abu Bakar, N. A., & Baharuddin, A. S. (2021). C ontent analysis on vision and mission statements of selected companies in Malaysia. Journal of Technology and Operations Management , 16(1), 36-47. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352092142_CONTENT_ANALYSIS_ON_VISION_AND_MISSION_STATEMENTS_OF_SELECTED_COMPANIES_IN_MALAYSIA .
University of San Francisco. The importance of a strong mission statement in public administration . OnlineMPA.USFCA.edu. Retrieved from http://onlinempa.usfca.edu/resources/news/the-importance-of-a-strong-mission-statement-in-public-administration/ .
SME Strategy. (2018, July 19). What is a mission statement? Why is it important? https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/what-is-a-mission-why-is-it-important .

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20 Inspiring Examples: How to Write a Personal Mission Statement
Example 2: Career Professional. Your mission as a career professional could be to advance in your industry, exemplify integrity, and balance work and personal life. Example: "To grow professionally, maintain a high level of integrity, and achieve a healthy work-life balance.".
How To Write a Personal Mission Statement (With Examples)
Here are the steps you can follow to write your own personal mission statement: 1. Write down what's most important to you. Start by considering who you are and who you want to be. Write down what's most important to you and what you're most passionate about. Consider what or who you most value and how your life is connected to those people or ...
How to Write a Reflective Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide
Present the Thesis Statement: Conclude your introduction with a thesis statement for your reflective essay. This statement should encapsulate the main insight or lesson you gained from the experience. Unlike a typical thesis statement, a reflective thesis is personal and sets up the reflection to come. For example:
55 Personal Mission Statement Examples
Here is my personal mission statement: "I will be generous with my time both with family and strangers. I will consciously and intentionally spend quality time with my parents, my wife, and my children. I will pass-on love of life and self-belief to my children by living as a positive example. I will commit my career to working on projects ...
Personal Mission Statement: Examples, Definition, and Writing Tips
Most people write a mission statement to clarify the type of work they want to do, decide on the types of companies they might like to work for, and highlight core values or beliefs that might affect their experience in a workplace environment. But I'd like to propose that a personal mission statement focus on your truth, your goals, and your values, and not be unnecessarily restricted by ...
How a Personal Mission Statement Can Jumpstart Your Career
As you look to make that next step, a personal mission statement can help you determine your direction and chart your course. "A personal mission statement declares your impact and how you will get there. It encapsulates your vision, values and goals and is often focused on who you will serve or help," explains Linda M. Perry, a Mindset Coach.
How to Write a Reflective Essay
1 Choose a tone. Before you begin to write your reflective essay, choose a tone. Because a reflective essay is more personal than an academic essay, you don't need to use a strict, formal tone. You can also use personal pronouns like I and me in your essay because this essay is about your personal experiences.
Reflection on My Personal Philosophy and Mission Statement
I am comfortable with my beliefs and always open to listen to others and reevaluating and realigning based on my true north. My biggest personal value is to put my "big rocks", also known as the most important things to me, first. My "big rocks" are my family and my friends. The next is to live by the "Golden Rule" of "Do unto ...
How to Write a Personal Mission Statement
A personal mission statement defines who you are as a person (or as a team member where you work) and identifies your purpose—whether that's on the job or simply in life. It explains where you see yourself in the future, how you plan to pursue that purpose, and why it matters so much to you.
How To Write A Personal Mission Statement (With Examples)
So the best advice is to just get started. Here's how to write a personal mission statement in no time. Schedule some quiet time to just write. Do this once a day for a week. Maybe this is just for 5 minutes or you get into it and find that you need 30 minutes or more. Make sure that you schedule this time for when you aren't rushed and can ...
50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples)
A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it's about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you've experienced at that time.
Reflective Essays
A reflection is an essay, so provide full, thoughtful responses to the questions in your instructor's prompt. The style and tone of your reflective essay should match the purpose of the overall assignment. This is a personal essay meant to showcase what you learned from the text, event, or experience that you are writing about.
How to Write a Reflective Essay: Intro, Body, & Conclusion
The third paragraph: Start by emphasizing a third lesson and write a reflection for this third lesson. Note: The number of body paragraphs depends on a particular length of an assignment. Usually, the length of a reflective essay is about 500-1,000 words, which means 2-4 double spaced pages or 1-2 single spaced pages.
How to Write a Reflective Essay With Sample Essays
Writing a reflective essay, also known as a reflective paper or reflection paper, is as easy as following the step-by-step instructions below. 1. Choose a Topic Idea. If you haven't been assigned a topic and don't have a topic in mind, check the list of topics above for inspiration.
Vision and Mission Examples: Inspiring Statements for Success
A personal mission statement is a statement that describes a person's values, their goals, and how they define success. Here are some examples of personal mission statements from famous people: Amanda Steinberg: "To use my gifts of intelligence, charisma, and serial optimism to cultivate the self-worth and net worth of women around the ...
My Mission Statement : A Reflection Of My Mission
Decent Essays. 798 Words. 4 Pages. Open Document. My mission statement is a reflection of what I believe, and what kind of person I hope to be in my future. It is organized with different personality traits in "Be" statements that I try to live by, and some pictures to emphasize my points of being strong, loving, and trying to live my best ...
Reflective writing: Reflective essays
Writing a reflective essay. When you are asked to write a reflective essay, you should closely examine both the question and the marking criteria. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do. Once you have examined the question you should start to plan and develop your essay by considering the following:
How to Write a Reflective Essay?
Set the scene by using the five W's (What, Where, When, Who and Why) to describe it. Choose the events or the experiences you're going to reflect on. Identify the issues of the event or experience you want to focus on. Use literature and documents to help you discuss these issues in a wider context.
Why Your Company Needs a Mission Statement + Examples and Tips
Below are 21 mission statement examples taken from various companies and organizations: 1. Google: "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.". Why it's good: It identifies the service provided, its unique offerings, and is concise.
Personal Reflection Essay: My Personal Mission Statement
Personal Reflection Essay: My Personal Mission Statement. My Personal Mission Statement. It is my mission to live a life of positivity, integrity, compassion and gratitude. To remain committed to my Jewish values and way of life. And to make the world a more meaningful place through developing significant relationships with those around me.
Day of Reflection
Day of Reflection. UTSA students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in the UTSA Day of Reflection. It is a chance to pause, reflect and care for one another. Programming will take place virtually, as well as at the Main and Downtown Campuses on Friday, November 8. ... Mission Statement. Wellbeing Services supports students' health ...

20 Inspiring Examples: How to Write a Personal Mission Statement

Key Components

Examples of Personal Mission Statements

Example 1: Student

Example 2: Career Professional

Example 3: Parent

Example 4: Retiree

Example 5: Entrepreneur

Example 6: Freelancer

Example 7: Community Volunteer

Example 8: Environmentalist

Example 9: Artist

Example 10: Innovator

Top-20 Examples of Personal Mission Statements:

Creating Your Personal Mission Statement

Setting Your Goals

Writing Your Statement

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What is a Reflective Essay?

How to Write a Reflective Essay

Choose a Topic

Reflect on the Experience

Outline Your Essay Structure

Consider Your Language

Use a Reflective Tone and Personal Language

Use Descriptive Language

Include Specific Examples

Balance Description and Reflection

Stay Honest and Open

Write the Introduction

Describe the Experience in the Body

Elements to Include in the Body :

Connect with Personal Growth and Insights

Craft a Strong Conclusion

End with a Call to Action or Thought-Provoking Idea

Edit and Refine Your Essay

Reflective Essay vs Narrative Essay

2. Structure

3. Tone and Perspective

4. Focus on Analysis

Example Topics

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