Stephen R. Covey in his book [The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People](https://www.franklincovey.com/courses/the-7-habits/) recommends to live by a personal mission statement. He recommends that as the essential part of the second habit, “start with the end in mind.” This is a summary of the techniques Covey suggests to develop such mission statements. Phrase personal mission statements as principle-centered, action-oriented “I will” statements that express what you want to be (character) and what you want to do (contributions/achievements), along with the values or principles guiding those goals. ## Structure Structure your statements as follows: 1. “I will [do something]” — an action phrase. 2. “…in order to [achieve or contribute something]” — gives purpose. 3. “…based on [principle or value]” — grounds it in your guiding values. For example: > I will seek first to understand others, in order to build mutual respect and trust, based on the principle of empathy. ## Roles Write 1-2 mission statement phrases for each role you have. Roles are typically centered around communities (partner, family, friends, work (colleagues), community), plus yourself. ## Principles Principles are timeless “natural laws” that govern effectiveness and personal leadership. Some of the more obvious principles of humanity are: - **Integrity** (honesty, keeping commitments, moral consistency lead to more trust and better relationships, influence rises) - **Dignity / Respect** for People (increases trust and cooperation; leads to improved communication; and more collaboration) - **Fairness / Justice** (treating others equitably; seeking justice and balance; improves cooperation and decreases conflict) - **Service / Contribution** (creating value for others) - **Responsibility** (owning choices and consequences makes them better; leads to greater influence and control; less blame and higher performance) - **Learning / Practice / Development of Potential** (people flourish when they learn) - **Stewardship** (using resources wisely in trust) - **Honesty / Transparency** (truth enables trust and effectiveness) ## Values Some principles-aligned value choices could be: ### Fidelity (Loyalty) - **Fidelity / Loyalty:** Faithfulness to people and promises — the relational side of integrity. ### Humility - **Humility:** Recognizing our limits and staying teachable — the inner posture that makes respect genuine. ### Love, Compassion & Encouragement - **Love:** Choosing to value and serve others unconditionally. - **Compassion:** Feeling and acting with empathy. - **Encouragement / Nurturing others:** Helping others believe in and grow into their potential. ### Simplicity (Moderation) - **Simplicity / Moderation:** Living within balance and harmony — fairness applied inwardly. ### Growth, Excellence & Patience - **Growth:** Valuing the ability to develop oneself, others, or your environment. - **Excellence:** Striving to be and do one’s best — growth perfected in action. - **Patience:** Allowing time for development — growth guided by wisdom. ### Industry (Diligence) - **Industry / Diligence:** The disciplined effort that turns service into tangible results. ## Principles vs Values Covey contrasts principles (unchanging, natural laws) with values (personal or cultural preferences). Values can differ, but principles are universal—e.g., honesty is a principle; being polite is a value. Principles are universal truths—they apply everywhere, for everyone, and have natural consequences if ignored. They’re like laws of human behavior (e.g., honesty, fairness, integrity, respect). You can’t “break” them; you only break yourself against them. Values are what you or a group personally believe is important. They reflect preferences, priorities, or culture, not universal laws. A value can be positive or negative depending on whether it aligns with true principles. A few require nuance: - Growth — As a personal value, not a principle. But the principle is: improvement comes from learning and practice. - Service / Contribution — These are principles when understood as “value creation leads to flourishing.” - Integrity — Both a principle and a value, but Covey treats its principled side as fundamental.