A Releasing Your Unlimited Creativity discussion topic

Copyright 2008 by K. Ferlic,   All Rights Reserved

The following discussion and process for creating a personal mission statement incorporates the lessons learned and observation from an exploration of creativity in the workplace and a subsequent exploration of our inherent creativity. It may or may not agree with other views as to what a mission is, what it will do for an individual and how to go about creating and manifesting a mission statement and completing the identified mission. However, what is provided here allows the individual to move toward optimizing the creative power they have available to manifest the mission statement they create.

What is a mission statement

The concept of a mission: A mission is something one sets out to do or accomplish. Missions tend to be task specific with definable objectives, performance criteria or ways to measure success. Most mission are of relatively short duration but they can extend over long periods of time. Complex missions are often broken into steps

The mission statement: A mission statement is a clear statement of that mission. It is written to (1) obtain clarity as to exactly what one desires to do and (2) clearly communicate to another in order to gain support for that mission or to inform another as to what one is trying to achieve.

From the creativity perspective, the mission statement is a clear intention in writing that we use to focus ourselves and others in order to manifest the content of the mission statement.

The personal mission statement: The personal mission statement is a clear statement of what we intent to personally do or create. It is not what we desire, hope or wish to create. Rather a personal mission statement is something we personally set out to do and accomplish. To have a personal mission statement work in our life, we need to be willing to back up our statement with action. That we, we take some action internally and externally to manifest it.

An iterative process: Obtaining a mission statement is often an iterative process where each iteration brings further clarity. Few have sufficient clarity of intention and single point focus about what they wish to experience to be able to write a mission statement that will not need to be iterated. The issue here is that what we think and believe changes as we move manifest the mission we create. Quite simply, the mind that created the problem we perceive that gives rise to seeing the need for a mission statement is not the mind that will give us the solution. If it could, we would not have the problem we face and wouldn’t need the mission statement.

As we begin to see what our mission statement truly requires, we tend to change what we set out to do. This is true both at the individual level and organizational level. There is nothing wrong with this process. We just need to understand what we think and believe about something changes and we move to create what we set out to do. We are a creative living process continually recreating ourselves. What is provided here, if it is followed, is some guidance that will help to reduce the number of iterations one will make.

Mission statements that work are accompanied by a great passion to act. Without the accompanying passion, a mission statement is simply a wish, desire or hope. The key to a successful mission statement is that it excites us either in our mind or in our heart to act. However, it does need to be emphasized that a mission statement generated from the excitement of the mind will not provide an inner satisfaction that never runs dry. However, a mission statement that arises from what is symbolized in our heart and what gives us life and makes us feel alive with life will give an inner satisfaction that never runs dry no matter what is happening in the external world.

Considerations There are three considerations to address in attempting to write a personal mission statement. It is recommended that all three of these be contemplated and acted upon in order to have the clarity to manifest the final mission statement.

Background on how the mission statement works

Mission statements work when they are accompanied by the passion or motivation to act for it accesses the creative process of creation/Creation. How it works is that the mission statement is a focus of our attention and awareness that we hold as a single point focus as we step out into the world in action. Whether we realize it or not, there is a cause effect chain  at work here. The focus of our attention and awareness is the cause. The effect is our action in the world in response to that cause. The words of the mission statement act as a single point focus to keep us focused so as to not become distracted by the mundane world as it pull our attention inot its affairs. As a single point focus we need to continually bring ourselves back to ask ourselves, "Are my action helping me to manifest the mission I have set?"

Although fully understanding the creative process can be detailed and complicated, in general in can all be summarized in five requirements to manifest an intention and they can be summarized in the statement - "To create anything, we must have the passion a drowning person has for air." That is, we need a very clear focus as to what we want and do whatever it requires of us to get it including the seeming death of our ego as reflected in its pride, its expectations, its comforts, its control and the like.

The five requirements are

Considerations to prevent failure of the desired mission

There are several things that interfere with whatever mission we set out to achieve. Some of the more common issues are presented there and consideration should be given to them in any mission statement that is created.

Growth and unfoldment of a creation: Physical Creation is a place of growth and unfoldment. Life starts from a seed condition planted in fertile ground. It will grow if environmental conditions are correct and it is properly nourished and nurtured. Creating a mission statement is a seed condition which will grow and unfold in time. We cannot expect our mission to be quickly completed much the way one walks into a fast food restaurant and expects a meal within a few minutes. Rather, creation unfold more like planting seeds in a vegetable garden and then, with properly water, temperature and sunlight, a plant grows to give the vegetable we desire in maybe sixty days. The key is to hold unwavering faith and trust for the duration.

Our environment: Often we desire things that can be created but our environment for whatever reason does not support what we desire to create. Often we may need to recreate our environment or move to another environment. The problem is a simple as there are plants that grow near the equator and not in the Northern or Southern latitudes. However if we create a green house, we can grow some of the plant if the environment in that green house are correct. Similarly, we can’t plant seeds in the middle of winter expecting them to grow and bear fruit. Sometimes there is a timing to our actions and we need to become observant when it is time to act.

An intention for our life: A surprising observation in the exploration of creativity in the workplace was the discover or realization there is an intention for our life. That is, there are things we are here to do and there are particular types and kinds of activities that give us life, allows us to embrace life, create a fullness within our being, and allow us to feel full of life. There is even a healing quality in doing such activities. But, what gives one individual life is not necessary what gives another life, We all are unique.

The issue with the intention for our life is that it acts as a deep undercurrent to our life. We are seemingly pulled in particular experiences when our mind wants something different. There is a synchronicity to our life and a seeming destiny. This phenomenon is very real. Often individuals create a mission statement that is not in alignment with this intention. As a result we have to struggle and fight to create what we desire and it seems the world opposes or does not want us to have what we desire. The reality of the situation is we do not have enough motivation created by the our mind and what we think and believe to overcome this deep undercurrent. It can be done but it comes at a high prices. Most find a much more satisfying life by learning to understand and feel the inherent flow of the life and then align with that flow. Those who have mission statement aligned with the flow of their life seem to encounter little difficulty in manifesting their mission statement. They will face obstacles, sometimes horrendous obstacles, yet there seems to be a relative gentle path through the obstacles - some experience what are called miracles. Yet, they are only experience the pull of the intention for their life as an undercurrent.

The belief we create with our thoughts: There is a belief that we create with our thoughts both in the mystical traditions and the more modern thinking. It exists in the mystical tradition as meditation and the use of a focus on an image, mantra and the like or the use of prayers and/or rituals. It exist in modern thinking through things like visualization, positive or good thoughts, good words, and the like. What needs to be understood, this is in part true. How we focus our mind and our thought thoughts through what we think and believe and hold in our mind will create want we experience in life IF our actions every day are consistent with those thought and we are acting to manifest our thoughts.

Quite simply one can site and meditate on eating a tomato, visualize eating tomato, praying to get a tomato to eat and the like. And there may be a person who walks into our life and actually gives us a tomato as if by magic or some unseen power. That is possible and does happen. But if we look carefully that is the exception. What needs to be understood is there is someone, somewhere, who must plant the seed to grow that tomato. We are only reaping the benefits of some other person’s harvest. If we wish to create the past, then look for someone to come into our life and give us want we seek. But we will be bound to them and be recreating the past BECAUSE we never learn how to do it ourselves. They are doing the work. We are only living off the generosity and abundance of Creation.

Manifesting anything is about our thinking and believe reflected in our creative ability and doing reflected in our creative power and having the energy, passion and power to act. Without both we are at the mercy of the others.

The issue of hope, desires and wishes: A tremendously big problem is individuals confusing their hopes, desires and wishes with a mission. A mission is about taking action and doing Any hope, desire or wish can be turned into an intention if it is backed with the passion of a drowning person’s desire for air. We can create whatever we desire if we are willing to do what is required. There is an old proverb, "Trust in God but tether your camel." There are things God and Creation will do for us. But we must do what we have to do and that is often more that what most are willing to do.

The issue of mind and heart: Both mind and heart are seen to generate the passion to act. But it must be clearly understood, all passion and energy to act comes from the heart and what is symbolized from the heart. Mind is, in essence, a switching station which robs the heart and mask the desires of the heart so that it can create what it wants. This is why most spiritual tradition talk about the need to surrender to the will of God as oppose to what our mind wants. But, here is an issue. How do we know what God wants?

Here the following recommendations is made. Whatever one’s concept of God may be, the power of the Creator which many see as God, is what gave us life. In this regard, it is what gives us a passion for life, a desire to engage life, what fills us full of life, what causes us to expand into life, and the like is where we will find God’s will for our life. Quite simply, what gave is life and gives us life comes from the same Source. But what give me life is not necessarily gives you life. I may feel life in working with animals, so I become a veterinarian. You find life in working with the soil so you become a farmer or gardener. No one can tell us Gods’ will for our life, we have to learn to feel it and we feel it in what gives us life.

When we set out to do anything in life, if it is somewhat align with what gives us life we will manifest what we desire whole or in part. When we set out to do anything that is not in alignment with what gives us life we will struggle all the way through our efforts. Most align nonconsciously with what gives us life so most find general satisfaction in life. It is only when our mind begins to think it knows better that what we feel do we find issue with trying to manifest a mission.

Lack of tithing: To manifesting anything in the world, we need tithe to that effort by giving it our time and our energy. There is a sacrifice that needs to be made and it is the sacrifice of creation. The sacrifice start in our time and energy and eventually it may be in what we think and believe and even our ego may have to be sacrificed in someway. Many do not want to give up the time or their energy to do what needs to be done and then the wonder why they don’t get what they desire.

Doing what mind wants: For any creation to grow, its true needs must be nourished. To love anything is to nurture its true needs. If we do not give what needs to be given to nurture those true needs we do not love the creator. Most want to give what mind wants to give or thinks needs to be given. When we give what mind wants to give we end up stifling if not destroying the creation. The simply test that can be done is to look to see if what we desire is growing and unfolding in some way in our life. It is like looking at a seed germinating and growing. When its leaves become withered, we know it needs water. If we find it bending tremendously in one direction either it is looking to move to toward the sun or there is a constant breeze which does not allow it to grow upward. If we look to see how things grow in nature we can quickly learn how to nurture any creation, nurture any creative endeavor or manifest anything in the world.

Attempting to meet financial or social goals: One big issue in meeting mission statements are mission statements the involved money or social goals. When we attempt to change our life, we will become different. Now, we can become different in one of two ways. We can repeat what another has done and become like them. Or we can create something new that no one has done before. To become like another, we need to repeat the past in the way they did their past. For example, to become a physician, we go to school and learn how to be a physician. We repeat the past as past physicians have done. However, to become a researcher and explore new cures, we learn what others have done but we have to become different to see things differently to explore that unknown.

However, there is an additional issue about money and social status. Both money and social status are tied to what the collective thinking wants and desires. But to create mean to step out of the past. It is very hard to have social status and be different than what society wants. If we want social status, we must repeat the past in the way society honors.

If we wish to obtain money, the problem becomes even more complicated. Money is a socially agreed upon exchange medium for our life. That is, when we do a job we give away part of our life and we get paid in money. We have exchanged our creative life energy for money which we can use to pay another for them to give us their life energy to do what we want done. To get money from society, we need to give society with it is willing to pay for. If individuals get what they want, they freely give us money in return. If they don’t get what they want, they feel cheated if not robbed. We might be able to survive if we make people feel cheated but the authorities will surly come after us if people feel we robbed them. As a result, a mission statement which focused on money forces us to do what society is willing to pay for us doing But what society is willing to pay for may not be what meets our mission statement.

Creating a personal mission statement

Using the above understanding, the follow recommendation is made to create a personal mission statement.

First it needs to be realized is that whatever mission statement that is created will be used to create a single point focus for our attention and awareness. As such it should be

Look at hopes, wishes and desires as opposed to having an intention: When we truly intend something, we act on what we indent. If we are not willing to act, we have a hope, a wish, a desire. Intentions and missions require actions. For whatever you desire, look to see if you are really willing to do something to create it. The recommendation is a follows.

Look to what give life: We feel life and we feel full of life when we are truly alive. Here we need to look at what makes us feel alive in life, full of life, or gives us the passion and energy to engage in life. If we look aback over our life we can find the types and kinds of activities that made us feel alive. The more our mission statement reflects the types and kinds of things that made us feel alive, the more energy and passion we will have to manifest it. If playing sports made us feel alive and we put down a mission statement that requires us to sit behind a desk eight hours a day, there is a good chance we will have difficulty manifesting that mission statement.

Taking inventory Here we need to look at general category of things that we find enjoyable or not so enjoyable.

Doing what we like: For the items you listed above, describe the way you express each on a regular basis in your career, using the word "by" to begin each phrase. For example, if you listed "willingness to learn" above, you might write "by being committed to ongoing professional development." Another example: If you wrote "persistence" above, you might write "by making sure the job always gets done.".

Look at what you are thinking about as to a mission statement. Does it allow you to do the thing you like about yourself described above or push you into what you don’t’ like. Look to do what pulls you into what you like to do.

Based on all that you have read above, and the exercises performed, list goal or things you would like to achieve over the next year. List any financial goals or social status roles as separate. Financial and social goals need to be evaluated relative to the willing to become what society will require us to become to get that money. We give up a certain amount of our freedom to become fully and totally acceptable to society.

First draft: Now fill in the blanks of the following paragraph:

"I want my mission to express __________________________ ,________________________, and ______________________ (write in the items you desire that you like to do in the above exercises "What give you life" and "Taking Inventory" ) by
__________________________________________________,
by ________________________________________________, and by ____________________________________________ (write in the items you select form "doing what we like") to create ___________________________________________________, ___________________________________________________ and _____________________________________________, (write in the items you would like to achieve over the next year.) and at least ____________ (write in your financial goal) by ___________ (write in the date one year from today)."

Second draft: Some individuals can reword the first draft to state "My mission is to ....." and leave everything the same and it will work well for them. For example, one such mission statement for an individual was "To manage and/or be a member of a organization specializing in developing, managing, and providing services that foster individual or organizational growth and success by manifesting the dreams carried by each individuals. This is accomplished by what is best described as acting as a midwife and nanny to the individual and organizational dream until those dreams are strong enough to stand without assistance. This process empowers both the organization and individuals to develop or adapt to existing or new opportunities that balance the employees' human needs and the organization's mission so that both are served. The use and fostering of the creativity and learning capabilities of client or their staff is of paramount focus." As seen it remains rather general but allows the individual a great deal of options.

This second mission statement is more practical with better defined objectives. "My purpose is to express my creativity and people skills by continually learning and applying new ideas, by finding unique solutions to my problems, and by building a powerful network of contacts to create 15 new corporate accounts, a steady flow of referral and renewal business, and full technological competence, and at least $125,000 in gross commissions by this date one year from today."

The recommendation is to use what is effective for your life.

Do you have beliefs and understanding that support your mission statement. For whatever you choose, look at it carefully to see if you have the beliefs and understanding for what you desire to create. You may find you have to take a journey to get what you need before you can being to create what you desire. But there are no mistakes in a creative endeavor. You are only learning what that minimum set of information is that you need to create what you desire. For example, you can say that you wish to be one of the first tourist to go to the moon. But you do not believe rockets are safe and can get you there. In this case you will either have to get over your belief and fear about rockets or invent another form of transportation to get you there. Each of these, overcoming fear and finding an alternative way are a journey unto themselves. Often people write a mission statement but they do not have either the beliefs or way of thinking that will create it.

Starting action: Outline what you think you will need to do to complete your mission. Take three steps to complete your mission and describe what actions you took. .

Pick a partner

Part of becoming a visionary leader is understanding the types and kinds of difficulties individuals face in their life and the chose to create something different than what exists. The goal of this exercise to being to learn that these difficulties look like.

From the members of this workshop select two individual with whom you will meet over the next ___ days. You can meet only after you each have done the second draft of your mission statement. When you complete your second draft. Answer the following questions about what you observed about yourself.

After answering these questions, meet separately with each individual with whom you choose to meet. Go over your responses with them. Note where you had similar issues and note where you greatly different issues.

After meeting with both individuals, look over all your notes and observations What general conclusions can you make about what keeps us from pursuing what we wish to do in life?

Items for submission

Submit the general conclusions along with your mission statement and description of your starting actions as proof of completion of this aspect of the program. 　

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