Now that you recognize it’s time to approach your life proactively, you need to create a personal vision statement.
Clearly defining the vision you have for your life requires more than just thinking about it. You need to write it down.
The act of writing something down and then reading it daily reinforces the message and makes it more real.
Even better, print out your personal vision statement and post it where you can see it frequently.
This reminder will increase your motivation and foster the self-growth you desire.
What’s In This Article
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- What Is a Personal Vision Statement?
- How to Write a Personal Vision Statement
- 11 Personal Vision Statement Examples
- Personal Vision Statement Template
- Final thoughts
What Is a Personal Vision Statement?
A personal vision statement is a clear, concise summary of your personal goals and dreams for the future. It serves as an anchor when life pulls you in different directions.
It is also a guide for making decisions based on your values, and it helps you stay focused on the goals you want to achieve.
The process of writing one compels you to think about the purpose of your life and how to achieve that.
You’ll identify your most important guiding principles and describe how you intend to apply them to your life.
Your statement also introduces you to the power of setting concrete goals. Research by psychologist Gail Matthews found that people who wrote down their goals succeeded 33% more often than people who only thought about their goals.
If you want to live the life you envision, you need to avoid the trap of abandoning your dreams in the realm of the abstract. Writing down your vision is the best way to actualize it.
To get started, you can study personal vision statement examples to get ideas about how to write yours.
How to Write a Personal Vision Statement
Writing a personal vision statement begins with free writing. At this point, you simply ask yourself questions and write down whatever comes to mind. Don’t impose any judgments at this point because you want to uncover your hopes and dreams for the future.
- List your personal strengths.
- List your personal weaknesses.
- Write down your core values.
- Think about how your values should guide interactions with family, at work, and within your community.
- Consider the best uses for your life energy based on your inner compass and values.
- Identify some specific goals that you want to pursue.
- Imagine the legacy of your purpose, goals, and actions.
- Examine your notes to see what jumps out as most important.
- Compose a paragraph that summarizes your priorities in the form of a vision statement.
It’s important to keep your vision statement as a single paragraph. This way, you’ll be able to read it easily and frequently.
If you want to write more paragraphs to address specific goals, that’s fine, but these would be supplemental to your main vision statement.
11 Personal Vision Statement Examples
Here are several vision statement examples you can use to help you brainstorm your own. There are no strict rules here related to the words you choose and the concepts you include.
But if any of the statements in these examples resonate with you, feel free to make them your own and rewrite them to suit your goals and dreams.
I want to be a source of stability and inspiration for my family. I commit myself to succeed in my career while balancing my emotional needs with those of family members. I want my actions to promote harmony and increase everyone’s chance for future happiness. When stress threatens to overtake me, I consciously take time to calm down to prevent acting with hostility or annoyance toward others. I also express my needs and seek support from others instead of letting my problems stew inside me as I’ve been prone to do in the past.
My life’s work has a greater purpose beyond my own material needs. I identify a problem in my community and take responsibility for contributing to its solution. My purpose is to serve others in a way that best matches my skills and values, and I am committed to making choices in my personal and professional life that furthers that purpose.
My personal vision recognizes that I am a small part of a living Earth. I want to live in a way that represents authentic participation in a sustainable ecosystem. My guiding principle is reducing my negative impact on the environment. I direct my spare time toward regenerative practices that nurture the soil, such as gardening and tree planting. I control my consumption by choosing a modestly-sized home and reducing my production of plastic waste through conscious consumer choices and actions. I become an example to others for the purpose of spreading a greater appreciation for green living.
(Video) PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE! (The #1 PERSONAL STATEMENT TEMPLATE for Job Applications & Interviews!)
My vital role in the lives of my children automatically means that I have a great purpose in life. Instead of dreaming about the world seeing my value, I strive every day to be the hero of my family. My job as a parent is to mindfully raise my children in an environment of acceptance, love, and affirmation.
Advancing my career is important for me at this point in life. If I achieve my career goals, I’ll have greater financial stability and peace of mind. To make these things happen, I intend to set certain standards for my professional life and only make strategic compromises. I want to keep myself accountable for my career instead of falling back into the habit of blaming others for my disappointments. I cannot control everything that influences my career, but I can persist after setbacks and focus on what I can do to improve my skills and increase my value. This means that I should seek continuing education and make time for networking with colleagues. I must put myself out there to connect with opportunities.
My rough childhood has inspired me to choose a career in teaching. I accept the challenges of this occupation with grace because children need positive adults in their lives. For some children, a caring adult within their community can give them hope when things aren’t good at home. I believe that this purpose helps me be content with my life and heal the wounds from my past.
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Upon much reflection and consultation with those who know me best, I accept that my stubbornness is both my greatest strength and weakness. To take advantage of it as a strength, I intend to volunteer with my local legal aid office, where my experience as a paralegal can benefit people who lack resources to cope with legal challenges. Legal issues often require patience and persistence, and these two traits are reflected in my stubborn nature.
Although I value my introverted nature, I intend to experience more human connections in my life. I recognize the value of stretching myself and interacting with more people. To this end, I am setting the goals of joining a book club and hosting dinner parties twice a year.
My whole life I imagined myself with children, and the time has come for me to make family a priority. I plan to devote more time to dating in the hopes of finding lasting love and building a happy, healthy family life in the next five years.
(Video) Good and bad examples for vision statements!
My personal vision statement places faith at its center. Attending religious activities gives me a deep sense of spiritual connection with others. I want to learn more about my religion and provide comfort to people in their times of need. As a result, I intend to join a place of worship, attend services, and participate in at least one outreach program.
I see now that I could be in much better financial shape if I had been thoughtful earlier in life. My mission now is to value financial responsibility above impulsive purchases. I make money decisions related to how they benefit me instead of how they provide short-term gratification. This helps me alleviate financial stress and improve my well-being.
Personal Vision Statement Template
If you’d like some additional help in writing your personal vision statement, please download our free template.
Download (PDF) 11 Personal Vision Statement Examples
Final thoughts
Are you ready to write your personal vision statement?
Philosophers may argue about the existence of free will, but the truth is that you have plenty of control over the direction of your life.
The time that you invest in crafting a personal vision statement will keep you grounded amid the endless distractions of life.
As you can see in the personal vision statement examples presented here, your vision doesn’t have to follow any particular direction.
Let your heart define your purpose and values, and then use your mind to pursue your values-based goals.
FAQs
What is an example of a personal vision statement? ›
Personal Vision Statement Example #1
I will strive to gain mastery over life's challenges through increasing my circle of influence and de-emphasizing those areas of concern over which I have no control. I will behave in a manner so as to become a light, not a roadblock, for others who choose to follow or lead me.
A vision statement should contain your interests and passions, what you enjoy doing in your free time, and what you would do all day long if you didn't have to work. A well-formed statement should include what you are good at.
How do I write a vision for myself? ›Identify some specific goals that you want to pursue. Imagine the legacy of your purpose, goals, and actions. Examine your notes to see what jumps out as most important. Compose a paragraph that summarizes your priorities in the form of a vision statement.
What is my vision statement? ›The vision statement answers the question “Where do I want to be?” It defines the optimal desired future state—the mental picture—of what you want to achieve over time, say in five, ten or more years. It inspires you to give your best and shapes your understanding of why you are doing what you do.
What is an inspiring vision statement? ›It explains the philosophy and values the company has chosen to follow. A vision statement gives your work purpose, guidance, and inspiration. It communicates what you want to achieve in five to ten years. It should be the thing that drives and motivates you and your team.
What is a vision statement simple? ›A vision statement is an aspirational statement made by a company that outlines long-term goals. A successful vision statement inspires employees and steers an organization's efforts.
What is your vision for your career? ›Your career vision is simply a statement or picture of what you want your future to look like. This exercise can help you develop your own career vision by clarifying your future goals and values and understanding how who you are and what you believe relates to what you are doing.
What are the 5 main characteristics of a vision? ›What are the main characteristics of a vision? Research on visionary leader- ship suggests that visions have five characteristics: a picture, a change, values, a map, and a challenge (Nanus, 1992; Zaccaro & Banks, 2001).
What is your vision best answer? ›The answer should be in Systematic order:
Give an answer that seems well planned to the interviewer. In case you need to pursue further education along with the job to achieve your long-term goals, then you can discuss that as well. Also, discuss your short term goals first and then about your long term goals.
A vision statement should be concise – no longer than a sentence or two. You want your entire organization to be able to repeat it quickly and, more importantly, understand it.
What are the types of vision statement? ›
Vision statements can be classified as quantitative or superlative.
What is a powerful vision? ›Powerful visions must draw people, attract them, make them want to take action and overcome obstacles to achieve it. It must feel worth achieving, worth putting real effort into getting there. – Achievable.
What should a good vision have? ›- Brevity. A good vision statement is succinct, which makes it easy for managers and leaders to communicate and employees to remember. ...
- Clarity. ...
- Abstract and Challenging. ...
- States the Organization's Purpose. ...
- Future Focused. ...
- Sets a Desirable Goal. ...
- Matches the Organization's Success Measures.
- Reception.
- Transduction.
- Transmission.
- Selection.
- Organization.
- Interpretation.
It's comprised of three parts: what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. A vision statement outlines the company's long-term goals and aspirations for the future in terms of its long-term growth and impact on the world.
What is Starbucks vision statement? ›To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
What is Nike's vision statement? ›Nike Vision Statement
We see a world where everybody is an athlete — united in the joy of movement. Driven by our passion for sport and our instinct for innovation, we aim to bring inspiration to every athlete in the world and to make sport a daily habit.
Tesla's vision is to “create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles,” while its mission is “to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass-market electric cars to market as soon as possible.” Tesla used a transitional ...
What 5 things make for an effective vision statement? ›- Brevity. A good vision statement is succinct, which makes it easy for managers and leaders to communicate and employees to remember. ...
- Clarity. ...
- Abstract and Challenging. ...
- States the Organization's Purpose. ...
- Future Focused. ...
- Sets a Desirable Goal. ...
- Matches the Organization's Success Measures.
Examples of a Leadership Vision Statement
I will help my organization grow and achieve its goals. To develop a good relationship with my team members and encourage them to achieve their full potential. Using communication, positivity and empathy, I will ensure the work environment is effective and enjoyable.
What is Dunkin Donuts vision statement? ›
We strive to keep you at your best, and we remain loyal to you, your tastes and your time. That's what America runs on. Dunkin' is the world's leading baked goods and coffee chain, serving more than 3 million customers each and every day.
What is McDonald's vision? ›We serve delicious food people feel good about eating, with convenient locations and hours and affordable prices, and by working hard to offer the speed, choice and personalization our customers expect.
What is Amazon's vision statement? ›"Our vision is to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavours to offer its customers the lowest possible prices."
What is Coca Cola's vision statement? ›Our vision is to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirit. And done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in people's lives, communities and our planet.
What is the vision statement of Louis Vuitton? ›Throughout the world they are all ambassadors of our vision of a refined art de vivre. “Our Maisons at LVMH have always championed and embodied a refined art de vivre.
What is Google's vision statement? ›Google's vision statement is “to provide access to the world's information in one click.” The company's nature of business is a direct manifestation of this vision statement. For instance, Google's most popular product is its search engine service.
What is Uber's vision statement? ›3. Uber's Vision Statement. Uber's vision statement is "Transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere for everyone."
What is Microsoft's vision statement? ›Microsoft's corporate vision is “to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.” This vision statement shows that the company presents its computing products as tools that people and business organizations can use for their personal or organizational development.
What is Disney's mission statement? ›The mission of The Walt Disney Company is 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.