There is nothing so satisfying than recognizing your real passion in life. From that moment on you can authentically attract those opportunities to fulfill that personal passion. Maybe it is volunteering or expanding your existing activities. If you have worked discovering your own personal mission, you may find it may lead you to actualize that newly found information taking your life in a whole new direction.   This is the work of each of us in this life, to find our mission, define it and build our vision on it. Sometimes our personal and career mission and vision statements meet. In fact, it happens more often than most think.

Margaret Casto Phillips, professor of mathematics and computer science at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia had found her passion. She had joined the ODU faculty in 1945 and taught until her retirement thirty four years later in 1979. She had also served as the university liaison for the American Association of University Women. At her death at the age of 94, Phillips assured her passion for students and teaching for years to come by a bequest of $150,000 to the ODU Faculty Emeriti Association for its student scholarship endowment fund. She personifies the meeting of her personal and career mission and vision statements. Looking around us we may see this reflected by many in our community.

Captain Steve Lazenby of the Santa Paula (CA) Fire Department is passionate about preparing citizens for emergency preparedness. His firefighting position is captain of Santa Paula Engine company but his ability to communicate a emergency preparedness mission throughout the county enabled him to realize a new position as well.  As the Coordinator/Instructor for C.E.R.T. (Community Emergency Response Team), a 17-20 hour class training for citizens, Lazenby has in 5 years taught over 1500 citizens to take their place helping themselves and others in the event of a disaster in their community. His commitment to his personal passion now blends with his career mission and vision.

Successful small business owners Les and Alice Gardner of the Attitude Shoppe in Ojai, CA believe strongly in their community and are active Rotarians. The success of their personal mission and the blending of their business mission and vision statements extend to hiring employees that share in their strong ideas of service, customer satisfaction and longevity in their community. One happy customer recalls having driven four hours away for an important business meeting then discovering he had left his computer at home…the last thing needed was to have to turn around and drive home to retrieve it. Employees handled the problem with customary efficiency, a friend was able to bring it to the store and the computer was then packed and on its way the same day. When the Gardner's personal mission met their business mission and vision, people who aligned themselves with the same values were attracted to becoming employees.

With these examples come the realization that not only does the person gain from the meeting of their personal and career mission and vision but also, society. Need help with your mission and vision statements? Want to learn more?  For additional help with your mission statement and vision statements, go to www.missionvisionstatement.com now.

Don Midgett, Author