The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life

...is to read this book, do the exercises, and develop a mission statement that fits you. Then, live it out! This is much more than a "self-help" book, this is a book of self-discovery. Find out how God has "wired" you, create a vision for your life, and see what unique way you can benefit humankind. If you're ready for your life to be revolutionized, this is the book that can do it. If I'd have read this book sooner, I'd have given it to every high school and college graduate I know. Of course, "The Path" is not just for graduates, it's for everybody. An excellent, excellent book.

At a time in my life where I felt I had to better define my direction, I began searching for some practical help. I turned to this book which had been sitting on my shelf for almost two years. One WARNING though...do not read this like a motivational book. This is a practical manual with exercises in each chapter. DO NOT convince yourself that you don't have the time to carry these out. Make the effort to do all the exercises and you will be amazed at what you find out about yourself. You will start to feel a new purpose. By putting together my mission statement I am beginning to get a picture of how all aspects of my life can and will fit into this mission. I am using this book in conjunction with the Pathfinder by Nicholas Lore to start me down the PATH.

If you are struggling with balance in your life and wondering who you are and where you are going than this is the book for you. Jones forces you to carefully analyze yourself and figure out what makes you tick and helps you realize your purpose on this planet along the way. Her theory is simple: come up with an all encompassing mission statement that represents everything about you (career,fun, etc.) and live by it. If what you are doing in your life doesn't fit the mission then modify your mission or change how you are living. A powerful read! Don't be surprised if this book changes your life or at least your perspective of it. It changed mine and gave me the courage and guts to bail out of corporate America and do what I am truly passionate about.

The introduction for "The Path", written by Jones, says, ". . . if an unidentified soldier appeared suddenly in the dark and could not state his mission, he was automatically shot without question." She continues, "Being confronted with a "life or death" need to know one's mission would force millions of us to reexamine who we are, and what we're about. It would save immeasurable amounts of money, tears and heartache." If you are not living your own mission, you are living someone else's. I recently came to the realization that all the years I've been working in photography and writing, I've been living "someone else's mission." Doing what I've been told to do to be successful. My heart had been replaced by a business plan with making money or impressing others with my work instead of creating work that impressed me. When I made a product I loved I was often told it wouldn't be a profitable piece of work, so I continued to make images and written material that were profitable even if I wasn't pleased with the work. "The Path" has made me focus on what I really want to achieve, and be able to tell others in a single sentence what my mission is (I haven't perfected my mission statement--the single sentence, yet). The book is a workbook that explains what you and your mission statement are about and how to go about writing this statement. Some of the chapters are: Finding your mission. Three elements of a good mission statement.Forming a sense of mission. The power of positive prophecy. Your passion is your power. Sustaining creative tension, and The eight action steps to success. I found the book very motivating.

From the introduction: "People with clearly defined missions have always led those who haven't any. You are living your mission or you are living someone else's. Which shall it be?" Jones provides guidance to help you define your mission statement, refine it, and create your vision. She provides a chapter on eleven myths of what a mission statement is not. Jones addresses not only the skills that you may want to develop in your mission statement but also dreams and encouragement, hurts and pushes that helped shape your life that impact your mission and vision. The book is written in an easy to follow language and is filled with ancedotes that get the point across and includes "case studies" based on six historic and Biblical figures. This book can be used not only by individuals, but also for organizations seeking a more coherent "vision." Working through the exercises will make you really sit back and think about what you want out of life, bring you to tears over past hurts, and help propell you to get your mission defined and implemented.