Feeling Overwhelmed? Time to Create Your Personal Mission Statement

These days, it seems like absolutely nothing is normal. One second, you’re working through an email — and then a full-fledged panic attack comes on. What am I going to have for dinner? Do we even have enough groceries? Will all of this ever end?! Trust me, I totally understand. But, as a mindset coach and conscious entrepreneur, I know that my feelings are clues to what needs more attention in my life. When we start to peel back the layers, we’ll see that the normal compass that guides our life path is difficult to read right now, and maybe even broken, which can make deciding on simple, regular choices like what to eat for dinner very difficult. This is completely normal — and okay. Remember, we are going through a national pandemic. 

But, it doesn’t need to all be confusing and bring on a panic attack each morning. For those of us who are feeling overwhelmed with everything from keeping our apartments in order, to keeping our businesses running smoothly — there’s a tiny-but-mighty trick that can help us get back on track. And, this trick isn’t just a helpful exercise to work through during a major, global once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. It’s something we should tune into every single day. 

The moment that I started tuning in to this trick my entire life shifted. And, my clients vouch it too — some say this is the most impactful exercise we work on throughout our time together. What is this trick you might ask? It’s called our North Star, or in regular human terms, our personal mission statement. Our North Star is a compass that can never break or become difficult to read no matter what gets thrown in our path. Here’s a step-by-step guide to create your own. 

Step 1: Who are the humans you want to serve?

Take a moment to ask yourself — is there a specific niche or group of humans that you’re drawn to connecting with? Is there a community that you’re especially passionate about? What makes that so special and important for you? 

For me, I am deeply connected to the millennial journey (and, it’s not just because I’m a millennial myself!) I understand the intricacies that this group of humans face, their hopes, fears and dreams. And, I know that serving them is my life purpose. 

Step 2: What do you want to help them with most? 

Now that you know your people, what do you want to do for them? Is there a specific aspect of their journey that coincides with your own passions and experiences? 

For myself and my clients, this question hits really deep. It allows us to see how we want to help our communities — it could be sharing information through blogs or podcasts, guiding them as coaches or providing a product or service. You can decide! 

Step 3: What are the big life outcomes you want to have?

This question is more closely tied to your own future goals. How does your overarching purpose align with stuff that lights you up in your everyday life? 

This question is a big more lofty and idealistic. At the end of the day, your answer will drive you to see if your everyday actions are leading up to a big picture. I personally am focusing on helping my community live more mindful and happy lives. 

Now, let’s bring it together. The North Star formula that I use is the following: 

I [DO WHAT] [FOR WHO] to [HELP THEM WITH WHAT] so that [WHO] can [YOUR IDEAL OUTCOME].

Here’s an example of my North Star: 

I create space for millennials to mindfully navigate adulthood so that they can live happier, healthier and more meaningful lives. 

This statement, or mantra even, is something that should feel so connected to your purpose that it will never, ever change. It will help you make decisions on where to live, how to spend your time, and what projects to get involved in. It can help you draw boundaries or stay clear on where you’re going, even when you can’t leave your home. 

And, remember — your North Star might not be crafted overnight. It may take many tries to get clear on the personal mission statement that guides your path. But no matter what, when you start to become consciously aware of what lights you up, your North Star can never go wrong.

ABOUT KATINA MOUNTANOS

Katina Mountanos is the founder of On Adulting, a viral blog and community of over 23,000 millennials who are figuring out how to navigate adulthood in a conscious, happy way (@onadulting). She is an entrepreneur, writer, and mindset coach whose work has been featured on HuffPost, Fast Company, Teen Vogue, Elite Daily, Mindbodygreen, and others.

Katina started her career in data analytics at Goldman Sachs, and most recently co-founded a brand new startup called Daydreamers to help everyday adults access creativity more often. Her first book, On Adulting, will be hitting shelves in Fall 2020. Follow along at @onadulting or join the private OA Facebook Group, The Space.