MY NOTES TOWARD
 DEVELOPING A PERSONAL 
MISSION STATEMENT
             Paschal Baute, 1997b, revised
                               EXERCISE: TAKE TIME TO DEEPLY PONDER THESE QUESTIONS    
     What do I feel are my greatest strengths?                                   
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     What strengths have others who know me well noticed in me?                                      
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     What do I deeply enjoy doing?
     ____________________________________________ 
     ___________________________________________________
     What qualities of character do I most admire in others?                     
     ______________________________________________     
     ___________________________________________________
     Who is the one person (several?) that has made the greatest positive
     impact on my life?
     __________________________________________________
     Why was that person (those persons) able to have such significant
     impact?
     ___________________________________________________
     What  have been my happiest moments?                                   
     ___________________________________________________
     Why were they happy?
     __________________________________________________ 
     ___________________________________________________
     If I had unlimited time and resources, what would I choose to do?                                      
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     When I daydream, what do I see myself doing?
     _______________________________ 
     ___________________________________________________
     What are the 3 or 4 most important things to me?                                   
     1)_______________________________2)_________________
     3)_______________________________4)_________________
     When I look at my work life, what activities do I consider of greatest worth
     and interest?
     __________________________________________________________
     ____________________________________________
     When I look at my personal life, what activities do I consider of greatest
     worth?
     ___________________________________________________
     What can I do best that would be of worth to others?                    
     _______________________________________________      
     ___________________________________________________
     What talents do I have that no one else really knows about?                                      
     ___________________________________________________
     Though I may have dismissed such thoughts may times before for various
     reasons, are
     there activities I feel I really should do? What are they?
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     It has been said, "everyone must find their own Mt. Everest to climb."
     What would / could your own Mt. Everest be?                   
     _____________________________                                             
     ___________________________________________________
     What are my physical needs and capacities (and limits)?
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     How satisfied am I with my current level of fulfillment in the physical area?
     ___________________________________________________
     What quality of life outcomes do I want that are different from what I now
     have in this area?          
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     What principles / goals / values / practices will create these outcomes?                                      
     __________________________________________________________
     __________________________________________
     What are my social needs and capacities?                                   
     __________________________________________________________
     _________________________________________
     How satisfied are I with my current level of fulfillment in the social area?
     ___________________________________________________
     What quality of life outcomes do I want that are different from what I now
     have in this area?          
     ___________________________________________________
     What principles / goals / values will create these outcomes?
     __________________________________________________________
     __________________________________________
     What are my mental needs and capacities?
     __________________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________
     How satisfied are I with my current level of fulfillment in the mental area?
     ___________________________________________________
     What quality of life outcomes do I want that are different from what I now
     have in this area?          
     ___________________________________________________
     What principles / goals / values will create these outcomes?
     ___________________________________________________
     What are my spiritual needs and capacities?
     ___________________________________________________
     How satisfied am I with my current level of fulfillment in the spiritual area?
     ___________________________________________________
     What quality of life outcomes do I want that are different from what I now
     have in this area?
     ___________________________________________________
     What principles / goals / values will create these outcomes?
     ___________________________________________________
     Where do I see my physical, social, mental and spiritual needs and
     capacities meshing and overlapping?
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     What do I view as are my a) important and b) essential roles in life?          
                           a)
     ___________________________________________________
     b) ___________________________________________________
     What are the most important lifetime goals I want to fulfill in each role?
     A) __________________________________________________
     b) ___________________________________________________
     What results am I currently getting in my life that I like or want?
     __________________________________________________
     What patterns or attitudes are producing these results?
     ___________________________________________________
     What results am I getting in my life that I do not want or like?
     ___________________________________________________
     What are the patterns, attitudes or paradigms that are producing these
     results?              
     __________________________________________________________
     ___________
     What would I really like to be and to do in my life?
     ___________________________________________________
     What are the important principles / goals / values upon which my being
     and doing are based?     
     ___________________________________________
     What is the core, central value, the tap root of my life from which I would
     like all other principles / values / outcomes to proceed?
     ___________________________________________________
     Everyone sabotages themselves sooner or later by attitudes, scripts,
     assumptions and illusions about life and relationships that are mostly
     outside awareness. What would someone who knows you well suggest as
     the most likely way you will sabotage your own best efforts. Be willing to
     ask and listen carefully to others.  Ways I am likely to sabotage myself
     are: 1) ___________________________________________________
     2)_________________________________________________3)______
     ___________________________________________
     What is your plan for preventing this self-sabotage? (Note: this may be
     the most important question of all)______________
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     What feedback will you seek and get from others to help you keep on
     track?
     ___________________________________________________
     ___________________________________________________
     Who are your best sources for this
     feedback?_________________________________    
     Suggestion: be sure to share and discuss these with someone you trust to
     listen well.    
     Here is a tip on personal change:
     Any new behavior you practice for 21 days straight becomes a habit.  Two
     new habits are necessary for a new attitude.  Two attitudes are necessary
     to establish a core value. When this core value gets really tested or
     conflicts with another core value, you may need to decide which is the
     most important, and then establish another habit and/or attitude to
     support that new priority, so that it becomes not simply notional, but
     operational, where the "rubber hits the road," or so that you can "walk
     your talk." 
     None of us totally "walk our talk," which is the reason ongoing feedback is
     not merely useful but necessary for growth.