Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?

M

MISSION STATEMENT RATHER THAN A QUOTE

Rather than a quote, I have a mission statement that I’ve always used since its development as a guide to how I live and work.

In 1983 when I was principal at Nhulunbuy Primary School the largest Primary School at the time in the Northern Territory, I had the opportunity to do a tender leadership program in Darwin. It was conducted via Dr Colin Moyle.

As a part of the program, Dr Moyle asked us to develop a mission statement of 25 words or less that would stand us as a guide and a lighthouse statement to focus on directing me in future terms.

I thought about it long and hard and in the end came up with the following as a statement of mission.

“To fulfil and be fulfilled in organisational mode – family, work, and recreation.

To acquit my responsibilities with integrity.

To work with a smile in my heart.”

I tried very hard to always adhere to that principle and the precepts contained within my station from that time on. I even had a couple of photographs made which cast the statement in context. In time, I incorporated it onto the back of my business card.

It’s only changed slightly since I retired. I have substituted the word “work” with the word “live”.