GEN 197 Making the Most of Your UW Experience Spring 2011

A Mission or Personal Vision Statement (VV1) We begin this se inar !ith the "e#e$op ent of a persona$ ission or #ision state ent% We use this state ent in this se inar to e phasi&e that 'our ti e at the UW begins !ith "rea s an" #isions 'ou ho$" for the $ife that is sti$$ ahea" of 'ou% We ask 'ou to !rite a ission state ent that is ref$ecti#e of !ho 'ou are an" !hat 'our sense of ca$$ing( purpose( #ocation( or eaning of $ife% Mission state ents are he$pfu$ for an' reasons( but pri ari$' the' are use" as a too$ to encourage 'ou to conscious$' ref$ect on !ho 'ou are an" !hat 'ou are "oing at the UW% )s 'ou progress through 'our e"ucationa$ experience here( 'ou !i$$ fin" that 'ou !i$$ take an' si"e roa"s( 'ou !i$$ !an"er off the path( hurr' ahea" of 'ourse$f( an" e#en beco e unsure an" hi""en in the bra b$es% We ha#e foun" that a persona$ ission state ent is he$pfu$ !hen the !a' beco es c$ou"'* to return to a !ritten state ent of 'our essence an" purpose in $ife can often he$p 'ou forge 'our chosen path% +efinitions1,

Values: -.oncepts( princip$es( or stan"ar"s that "ri#e one/s "ecisions an" actions%/ Exa p$es of #a$ues are honest'( persistence( "epen"abi$it'( se$f0 sufficienc'( an" faith%1 A vision statement: -) state ent of three or four sentences "escribing a "esire" future 2 not a pre"icte" future%/ 3ere is an exa p$e of a #ision state ent 4state" as if the #ision has a$rea"' been achie#e"( so that it is positi#e an" po!erfu$5, -6 a a person !ho is peacefu$ an" an exa p$e to others of that peace( !hich co es fro faith in Go"% 6 a consi"ere" to be an inspirationa$ teacher of great integrit'% 6 $ea" a si p$e $ife st'$e that inc$u"es p$ent' of ti e for 'se$f( ' fa i$'( an" ' frien"s as !e$$ as ser#ice to others%/ A mission statement: -) succinct( eas'0to0re e ber state ent that pro#i"es "irection for one/s $ife%/ 3ere is an exa p$e of a #er' short ission state ent "e#e$ope" fro the sa p$e #ision state ent 7uote" abo#e, -6 a co itte" to $i#ing in accor"ance !ith ' faith in Go"( aintaining a happ' arriage( an" being a $o#ing an" supporti#e parent% 6n ' professiona$ $ife( 6 seek to e po!er high schoo$ stu"ents b' pro#i"ing 7ua$it' teaching !hi$e a"hering to ' re$igious princip$es% 6 !ant to $i#e a si p$e $ife st'$e%/ Note that a ission state ent a' be $engthier if "esire"( but bre#it' is i portant%

+uring this process it is critica$ to ensure consistenc' bet!een #a$ues( the #ision state ent( an" the ission state ent% 6f these three co ponents are not consistent( it is not possib$e to "e#ise a !orkab$e p$an%1 8o get 'ou thinking about the "e#e$op ent of 'our ti e thinking about the fo$$o!ing 7uestions,
1

ission state ent( p$ease spen" so e

The 1995 Annual Volume 1 Training( 9feiffer : .o pan'( San" +iego( .)( p% ;<%

GEN 197 Making the Most of Your UW Experience Spring 2011

Wh' are 'ou here to"a'= What are the $ife #a$ues that 'ou ho$" ost near to 'our heart= What is it 'ou are ost passionate about= What hopes "o 'ou ha#e for 'our UW experience= What hopes "o 'ou ha#e for 'our $ife be'on" the UW= 8he ans!ers 'ou "e#e$op through these acti#ities an" exercises !i$$ be the basis of 'our persona$ ission an" #ision state ent% Most are 1 page or $ess in $ength% We a$so see this ission state ent as high$' f$ui"% )s 'ou continue 'our e"ucation( !e hope that so e of 'our initia$ i"eas an" $ongings re ain the sa e an" !e a$so hope that 'ou !i$$ be change"% 8o this en"( the persona$ ission state ent is a a$$eab$e "ocu ent that begins to"a'( !i$$ be sub itte" for a$$' at the en" of the se inar( an" !i$$ continue to represent 'ou an" 'our beco ing !hi$e at the UW% 8he fo$$o!ing !orksheets are a gui"e to he$p 'ou ans!er so e of those significant 7uestions in an organi&e" for at%

GEN 197 Making the Most of Your UW Experience Spring 2011

Creating or Revising Your Personal Vision2 by Dr. Linda Philli s!"ones 6t>s goo" to create or re#ise the ?persona$ #ision? 'ou ha#e for 'our $ife% ) co pe$$ing #ision can he$p 'ou succee"( be ore satisfie" !ith 'our $ife( an" get the ost out of 'our a$$ re$ationships an" experiences% @o$$o!ing is a too$ for "oing that% Importance of Having a Personal Vision Nu erous experts on $ea"ership an" persona$ "e#e$op ent e phasi&e ho! #ita$ it is for 'ou to craft 'our o!n persona$ #ision for 'our $ife% Warren Aennis( Stephen .o#e'( 9eter Senge( an" others point out that a po!erfu$ #ision can he$p 'ou succee" far be'on" !here 'ou>" be !ithout one% 8hat #ision can prope$ 'ou an" inspire those aroun" 'ou to reach their o!n "rea s% 6>#e $earne" in ' o!n $ife an" in !orking as a ps'cho$ogist that if 'ou "on>t i"entif' 'our #ision( others !i$$ p$an an" "irect 'our $ife for 'ou% 6>#e !orke" !ith too an' in"i#i"ua$s !ho $ate in their $i#es sai"( ?6f on$'% % % %? You "on>t ha#e to be one of the % Senge "efines #ision as !hat 'ou !ant to create of 'ourse$f an" the !or$" aroun" 'ou% What "oes 'our #ision inc$u"e= Making a #ita$ change in an area such as hea$th( techno$og'( or the en#iron ent= Baising happ'( !e$$0a"Custe" chi$"ren= Writing a book= D!ning 'our o!n business= Ei#ing on a beach= Aeing #er' fit an" hea$th'= Fisiting e#er' continent= 3e$ping others !ith their spiritua$ "e#e$op ent= What are 'ou goo" at= What "o 'ou $o#e to "o= What aren>t 'ou goo" at no!( but 'ou>" $ike to be= )$$ of these i portant 7uestions are part of i"entif'ing 'our persona$ #ision%

Printed by permissions from: http://www.mentoringgroup.com/html/articles/mentee_1.html CCC/THE E!T"#$!% %#"&P' www.mentoringgroup.com' 1()*+ esa ,ri-e' %rass .alley' C/ 0)010' &2/' Phone: )(+.3*4.111* 5a6: )(+.3*4.(*(* e7mail: info8mentoringgroup.com

GEN 197 Making the Most of Your UW Experience Spring 2011

Things I Really Enjoy Doing What Brings Me Happiness/Joy The Two Best Moments of My Past Week Three Things I ! Do If I Won the "ottery

Iss#es or $a#ses I $are Deeply %&o#t

Things I $an Do at What I ! "ike to My Most Important the +oo!,to,E-)ellent /top Doing or Do as 'al#es ($ir)le* "e.el "ittle as Possi&le Ha-ing integrity 2er-ing/pleasing a higher being or calling 9eing fit and healthy Ha-ing a nice home and belongings :ea-ing the world a better place Ha-ing fun :earning and impro-ing myself a;ing others< li-es easier or more pleasant En=oying my family "thers> ?/dd@

GEN 197 Making the Most of Your UW Experience Spring 2011