Stop Your DRIFT
I fully believe it’s the case that people who clearly define their life mission, vision and values (MVV) are the happiest people on earth and have joy independent of circumstances. They know what they do best and they do it regularly. They make a clear difference in others as well.
However, even those with a clear mission still live in a “blustery world.” We still feel tugged, distracted and tempted away from what we want most. Like my car in fierce wind and rain storm a few weeks, ago, life has a way of blowing, luring or derailing us from what we say we want most. Can you relate to a bumper sticker that says, “Mission Drift Happens.” We start out wanting to value “family” and we get sucked off course. We determine to utilize our strengths in our work and we find ourselves getting pulled into other activities.
Here are 5 ways to overcome DRIFT and prioritize your own mission.
1. Discuss Your Mission, Vision and Values (MVV) with others you trust. (Of course, this assumes you’ve defined your MVV. If you haven’t yet, what’s keeping you from this?) But, there’s nothing like sharing what you really want with at least one other human being to keep us honest with ourselves and accountable to do what we say. You may even want to have those who know you best critique you in it. Do you have someone you can share your mission with? Who?
2. Review Your MVV Regularly. To do such review, you need to keep it somewhere you’ll see it. Frame it and put it above your desk. I know one friend who laminated it and put it in the front of his day planner. (Yes, he still uses paper. It works for him!) The key is to overcome “out of sight – out of mind” mentality. And evaluate. How did I do this week? Are the decisions I’m making consistent with my values?
3. Intentionally say “No” to the Good. As its been said, “The biggest enemy of the great often is not the bad. It’s the good.” That means you’ll need to learn how to filter out what’s good and what’s great. You’ll need to know when to NOT listen to others who don’t get who you are and what you do. Just a few days ago, a man my aged told me how he turned down the most lucrative job he was ever offered in favor of engaging his calling. “I have no regrets at all!” he told me enthusiastically. And let’s face it, for some of us, closing doors is even more excruciatingly difficult than opening new ones. However, if we don’t free our time, space and energy for the great, we may never get there.
4. Focus on the Great. In other words, do what it takes to get better at what you’re good at. Don’t pursue improving your mediocre abilities. Gain mastery and put the time into what you can be great at. Yes, it still takes hard work, practice and time. But, as you doggedly pursue your greatest gifts, you will find your confidence growing and your impact increasing.
5. Trust the growth process. As has been said, “Few things are created and perfected at the same time.” Your mission, vision and values statement will take time. It’s a picture of the best you. If it doesn’t stretch you and challenge you, it may be too easy. A vision should challenge us. Values should motivate us to work at it. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your vision.
We can Stop our DRIFT. We’ll just need to be intentional to do so. The results will be worth the work! Do you believe it?
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