If You Aren’t Clear on What You Should Do, Your Mission Will Fail
It’s week three of the BMSU’s Mission Statement course. The first week we worked on discovering and getting clear about the mission and the importance of having one if you are going to turn your dreams into reality.
From a young age we have dreams of what our life will be like when we grow up. You remember those big and exciting dreams that you had as a kid.
But, as we grow older those childhood dreams begin to get buried under the weight of daily adult living. Then we convince ourselves that those dreams weren’t real…they were just childish imagination.
Sometimes we get hit in the head with a board to remind us that they are real.
Dreams are the possibilities placed in us by God at the beginning of our lives.
The second week we researched what critical characteristics are needed in people to carry out a specific mission. Different people have different skills and abilities. These differences are what give us the exact strengths needed to carry out that mission.
I don’t have the skills and abilities to play professional sports. I’m much more suited to building.
As a child my dream was different than my life now, but the big picture dream is still the same. There’s a connection with that dream and today’s reality.
Our characteristics need to align with our mission.
This week’s focus is…critical actions. We can talk big, but it’s no good until we do. Thinking and planning are important, but until you do something…nothing is going to happen.
It’s easy and safe to plan and prepare. If we actually do something it might result in mistakes and disappointments.
Not doing…keeps us from our mission.
Accomplishing a mission requires action. Think about what “action” movies all have in common…ACTION. If there isn’t some action taken, the building is going to explode, or the girl is going to die, or the bad guys are going to win.
We can’t let that happen.
Critical actions need to be simple and understandable. They need to be specific, focused and habitual. They need to become second nature, done without thinking in reaction to varying situations.
As with my mission statement and key characteristics, my critical actions are always being tweaked and improved. Going through this week’s study, I made some changes to my critical actions.
If my mission is:
Bridge the gap between construction companies and customers. Construction companies struggle with a lack of business knowledge and customers don’t understand or know what to expect from the construction process. We help both achieve their dreams, by providing businesses with systems and training to make their companies more efficient and profitable while educating customers in what to expect throughout the entire construction process.
Then I need to take these critical actions to achieve that mission.
- Make all we can, save all we can, give all we can: Vigilant focus on generating revenue, being frugal and sharing our blessings.
(With a Servant’s Heart, I tend to forget that we have to be profitable as a company to stay in business. This reminds me of that)
- Communicate clearly: We design and implement business systems, giving construction companies and their customers the opportunity to understand each other, allowing both to build their dreams.
(Without clear and accurate communication no one knows what to expect. This is the number one problem that construction companies and customers deal with. We help them bridge that gap)
- Spend time wisely: Using the limited amount of time we’ve been given each day to generate the best return for us and our customers.
(I tend to be a thinker and planner. This is to remind me of that and push me forward to prioritize, focus on the first next thing and take action)
A dream is where a mission starts. Action is what make it a reality.
DREAMS → VISIONS → GOALS → ACTIONS → RESULTS
ACTION…it’s the most important thing to accomplishing a mission!