A recipe for success in any aspect of life, regardless of industry, culture, continent, religion, race or color, is finding the most authentic version of yourself and expressing it.
Look closely at the most successful people in different areas of life and you’ll find a common thread that runs among them. They all have a keen awareness of who they are and what they are about.
As a result, they are able to approach life authentically and with purpose, and that’s one of the key reasons for their success.This same fact is also true in business.
Name any successful business that has withstood the test of time – CocaCola, Dangote, Guinness, and others – and you'll rea a business that knows who they are and what they are about. That’s what is defined as the “soul” of a business.
The journey of an entrepreneur is often fraught with different challenges. It’s often filled with a lot of bumps and more often than not the entrepreneur spends a lot of time trying to keep it together.
If you’re trying to start, run or grow a business, you definitely know what I’m talking about. There is no short supply of challenges. Time and again, it seems like you are putting out one fire after the other. This is especially the case if you’re trying to build a business in Nigeria.
Often times businesses usually start out as plain hustle. You spotted an opportunity to make extra cash and before you realized it, you are tucked into trying to keep it all together.
The best part is, no matter how far gone you are in business, it’s never too late to sit down to clearly write down what you intend to achieve with your business. In other words, craft your mission statement.
Many entrepreneurs think mission statements are only for big and mature companies.And this is exactly why we get it all wrong.
So, what is a Mission Statement, and why do you need one?
A mission statement explains to your customers “why” you exist and “how” you aim to serve those people who are important to your business.
In fact, research shows that companies with a good mission statement usually perform better than those without them.
Your mission guides every decision you take about your business from that point. And once at maturity, that unique identity makes the business separate from the owner and other similar businesses.
A good mission statement also moves your business a step further from just hustling. It helps to introduce quality and clarity to the hustle.
A good mission statement helps a business find its soul. It takes your business on that journey of self-discovery where you are able to clearly define how you want the world to distinctively define your business.
People should be able to link your business to a particular identity(DNA). You can guide the impression you create in the mind of your customers. And you do this by knowing and telling them your mission – what your business is about, who you are trying to serve, how you plan to serve them and doing just that.
Once you’ve defined your mission, your life gets easier.
Your mission guides every decision you take about your business from that point. And once at maturity, that unique identity makes the business separate from the owner and other similar businesses.
The first important point to note is that the statement should be short. It should express your business’s purpose in a way that inspires support and ongoing commitment to it.
It must be concise and specific so your customers understand your purpose and how you provide value to them.
The whole point of a mission statement is to define a purpose that your business is going to live by. Therefore, keep it as simple as you possibly can.
When your mission statement is finally done, it creates beautiful magic. Nothing beats a business whose actions, thoughts and attitudes are focused on a single defined purpose.
Some importance of a mission statement are:
1) A mission helps to ensure that all the decisions you are making about your business is intentional, focused and leading to an end goal. Without it you are probably going around in circles.
2) A mission is a vital ingredient for the magic your business needs, no matter the size of your business – big or small. Unfortunately, most businesses hardly have one on paper.
On a final note, put in the effort to craft a good mission statement for your company today and you’ll improve your odds of success, and watch your company become your dream.
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