DR. NELLA GODFRYD

This is the sixth article in a 12 part series on How to Plan and Improve Your Life in which I discuss how to write and use a strategic plan for your life. If you haven’t already read the previous articles, I suggest you do so to get an overview of the topic. In this article I will be discussing how to find your mission in life —-

While our purpose is why we are here, our mission is what we do and for whom since we are here. Our mission is a specific area that we focus on. It is the way in which we serve. We have at least one mission during our lifetime, and that mission can change over the years as our lives change. In this section, we will focus on our primary mission or that which we are dedicated to doing. Sometimes God gives us a mission directly, sometimes he reveals it to us after we pray for guidance, and at times we decide on our own mission.

The Bible tells us that after Jesus’s resurrection, he gave his eleven remaining disciples the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and teach them to obey his commandments. This is how he wanted them to serve.

There was a Pharisee called Saul who persecuted many of the followers of Jesus (Christians). After Jesus’s ascension, when Saul was on the way to Damascus to persecute Jesus’s disciples, Jesus appeared to Saul (later called Paul), blinded him for three days, and gave him a special mission. Paul’s mission was to bear Jesus’s name to the Gentiles and the children of Israel.

Paul was very passionate about his mission and visited many countries, where he preached about Jesus. He also wrote many letters that are part of the New Testament in the Bible. Unlike the eleven disciples whose mission included baptizing others, Paul’s mission was not to baptize others, as he admitted.

Many of us have different missions in life, and that is why God created every one of us differently. We also have different knowledge, talents, skills, competencies, attitudes, experiences, and resources that enable us to do different things for different people. If you are not clear about what your mission is or what you want it to be, you can pray for guidance, review your SWOC life assessment as you focus on your mission, and try to identify your options. Think about the opportunities you have and how you can use your strengths to take advantage of them. Think about what you feel called to do. You can also think about the areas listed in the second sentence of this paragraph and ask yourself the following questions:

1. How can I serve?
2.  What do I do best?
3. What do I enjoy doing?
4. What am I most passionate about?
5. What would I do if I had no limitations?
6. Who would I like to help?
7. What is my dream job?
8. What would I like to create?
9. What difference do I want to make?
10. What will my mission achieve?
11. What sort of life will I live because of my mission?
12. What would I really like to do so that at the end of my life on earth I will feel that I have lived fully?

When I followed this approach, I realized that my mission is to help others develop themselves for success and make a difference in the world. I do this not only as a human resource development specialist and businesswoman, but also with whomever I come into contact with who either asks for my help or I think needs a bit of help. When I do this, I always try to incorporate spirituality as much as I can because we are spiritual beings.

I am very passionate about my mission, which I enjoy. When I carry out my mission, I serve God, myself, and others, and I do it to the glory of God. Whatever your mission may be, you can do likewise. If you are not happy with your mission, you can change it. It is better to do it now than to regret not doing it.

Try to ensure that your mission is something you enjoy doing, and do it with excellence. This will make a difference in your life and in the lives of those you serve. The quality of your service and the number of people you serve are very important. We all like to have good service. Your success in life depends to a large extent on the quality and quantity of service you provide to others.

In the next article I will be discussing the importance of having dreams for your life. Meanwhile, I would love to hear from you and about your progress, so please leave your comments below.

To learn more about how to improve your life, read Transform Your Life: 7 Steps to a Better Life.

Click the link below to download the first chapter FREE

Transform Your Life – 7 Steps to a Better Life – Chapter 1