Imagine for a moment the purest form of creativity, curiosity, and boundless imagination that we all possessed as children. Remember those days when there were endless possibilities and you believed you could be anything you wanted to be? Even Peter Pan himself! As grown-ups, we often find ourselves trapped in the monotony of adult responsibility, routine, and expectation. We misplace the spark of uninhibited joy and ingenuity that freed our younger selves.
Children have an unbelievable imagination, untarnished by the way things have always been done or thought of before. It’s a truly transformative concept to consider showing up to your organization’s conference room as your childhood self. But consider the untapped power your childhood self has to reshape your approach to life and work if you just “let it go.”
What if you allowed yourself to reconnect with your inner child and unlock achieving extraordinary success? As a child, you were unafraid to dream big and take risks because you “didn’t know any better.” You didn’t let the fear of failure hold you back from trying something new. Why should that be any different now?
Benefits From Your Inner Child
Consider the notion of unleashing your inner child when crafting your mission statement. Your mission statement should embody the essence of your dreams, passions, and the impact you want to have on the world. Setting free your inner child to come out and play when creating your mission statement can bring numerous benefits to the process:
Creativity and Imagination: Tap into new and innovative ideas, allowing for a mission statement that stands out and captures attention.
Authenticity: Children often express themselves without filters or pretenses. Stay true to yourself and your values. It encourages you to write from the heart, leading to a more authentic and genuine statement.
Joy and Passion: When we think like a child, we reconnect with our passions and the activities that bring us joy. You can ignite a similar flame within others and inspire them to connect with your vision.
Playfulness and Positivity: Children approach life with a sense of playfulness and positivity. Harnessing this spirit can attract people who resonate with your optimistic outlook and encourage them to join your cause.
Emotional Connection: The inner child represents our formative years when emotions and experiences were intensely felt. You tap into this emotional wellspring, making it easier to connect with the hearts and minds of your target audience.
Criteria for a Good Mission Statement as a Child
Here are some examples of how we played with our criteria for a good mission statement but, we rewrote them with our released inner child.
Describes an idealistic cause and creates a deep sense of purpose: Your mission statement should make you feel like you can save the world while wearing a cape and eating pizza.
Sets a standard of excellence and/or uniqueness: Your mission statement is so incredibly cool and innovative that it makes unicorns and rainbows jealous.
Inspires and energizes, capturing the soul of your company: Your mission statement pumps up your team like a catchy theme song and makes the office feel like a dance party.
Instills pride and a collective sense of identity: Your mission statement makes everyone feel like they're part of a superhero team about to save the world.
Is a tool with which to locate magnetic north; it’s a guiding star: Your mission statement leads you to success as if it were sailing through the celestial galaxy.
Is about creating value and making a meaningful contribution: Your mission statement makes you feel like you're building a magical empire of awesomeness.
Creates meaning, and even a sense of calling, for each member of the enterprise: Your mission statement makes you feel like you were destined to join this company and save the world, one spreadsheet at a time.
Channeling your inner child doesn’t mean trading your business attire for your superhero cape or unicorn crown full-time. Although, how fun would that be?!? It’s about merging the wonder-filled eyes of your younger self with the wisdom of your current years. Let your mission statement be the playground where both your imaginative child and mature adult co-create, ensuring it radiates with the authentic joy, imagination, and ambition that truly defines you.
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