Today, I want to explore more deeply the importance of having a personal mission statement. As a starting point, it is crucial to understand that a mission statement can arise from two very different sources, the ego or the soul. Egoic mission statements are typically rooted in desires that center around power, prestige, pleasure, and the avoidance of discomfort. By contrast, soulful mission statements are inspired by noble values, creative endeavors, and the aspiration to serve the highest good of others. This next point is fundamental: to the degree that our mission statements arise from our souls, the intelligent forces that guide the evolution of the human race support all of our noble endeavors. This is exactly what Jesus meant when he said, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and everything else you need will be given unto to you.“ The highly respected mythologist Joseph Campbell said it this way:
“Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track
that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living
is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people
who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.”
Following your bliss is so much deeper than doing what is convenient or pleasurable. In the Hindu religion, bliss is a word which describes Absolute Reality, God. Following your bliss is about listening to your soulful aspirations. What gives you a sense of meaning and purpose? When do you experience life as deep and rich? To put it in a religious context, following our bliss is doing the will of God, because the will of God always serves our highest good. At the deepest level, our soulful aspirations are a manifestation of God’s will. Joseph Campbell tells us that there is a magic to life. When we follow our bliss, living not from the surface self but from the depths of our souls, the energy of God‘s truth, beauty, and goodness aligns behind us, creating possibilities that would not otherwise exist.
Follow your bliss
Without fear,
And doors will open
Where you did not know
They were going to be.
