{ Mission Statements versus A Universal Story. }

We’ve all seen Mission Statements. Who doesn’t love a good Mission Statement? They help consolidate complex thoughts into consumable bite-sized chunks. “We offer consumers quality pickles at a truly reasonable price.” Done. We get it. Your pickles are pretty average. And to charge any more for them would be criminal. Mission statements make everyone working at the pickle company feel better about selling pretty average pickles. They offer human beings straight lines to follow. So they don’t get lost. Or create any original ideas of their own. It’s a way to keep organic thinking in check. “Just sell the pickles, okay? We don’t need any ideas.”

So what do you do when your product is actually amazing? What do you do when you’ve got these great products, then realize that all of the pressure falls directly on you? If you’ve got good legs, you can run. Or you can take a deep breath and remember that most mission statements are lame. Not intentionally. Every company means well. But words matter. And when words are bleh, they keep us small. They keep our individual potentials - locked up.

Young Living has a mission statement. It’s not terrible. But it’s about Young Living. Not about the people on the front lines sharing Young Living. The people who are hugely successful on the front lines? What do they have? Enter the unsung hero:

The Universal Story.

This is where the magic begins. The exact opposite of a “bleh” mission statement. The Universal Story allows a team or a group to ascend to a higher plane. Not because it’s a professed dictum. But because it embraces, encourages and welcomes the value and power of the individual. Our Universal Story should be inspirational. It should encourage us. It should embody a blend of integrity, joy and organic responsibility.

{ So. }

What is Our Universal Story?

A Promise to Ourselves.

A Promise to Each Other.

A Promise to Our Prospects.

No one buys products. They buy passion. Wanting to be around people who actively demonstrate their “commitment to growing every day” is downright contagious. It doesn’t matter if you’re into Astronomy. Tennis. Or Ceramics. You might be crazy about horses. Or emus. Or poetry. You might be over the moon about vegan cooking. Or saving the oceans. Or committed to becoming the best single parent you can be. It’s about the LOVE. The things that truly light you up inside. It’s about sharing your journey. No matter how frumpy and imperfect the journey becomes. We crave legitimacy. No story is a straight line. Who wants a perfect story? We like seeing behind the curtain. Knowing we’re not alone with our imperfections. Allow yourself to embrace the freckles. The struggles. And by all means, the triumphs. Just remember to keep an eye on the story.

I am.

We are.

{ Totally Committed To }

Growing.

Every.

Day.