When i hear the word “mission” i think of the military, or the business world with their “mission statements”. As a Star Trek fan, the spiel that picks up with “…to explore strange new worlds…” naturally comes to mind. When I briefly worked for Verizon many moons ago, they had a multi-paragraph mission statement that concluded with “We know that we did out best today. Tomorrow, we’ll do better”. That may be the one nugget I’ve carried on with me from the telecommunications giant.
As for myself, I’ve thought about the concept of a personal mission statement a number of times – usually in those mandatory professional development meetings teachers have to go to.
I think if I were to have one all-encompassing mission, or mission statement, it would be to inspire others.
Inspire others
As a father and as a teacher, I want to inspire others. Not only do i want my children to be the best people they can be, i want them to do better than I have. I try to serve as a model to them everyday:
Be strong – As Rocky Balboa says, this world will eat you up and spit you out if you let it. You’ve probably seen this one, but its always worth another watch.
Be compassionate - look out for the little guy. If you come across someone who needs help and you’re in a position that you can do it, help them. Show empathy. Never mistake compassion for weakness – either in yourself or in others.
Be understanding and be tolerant. Not everybody in the world thinks and acts like you do. Remember that there is something you can learn from everyone.
Work hard, but also remember to reward and take care of yourself.
The same holds true for my students. I want them to realize that middle and high school are not the seventh level of Hell. They can get something out of both experiences. I hope that they can find something that I’ve taught them to latch on to.
Be Bold - One of my favorite quotes if “fortune favors the bold”. I like to take chances. They don’t always pay off; but when they do, there’s no feeling like surprising yourself or other people.
Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure and losing are often a greater learning experience that success is. And if you don’t run the risk of failing at something, you’ll never take the chance of succeeding at it.
What is your mission?
Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier related posts:
- Sunday is borrowed time
- Teacher Armor and the Saturday Clearing
- The Extra Day: A Ten-Year Memory
- Of Training Wheels and Christmas Lights
- Charity Starts at Home (And I’m Back in My Childhood One)
The article “My Mission” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.
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