vision statement college essay

Vision Statement Examples for Students

A vision statement refers to a short and aspirational statement that describes the future goals of the person or the organization. A vision statement is often confused with a mission statement, but these two statements have different meanings. A mission statement describes the tasks that the person or the organization intend to do in the current or near duration, while a vision statement describes what the person or the organization wants to achieve in the long run. Usually, vision statements are used in businesses to set a clear vision regarding the future goals of the company, but a vision statement can also be used by the students to stay focused and work towards their future goals and make a successful career. Vision statements can do wonder in the student’s life as it guides them to choose the right actions that are aligned with their goals. In this article, we’ll discuss the various examples of the personal vision statements for students and how to write an effective vision statement and different ways of using it.

Personal Vision Statement Examples for Students

A personal vision statement is very beneficial for the students. It helps the student to analyse accurate steps and focus on the main goal that he/she wants to achieve in the coming years. Let us check out the various examples of vision statements that can help you to formulate your vision statement.

1. Vision Statements based on the Five Years Time Frame

Thinking about where you want to see yourself five years later, is one of the best methods of creating a vision statement. For example, if you are a student, which college do you want to join after your school. If you are in college, which company do you want to join and what career do you want to pursue after your studies. Following are some examples of vision statements based on the five years time frame.

• In five years, I will be studying at Stanford University and majoring in Biology.
• I will be working as an accountant at the XYZ organization in five years.
• I will be working as a Special Educator after my graduation and help the millions of disabled children.
• In five years, I will be working as a professor at Harvard University.
• Five years from now, I’ll be working as the CEO of the XYZ company.
• In five years, I’ll be living in my own house in Los Angeles.
• Five years from now, I’ll be earning X times more than my current earnings.

2. Vision Statements based on the Personal Interests

• I will become an efficient engineer because I have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• I love learning about space and the universe. I’ll pursue my graduation in astronomy and become an astronaut.
• I’m driven toward artificial intelligence. I aim to pursue my graduation in Computer and Artificial intelligence.
• I have a keen interest in environmental protection. I’ll study environmental engineering and helps scientists in developing strategies to tackle climatic change.
• I love helping poor and old people. I will start an NGO that provides necessities to the poor and the old people.
• I love reading novels and writing fictional stories. I will become a writer in the future.
• I have a keen interest in exploring old monuments and artefacts. I will be majoring in archaeology at my graduation.

3. Vision Statements Based on Your Goal

• What is your ultimate goal? What do you think the success is for you? Your vision statement should be based upon your definition of being successful and your ultimate goal. Following are examples of the vision statement based upon the ultimate goal of the people.
• My carrear goal is to be an astronaut at NASA. I like exploring space and the Universe.
• I will become a popular actor/actress. I like to perform various acts.
• I am passionate about designing different styles of building. I will major in Architecture and become a professional Architecture.
• I am passionate about psychology and helping people suffering from psychological disorders. I will pursue my graduation in clinical psychology and open a psychology clinic to help people facing various psychological disorders.
• I will become a successful entrepreneur. I will open a business, which involves selling the local goods to the international markets.
• My goal is to become a school principal. I believe that educators have the potential to change the world and schools should provide an optimum environment for the students that foster their growth.

4. Visions Statement based on the Particular Skill

When you perform a particular task over the years, you become skilled in that task. Instead of focusing on the new vision or learning a new skill, you may create your vision that utilizes the skill you already have acquired through the years of direct or indirect training. Hence, one should always look at his/her skillset before creating the vision statement. One can consider the following examples.

• I have great communication skills and the ability to persuade others. I will become a journalist as it utilizes my skills and because I want to raise the voice of minorities.
• I have a piece of great knowledge of finance management. I will open a consultancy business that will help small businesses efficiently utilize the available resources and become successful.
• I will use my agricultural knowledge and family farm work experience in helping the local farmers to know about the different methods of crop production that will provide them with the maximum profit.
• I plan to use my creative thinking and software development skills to develop an application that will benefit people in managing their day to day tasks.
• I have great cooking skills. I will become a chef.

Ways to Use Personal Vision Statement for Students

Once you finished making your vision statement, you should utilize it effectively to get the maximum benefits. Following are some of how you can use your vision statements to easily achieve the set vision.

• One should keep his/her vision statement in a place where he/she can see it regularly. One can place it on the side of the mirror, or write it on paper and carry it in the wallet or purse, or one can stick it on the wall of his/her workstation. When you see your vision statement daily, it triggered your brain to easily accomplish the tasks that bring you closer to the accomplishment of your vision statement. Hence, one should read his/her personal vision statement at least once a day.
• A personal vision statement can help you in making your career decisions. For example, if you are looking for a job change or taking any other decisions related to your career, you can always look at your vision statement. Check whether your particular decisions are aligned with your vision statement or not. If that decision is helping you to reach closer to your visions then go ahead with that decision, if not, it is better to avoid that decision.
• It is also observed that if you tell about your vision statements to your close ones say family or friends, you are more likely to follow your vision statement.
• Visions statement can guide you that what is the skill your need to learn and what you should avoid. By looking at the vision statement one can choose the skill to learn that aligns with the vision statement. This can save a huge amount of your time that you may have wasted on learning a skill that does not fit with your vision statement.
• One can also mention his/her vision statement in the resume or the cover letter as it helps the employer to get the idea about your motivation and future goals, which can help him to determine whether you fit for that particular job position or not.

Steps to Consider for an Effective Vision Statment

• Try to visualise your expected life from five to ten years from now. Think of things that excite you and the things if accomplished can make a huge impact on your personal and professional life. Think of the location where you want to settle or work in the coming years and the type of environment you want to live in.
• Apart from visualising, also consider the other factors, and changes that can impact your personal life; for example changes in the environment, technology, and national policies can have a direct impact on your vision. Nobody can predict life 100 per cent as it is dynamic, one should always have a backup plan that they may utilize in case of emergencies. Hence, vision statements should be formulated after considering all the factors.
• Initially, don’t just focus on writing a single vision statement, instead, try to write all your visions on paper. Now, analyse what is the most important vision out of all the written statements and make it a priority and add it to your main vision statement. Also, consider other vision statements in improvising the main vision statement.
• Make sure that your vision statement is unique, you may get the ideas of a vision statement through the internet or other sources, but never forget that every individual is unique and have his/her visions or dreams to accomplish. Your vision statement should be motivating and future-oriented.
• You may imagine a lot of things to accomplish, but try to keep your vision statement short, hence refining your vision statement is an important step. Try to limit it to fifty or lesser words. This makes it easy for you to read it daily. Also, make a vision statement that is aligned with your beliefs or values. If the vision statement opposes or is against the things you believe in, it may become difficult for you to achieve the set vision.
• One should always consider his/her strengths and weaknesses before creating the vision statement. List all your strengths and weaknesses on a paper and then cross-check them with your career goals. Prioritize the goals that involve your strengths in the vision statement. For example, if you have good accounting skills you can consider being an accountant, on the other hand, if you think you want to be a pilot but you have acrophobia, then this may create problems in achieving your goal of being a pilot. Make sure that you have a specific career goal and try to make your vision statement focusing on that specific goal. It is easy to achieve the vision when your vision statement focuses on a single goal.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is a personal statement everything you need to know about the college essay.

College Admissions , College Essays

In addition to standardized test scores and transcripts, a personal statement or essay is a required part of many college applications. The personal statement can be one of the most stressful parts of the application process because it's the most open ended.

In this guide, I'll answer the question, "What is a personal statement?" I'll talk through common college essay topics and what makes for an effective personal statement.

College Essay Glossary

Even the terminology can be confusing if you aren't familiar with it, so let's start by defining some terms:

Personal statement —an essay you write to show a college admissions committee who you are and why you deserve to be admitted to their school. It's worth noting that, unlike "college essay," this term is used for application essays for graduate school as well.

College essay —basically the same as a personal statement (I'll be using the terms interchangeably).

Essay prompt —a question or statement that your college essay is meant to respond to.

Supplemental essay —an extra school or program-specific essay beyond the basic personal statement.

Many colleges ask for only one essay. However, some schools do ask you to respond to multiple prompts or to provide supplemental essays in addition to a primary personal statement.

Either way, don't let it stress you out! This guide will cover everything you need to know about the different types of college essays and get you started thinking about how to write a great one:

• Why colleges ask for an essay
• What kinds of essay questions you'll see
• What sets great essays apart
• Tips for writing your own essay

Why Do Colleges Ask For an Essay?

There are a couple of reasons that colleges ask applicants to submit an essay, but the basic idea is that it gives them more information about you, especially who you are beyond grades and test scores.

#1: Insight Into Your Personality

The most important role of the essay is to give admissions committees a sense of your personality and what kind of addition you'd be to their school's community . Are you inquisitive? Ambitious? Caring? These kinds of qualities will have a profound impact on your college experience, but they're hard to determine based on a high school transcript.

Basically, the essay contextualizes your application and shows what kind of person you are outside of your grades and test scores . Imagine two students, Jane and Tim: they both have 3.5 GPAs and 1200s on the SAT. Jane lives in Colorado and is the captain of her track team; Tim lives in Vermont and regularly contributes to the school paper. They both want to be doctors, and they both volunteer at the local hospital.

As similar as Jane and Tim seem on paper, in reality, they're actually quite different, and their unique perspectives come through in their essays. Jane writes about how looking into her family history for a school project made her realize how the discovery of modern medical treatments like antibiotics and vaccines had changed the world and drove her to pursue a career as a medical researcher. Tim, meanwhile, recounts a story about how a kind doctor helped him overcome his fear of needles, an interaction that reminded him of the value of empathy and inspired him to become a family practitioner. These two students may seem outwardly similar but their motivations and personalities are very different.

Without an essay, your application is essentially a series of numbers: a GPA, SAT scores, the number of hours spent preparing for quiz bowl competitions. The personal statement is your chance to stand out as an individual.

#2: Evidence of Writing Skills

A secondary purpose of the essay is to serve as a writing sample and help colleges see that you have the skills needed to succeed in college classes. The personal statement is your best chance to show off your writing , so take the time to craft a piece you're really proud of.

That said, don't panic if you aren't a strong writer. Admissions officers aren't expecting you to write like Joan Didion; they just want to see that you can express your ideas clearly.

No matter what, your essay should absolutely not include any errors or typos .

#3: Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances

For some students, the essay is also a chance to explain factors affecting their high school record. Did your grades drop sophomore year because you were dealing with a family emergency? Did you miss out on extracurriculars junior year because of an extended medical absence? Colleges want to know if you struggled with a serious issue that affected your high school record , so make sure to indicate any relevant circumstances on your application.

Keep in mind that in some cases there will be a separate section for you to address these types of issues, as well as any black marks on your record like expulsions or criminal charges.

#4: Your Reasons for Applying to the School

Many colleges ask you to write an essay or paragraph about why you're applying to their school specifically . In asking these questions, admissions officers are trying to determine if you're genuinely excited about the school and whether you're likely to attend if accepted .

I'll talk more about this type of essay below.

What Kind of Questions Do Colleges Ask?

Thankfully, applications don't simply say, "Please include an essay about yourself"; they include a question or prompt that you're asked to respond to . These prompts are generally pretty open-ended and can be approached in a lot of different ways .

Nonetheless, most questions fall into a few main categories. Let's go through each common type of prompt, with examples from the Common Application, the University of California application, and a few individual schools.

Prompt Type 1: Your Personal History

This sort of question asks you to write about a formative experience, important event, or key relationship from your life . Admissions officers want to understand what is important to you and how your background has shaped you as a person.

These questions are both common and tricky. The most common pit students fall into is trying to tell their entire life stories. It's better to focus in on a very specific point in time and explain why it was meaningful to you.

Common App 1

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Common App 5

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

University of California 2

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

University of California 6

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Prompt Type 2: Facing a Problem

A lot of prompts deal with how you solve problems, how you cope with failure, and how you respond to conflict. College can be difficult, both personally and academically, and admissions committees want to see that you're equipped to face those challenges .

The key to these types of questions is to identify a real problem, failure, or conflict ( not a success in disguise) and show how you adapted and grew from addressing the issue.

Common App 2

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Harvard University 7

The Harvard College Honor Code declares that we “hold honesty as the foundation of our community.” As you consider entering this community that is committed to honesty, please reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.

Prompt Type 3: Diversity

Most colleges are pretty diverse, with students from a wide range of backgrounds. Essay questions about diversity are designed to help admissions committees understand how you interact with people who are different from you .

In addressing these prompts, you want to show that you're capable of engaging with new ideas and relating to people who may have different beliefs than you.

Common App 3

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Johns Hopkins University

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g., race, gender, sexuality, religion, community) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins.  This can be a future goal or experience that is either [sic] academic, extracurricular, or social.

Duke University Optional 1

We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community. 

Prompt Type 4: Your Future Goals

This type of prompt asks about what you want to do in the future: sometimes simply what you'd like to study, sometimes longer-term career goals. Colleges want to understand what you're interested in and how you plan to work towards your goals.

You'll mostly see these prompts if you're applying for a specialized program (like pre-med or engineering) or applying as a transfer student. Some schools also ask for supplementary essays along these lines. 

University of Southern California (Architecture)

Princeton Supplement 1

Prompt Type 5: Why This School

The most common style of supplemental essay is the "why us?" essay, although a few schools with their own application use this type of question as their main prompt. In these essays, you're meant to address the specific reasons you want to go to the school you're applying to .

Whatever you do, don't ever recycle these essays for more than one school.

Chapman University

There are thousands of universities and colleges. Why are you interested in attending Chapman?

Columbia University

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.

Rice University

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?

Princeton University

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?

Prompt Type 6: Creative Prompts

More selective schools often have supplemental essays with stranger or more unique questions. University of Chicago is notorious for its weird prompts, but it's not the only school that will ask you to think outside the box in addressing its questions.

University of Chicago

“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match).

University of Vermont

Established in Burlington, VT, Ben & Jerry’s is synonymous with both ice cream and social change. The “Save Our Swirled” flavor raises awareness of climate change, and “I Dough, I Dough” celebrates marriage equality. If you worked alongside Ben & Jerry, what charitable flavor would you develop and why?

What Makes a Strong Personal Statement?

OK , so you're clear on what a college essay is, but you're still not sure how to write a good one . To help you get started, I'm going to explain the main things admissions officers look for in students' essays: an engaging perspective, genuine moments, and lively writing .

I've touched on these ideas already, but here, I'll go into more depth about how the best essays stand out from the pack.

Showing Who You Are

A lot of students panic about finding a unique topic, and certainly writing about something unusual like a successful dating app you developed with your friends or your time working as a mall Santa can't hurt you. But what's really important isn't so much what you write about as how you write about it . You need to use your subject to show something deeper about yourself.

Look at the prompts above: you'll notice that they almost all ask you what you learned or how the experience affected you. Whatever topic you pick, you must be able to specifically address how or why it matters to you .

Say a student, Will, was writing about the mall Santa in response to Common App prompt number 2 (the one about failure): Will was a terrible mall Santa. He was way too skinny to be convincing and the kids would always step on his feet. He could easily write 600 very entertaining words describing this experience, but they wouldn't necessarily add up to an effective college essay.

To do that, he'll need to talk about his motivations and his feelings: why he took such a job in the first place and what he did (and didn't) get out of it. Maybe Will took the job because he needed to make some money to go on a school trip and it was the only one he could find. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for screaming children, he kept doing it because he knew if he persevered through the whole holiday season he would have enough money for his trip. Would you rather read "I failed at being a mall Santa" or "Failing as a mall Santa taught me how to persevere no matter what"? Admissions officers definitely prefer the latter.

Ultimately, the best topics are ones that allow you to explain something surprising about yourself .

Since the main point of the essay is to give schools a sense of who you are, you have to open up enough to let them see your personality . Writing a good college essay means being honest about your feelings and experiences even when they aren't entirely positive.

In this context, honesty doesn't mean going on at length about the time you broke into the local pool at night and nearly got arrested, but it does mean acknowledging when something was difficult or upsetting for you. Think about the mall Santa example above. The essay won't work unless the writer genuinely acknowledges that he was a bad Santa and explains why.

Eloquent Writing

As I mentioned above, colleges want to know that you are a strong enough writer to survive in college classes . Can you express your ideas clearly and concisely? Can you employ specific details appropriately and avoid clichés and generalizations? These kinds of skills will serve you well in college (and in life!).

Nonetheless, admissions officers recognize that different students have different strengths. They aren't looking for a poetic magnum opus from someone who wants to be a math major. (Honestly, they aren't expecting a masterwork from anyone , but the basic point stands.) Focus on making sure that your thoughts and personality come through, and don't worry about using fancy vocabulary or complex rhetorical devices.

Above all, make sure that you have zero grammar or spelling errors . Typos indicate carelessness, which will hurt your cause with admissions officers.

Top Five Essay-Writing Tips

Now that you have a sense of what colleges are looking for, let's talk about how you can put this new knowledge into practice as you approach your own essay. Below, I've collected my five best tips from years as a college essay counselor.

#1: Start Early!

No matter how much you want to avoid writing your essay, don't leave it until the last minute . One of the most important parts of the essay writing process is editing, and editing takes a lot of time. You want to be able to put your draft in a drawer for a week and come back to it with fresh eyes. You don't want to be stuck with an essay you don't really like because you have to submit your application tomorrow.

You need plenty of time to experiment and rewrite, so I would recommend starting your essays at least two months before the application deadline . For most students, that means starting around Halloween, but if you're applying early, you'll need to get going closer to Labor Day.

Of course, it's even better to get a head start and begin your planning earlier. Many students like to work on their essays over the summer, when they have more free time, but you should keep in mind that each year's application isn't usually released until August or September. Essay questions often stay the same from year to year, however. If you are looking to get a jump on writing, you can try to confirm with the school (or the Common App) whether the essay questions will be the same as the previous year's.

#2: Pick a Topic You're Genuinely Excited About

One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to write what they think the committee wants to hear. The truth is that there's no "right answer" when it comes to college essays . T he best topics aren't limited to specific categories like volunteer experiences or winning a tournament. Instead, they're topics that actually matter to the writer .

"OK," you're thinking, "but what does she mean by 'a topic that matters to you'? Because to be perfectly honest, right now, what really matters to me is that fall TV starts up this week, and I have a feeling I shouldn't write about that."

You're not wrong (although some great essays have been written about television ). A great topic isn't just something that you're excited about or that you talk to your friends about; it's something that has had a real, describable effect on your perspective .

This doesn't mean that you should overemphasize how something absolutely changed your life , especially if it really didn't. Instead, try to be as specific and honest as you can about how the experience affected you, what it taught you, or what you got out of it.

Let's go back to the TV idea. Sure, writing an essay about how excited you are for the new season of Stranger Things  probably isn't the quickest way to get yourself into college, but you could write a solid essay (in response to the first type of prompt) about how SpongeBob SquarePants was an integral part of your childhood. However, it's not enough to just explain how much you loved SpongeBob—you must also explain why and how watching the show every day after school affected your life. For example, maybe it was a ritual you shared with your brother, which showed you how even seemingly silly pieces of pop culture can bring people together. Dig beneath the surface to show who you are and how you see the world.

When you write about something you don't really care about, your writing will come out clichéd and uninteresting, and you'll likely struggle to motivate yourself. When you instead write about something that is genuinely important to you, you can make even the most ordinary experiences—learning to swim, eating a meal, or watching TV—engaging .

#3: Focus on Specifics

But how do you write an interesting essay? Focus.

Don't try to tell your entire life story or even the story of an entire weekend; 500–650 words may seem like a lot, but you'll reach that limit quickly if you try to pack every single thing that has happened to you into your essay. If, however, you just touch on a wide range of topics, you'll end up with an essay that reads more like a résumé.

Instead, narrow in on one specific event or idea, and talk about it in more depth . The narrower your topic, the better. For example, writing about your role as Mercutio in your school's production of Romeo and Juliet is too general, but writing about opening night, when everything went wrong, could be a great topic.

Whatever your topic, use details to help draw the reader in and express your unique perspective. But keep in mind that you don't have to include every detail of what you did or thought; stick to the important and illustrative ones.

#4: Use Your Own Voice

College essays aren't academic assignments; you don't need to be super formal. Instead, try to be yourself. The best writing sounds like a more eloquent version of the way you talk .

Focus on using clear, simple language that effectively explains a point or evokes a feeling. To do so, avoid the urge to use fancy-sounding synonyms when you don't really know what they mean. Contractions are fine; slang, generally, is not. Don't hesitate to write in the first person.

A final note: you don't need to be relentlessly positive. It's OK to acknowledge that sometimes things don't go how you want—just show how you grew from that.

#5: Be Ruthless

Many students want to call it a day after writing a first draft, but editing is a key part of writing a truly great essay. To be clear, editing doesn't mean just making a few minor wording tweaks and cleaning up typos; it means reading your essay carefully and objectively and thinking about how you could improve it .

Ask yourself questions as you read: is the progression of the essay clear? Do you make a lot of vague, sweeping statements that could be replaced with more interesting specifics? Do your sentences flow together nicely? Do you show something about yourself beyond the surface level?

You will have to delete and rewrite (potentially large) parts of your essay, and no matter how attached you feel to something you wrote, you might have to let it go . If you've ever heard the phrase "kill your darlings," know that it is 100% applicable to college essay writing.

At some point, you might even need to rewrite the whole essay. Even though it's annoying, starting over is sometimes the best way to get an essay that you're really proud of.

What's Next?

Make sure to check out our other posts on college essays , including our step-by-step guide to how to write your college essay , our analysis of the Common App Prompts , and our collection of example essays .

If you're in need of guidance on other parts of the application process , take a look at our guides to choosing the right college for you , writing about extracurriculars , deciding to double major , and requesting teacher recommendations .

Last but not least, if you're planning on taking the SAT one last time , check out our ultimate guide to studying for the SAT and make sure you're as prepared as possible.

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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Inspirational College Application Essay Decoded!

Updated: July 11, 2022

Published: October 29, 2021

If you are applying to a college that requires a college application essay, you will undoubtedly want your college essay to leave a lasting impression on its readers. 

Many colleges request a college application essay; some colleges will provide prospective students with the topic they want you to write about, while others will leave the choice up to you.  

So, how do you write an inspirational essay? There’s no single right way to source college essay inspiration, but there are some recommendations that we’ve compiled here to help you along with your process. 

What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement, or college application essay, is an opportunity to share something about yourself through writing that the college admissions team won’t necessarily glean from your resume , transcript, or letters of recommendation. 

It provides applicants with the space to share more about their personality and complement the other pieces of your application to offer a well-rounded picture of who you are. 

Things to Note 

Before you get started on your college essay, there are some important things to keep in mind . You’ll likely have been spending a lot of time compiling all the other components for your application, which may include transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation, and more. 

When it comes time to write your personal statement, be sure to:

Read the Directions Closely

Many prospective students and enrolled students will note that their college essay was the most challenging aspect of completing their college application. This is because it requires the most thought, time, and can also be somewhat open-ended. As such, it’s vital that students read the college essay guidelines and directions closely. In itself, the college essay is like a test for college admissions committees to see how well you can follow directions. 

Avoid Clichés 

There are many inspirational essay examples you can choose from to find ideas, but when using inspiration, avoid using clichés. While clichés exist for a reason because they are based in truth, many students will likely use them. To prevent your essay from getting overlooked, use your own words and voice to describe what you write about so that you can stand apart. 

Once you have your essay drafted, be sure to plan enough time to proofread and edit your work. Even if you feel unsure of putting words on the page, write them down. You can spend time making it better with a second, third, and fourth look. The proofreading stage should also include an objective set of eyes (someone you trust) who can give you their honest opinion about your essay.

A Step-by-Step Guide 

Your college essay isn’t going to write itself. You have to put in the work, but it can be overwhelming to know where to start. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide that should help you start and finish your inspirational college essay. 

Organize and Brainstorm 

Before you get started on drafting your college essay, organize your thoughts. If you’ve been given essay prompts, dedicate at least 5-10 minutes to each prompt to think about what you may write about.  

Choose Your Topic 

Based on how much you come up with for each prompt, you can choose which prompt will suit your story the best. If you have an open-ended prompt, think about defining moments in your life, your passions, inspirations, achievements, and the like to come up with some ideas of what you can share. 

Create an Outline 

There will be a lot of details that you’ll want to add to your essay to convey your point(s). To keep the flow organized, begin by outlining what you will talk about. A clear starting point is a brief introduction with a hook sentence to grab the reader’s attention. Then, list where you will go next with main points and supporting evidence (anecdotes from your past, examples of your point, etc.). Finish up with a conclusion that reiterates your main point (topic/gist), and close out with something that leaves the reader thinking or feeling something strongly so that your essay lingers in their mind. 

Once you have your outline sorted, you can get to drafting up your inspirational essay. While it’s difficult not to edit as you write, try to let everything out. You’ll have time to clean it up after, but allowing your train of thought to appear on the page may lead to something brilliant. 

Many college essays will provide you with a maximum word count. Remain aware of this word count as you write. 

Pro Tip: If you use Google Docs, go to Tools> Word Count> Select “Display Word Count While Typing.”

The chances are, you’ll probably find it easier to write more than less. To cut down your word count, read each sentence and ask yourself if that sentence or word is necessary to convey your point. Keep an eye on grammar and spelling. Even though you will use the word processor’s spelling and grammar review upon completion, it doesn’t always catch everything. 

After you’ve edited down your college essay, read it over a few times, and entrust someone (or multiple people) to give you some feedback. Try not to take the feedback personally, as the people you allow to read your essay will likely have your best interest in mind, and they are just trying to help you write a better final product. 

College Essay Inspiration 

You’ll want your personal statement to be considered an inspirational college essay. To make this vision a reality, remember to: 

• Be passionate 
• Be specific 
• Be yourself 

Some topics that make for inspirational college essays include stories about:

• Overcoming a challenge 
• Learning something new 
• Making a significant life change 
• Sharing an epiphany 
• Expressing your interests and reasoning 

Your Story is Important 

Whether you believe it or not, your personal statement and story is important. No two people have the same life circumstance or outlook as another, so sharing your truth with a college admissions team can be the root of inspiration, and ultimately, admission. 

Believe in yourself and your words, and take the necessary time to prepare, edit, and write your very own inspirational essay for college. The truth is that it can be all the difference to granting your acceptance into the college of your dreams.

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How to Focus on Your Values in Your Personal Statement

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by CEG Essay Specialist Kaila Barber in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered: 

Identifying your own values, demonstrate your values with examples.

• Reflecting on Your Experiences

It’s important to keep in mind what your reader is hoping to learn from your personal statement. The statement is an opportunity to reflect on your experiences and demonstrate how you think about and relate to the world around you. Specifically, what are some of your values? What’s meaningful to you? What do you find important? 

Personal values can be things like communication, patience, nature, health, personal development, courage, self-love, authenticity, healthy boundaries, or even humor. Before you start drafting your personal statement, take a moment to reflect on the things that you find important and why. 

We’re all very different people coming from different backgrounds, and we have different experiences that impact our individual values. While some of your values will overlap with those of other people, your personal reflection on the values that resonate most with you will separate your statement from someone else’s. 

The best way to include your values, skills, and traits in your essay is to pair them with specific examples and anecdotes. Each anecdote should align with at least one of the values that you find most important and should be accompanied by your personal reflection on the value and its related experience. 

Here’s an example. A student does not have a parent or guardian around to shoulder the expenses of caring for them and their younger sibling. In their outline, the student says that they value autonomy, financial stability, and family. Throughout the essay, they demonstrate these values by talking about getting a part-time job to help support the family and caring for their sibling at home. They also excel academically and even petition to have an AP Physics II course offered at their school. 

The student has shown autonomy by taking the initiative to petition for the new course and by getting a job. They have also demonstrated that both financial stability and family are important to them by pitching in to support their parent and sibling.

Your examples should show your reader your values by being specific and personal to your background and experiences.

Reflecting on Your Experiences 

Reflecting on your values is an equally important part of the personal statement. Your reflections or insight should focus on not only your experiences but also who you are and who you want to become. The insight you include in your essay shows that you’ve really found meaning from your personal experiences.

Insight can take a few forms. A common way to show insight is by writing about a growth experience. Show how you went from point A in your life to point B, and share the lessons you’ve learned along the way. For example, people often reflect on how navigating a strenuous activity or challenge changed the way that they thought about themselves and what they could handle. Reflecting on that change in confidence is one way to demonstrate insight.

One of the clearest ways to explore insight is to self-reflect and write about how something has either connected you to, influenced, or reframed how you think of your own values. Maybe you once pushed yourself too hard, and that experience showed you the value of rest and mindfulness. Or perhaps a change in circumstances shifted or redefined your values to an extent. 

For example, a person might say that while they craved stability as a child because of their home life, they now see the value of risk-taking and adventure in enriching their own knowledge and experiences. In this example, both security and risk are important to the speaker, but their experiences ultimately shifted weight from one value to another.

Regardless of how you approach your personal statement, insight is the overarching meaning that you take away from the relevant experiences and values you’ve shared.

Are you looking for more guidance as you draft your personal statement? Check out this post on how to come up with a strong topic that wows your admissions reader!

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Essay Prompts

As a part of your application to SPU, you’ll submit one essay and answer one SPU writing prompt. These two pieces will help us better understand you, your experience, and your skills as a writer.

Essay 1: Your personal statement/Common Application Essay

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Writing Prompt: SPU Mission Fit/Vision Statement

In the SPU Application, you’ll respond to the following (in 100 to 500 words):

At Seattle Pacific, we encourage all students to explore or go deeper in Christian faith and to be inspired to make a difference. SPU’s vision means that you can pursue an education that helps you change the world for the better. How does  Seattle Pacific’s vision  align with your desires for college? How does your own faith perspective or personal story intersect with our vision?

In the SPU writing prompt, you'll be asked to respond to one of the below statements (in 100-500 words):

• How does SPU's vision to “engage the culture and change the world" align with your desire for college?”
• Why are you interested in attending SPU and how do you hope your faith will grow or be developed in SPU's Christ-centered education?

Please write an essay that will help us get to know you apart from your grades and test scores. Example topics include:

• A major obstacle you have overcome.
• An experience that resulted in personal growth.
• A goal you are passionate about.
• An idea or concept that captivated your imagination
• A significant part of your identity, background, or story.

Be creative — but, even more importantly, be authentic.

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How to Write a Vision Statement (With Examples, Tips, and Formulas)

This comprehensive guide will take you through the entire process of writing a well-thought-out and compelling business vision statement. 

Here’s what you will discover inside: 

• Why is a vision statement important for company goals?

Vision Statement vs Mission Statement: What’s the difference?

• Bad Vision Statements Examples (And What Makes Them Bad)

Helpful Tips for Writing your Vision Statement

• Fail-proof formula: Write your vision statement in 4 simple steps 
• Great Vision Statement Examples For Inspiration
• How to effectively communicate the company vision?

What is a Vision Statement?

In short, a vision statement describes the desired future state of a business within a 5-10 year timeframe and guides the direction of the business's efforts. It is essentially the future objectives of a business. The vision statement is also one of the key elements in a highly-effective business strategic plan.

Why is a vision statement important for company goals? 

We explained the real purpose of the vision statement  in this article , but here’s a quick reminder of what we're trying to achieve with a company vision statement:

• Improve the decision-making process by setting a 'limiter' that helps us to rule out strategic initiatives and opportunities which aren’t aligned with business long-term goals. 
• Make a succinct statement about what our organization is trying to achieve to help third parties such as investors or the media better understand us.
• Create a strong North Star that can guide and motivate employees even during difficult times if it is taken seriously.
• Develop an engaging vision statement that’s  one of the key elements  of thriving company culture. 

The bottom line is that a vision statement isn't just a nice-to-have. It should be included in every business plan and strategy discussion, especially during the strategic planning process , to ensure the organization and its departments stay aligned with its vision and don’t get sidetracked.

The most common mistake we see across the internet and with our clients is that most people do not understand the difference between a company's vision and mission. 

While we covered this a bit more in-depth  in this article , here’s a short recap: 

• A vision statement  describes a long-term, idealistic  state  of the FUTURE. 
• A mission statement  is a roadmap to a specific destination (your VISION) that explains how will you achieve it. 

Mistaking one for another can prevent an organization from reaching its full potential. 

So, while keeping this in mind, let’s look at some “vision” statements examples and analyze where they fit so you can avoid doing the same mistake when crafting your own vision statement.

Bad Vision Statements Examples (and why)

Here are some real-life examples of vision statements that, in our opinion, could do with a little tweaking. For each, we will explain what could be done better.

"Provide maximum value for our shareholders whilst helping our customers to fulfill their dreams."

If this was your vision statement  → Well, let’s hope it isn’t. That’s a classic mission statement example that describes HOW the company will achieve its vision. 

"Our company vision is to make every brand more inspiring and the world more intelligent by 2023."

If this was your vision statement  → You would want to make it more specific and relatable. Is it realistic that 'every brand' will use the services of this company? How about 'making the world more intelligent.' Can you be more specific on which brands? What does it mean to make the world more intelligent? Not to be too harsh though - there are strong elements here; 'making brands more inspiring' makes a lot of sense and has some depth.

"We aspire to be the most admired and valuable company in the world."

If this was your vision statement  → We would suggest you rethink your decision. Can you even make it more empty than it is? Which company doesn’t want to be the most admired and most valuable? Your vision statement should be more specific than that. 

"We are committed to achieving new standards of excellence by providing superior human capital management services and maximizing the potential of all stakeholders - clients, candidates, and employees - through the delivery of the most reliable, responsive ..." [and it goes on, but that's probably enough]...

If this was your vision statement  → you’d want to make sure it is less tangible and subjective. 'New standards of excellence'. 'Superior human capital management. 'Maximizing the potential'. There are simply far too many buzzwords, intangibles, and vagueness here for this to be either memorable or inspiring.

We are, of course, being rather harsh. But hopefully, the above examples illustrate well some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your own vision.

Keep in mind that vision creation doesn't begin with sitting behind a desk and writing black on white. Reach out to your stakeholders and team members who will play a role in realizing the company's vision. Organize a workshop, or more if necessary, to brainstorm ideas and gather their feedback.

This toolkit with a template and workbook can help you with brainstorming exercises and navigating the whole process.

As a result, including other stakeholders in the vision-creation process will not only yield ideas but also get buy-in from the beginning since it will be their vision too. 

Here are 8 tips to help you write a memorable vision statement: 

• Keep it  short  - max 2 sentences. Your vision statement should be punchy and easy to remember. 
• Make it  specific  to your business and describe a unique outcome that only you can provide.
• Write it in the present tense. 
• Do not use words that are open to interpretation. Saying that you will maximize shareholder return in 2022 doesn't mean anything unless you specify what that means.
• Simple is best . There is a tendency for people to overcomplicate things, but you should make your vision clear enough for both people within and outside your organization to understand. Stay away from jargon, metaphors, and business buzzwords. 
• It should be  ambitious  enough to get people excited, but not so ambitious that it seems impossible to achieve.
• A vision statement isn't a one-off thing and  should evolve  with your business. When brainstorming your vision for the future, stick to a five-year timeframe. It's an ambitious end goal that's far enough ahead to work towards, but not too far for the organization to lose focus and commitment. 
• Vision  should align  with your company's core values. We go deeper into company values in this article, but when you have created your company values, you should review your vision to see if it aligns.

If anything, you should memorize these 4 words before you go into crafting your own vision statement:  Short, Specific, Simple , and  Ambitious .

Fail-proof formula: Write your vision statement in 4 simple steps

There are literally hundreds of articles out there that give examples of good and bad vision statements. There's also plenty of articles that give a high-level overview of what to consider when creating your own.

However, what we noticed was lacking was a concrete process to go through to help you create one. As such, we've outlined a process that we have used with clients in Cascade that might work for you too.

There are plenty of great vision statements out there that will not conform to the process below. But if you're struggling or just need a place to start, then hopefully this will help.

Step 1: Define what you do as an outcome

Start by being exceptionally clear about what it is your organization actually does. Be careful to remain 'outcome focused' rather than 'output focused'. For example, Microsoft famously had a vision statement to Put a Microsoft powered computer on every desk in the world (slightly paraphrased).

Strictly speaking, what Microsoft 'do' is make computer software, but for the purposes of their Vision, they looked forward to the actual outcome of this process - i.e. computers on desks.

Let's look at some other hypothetical examples:

• A bakery makes bread. But the outcome is consumers enjoying that bread.
• A consulting company gives advice. But the outcome is the success of others based on that advice.
• A government department does...lots of things. But the outcome is better lives for the citizens they serve.

Whilst this process may seem obvious - you would be surprised by how rarely organizations actually go through this process in a formal, written way.

Doing so will take you a long way towards creating your vision statement - BUT it's not enough alone! If it was, all bakeries, for example, would have the same vision statement - which is hardly inspiring!

TIP: If you are not sure where your organization wants to be in the future, you can use different tools, like SWOT or SOAR analysis , that will help you formulate your vision and future-oriented goals.

Step 2: Define what unique twist your organization brings to the above outcome

Very few products or services these days are truly new - most are more like reinventions of something that exists already, but with a different approach, focus or spin.

At some point in your organization's lifespan - someone will have believed that the reason that THIS organization would be successful where others have failed, was because of.........something.

You need to define that something!

Let's take our bakery example. So far, our vision statement looks pretty generic, along the lines of customers enjoying our bread. But why will they enjoy our bread MORE than the bread from the place next door?

Is it because we use centuries-old traditions passed through generations of our family? Because we only use premium grade locally sourced ingredients? Whatever your unique selling point is - let it shine through in your vision statement.

Step 3: Apply some high-level quantification

Ironically, a common problem with a vision statement that isn't as good is that it's too visionary! With no possible end in sight (or a totally unrealistic one) - the initial inspiration derived from a solid vision statement can quickly turn to frustration or even cynicism among employees and customers.

That said - this doesn’t mean you should put numbers or any financial metrics to your vision statement. This will come later in your planning process.

However, you still want to add some high-level quantification to make it achievable.

Sticking with our bakery example, we might want to refine our target audience to 'every customer who walks through the door'. That's fine, or maybe we want to be bolder: 'every customer within walking distance of a store'.

The quantification we apply could also be industry specific. If you're a B2B - are you shooting for small businesses or multinationals, for example?

Step 4: Add relatable, human, 'real world' aspects

OK, your vision statement by this point should be getting pretty close to finished. But one final trick you can apply to help make it even more memorable is to add a real-life aspect.

This will allow people to conjure up a solid mental image to associate with your vision statement.

Let's look at an example - which of the following statements is likely to be more memorable:

a) To have every working person in the world using Microsoft product.

b) A Microsoft-powered computer on every desk.

I would argue that (b) is more memorable because as I read this, I'm actually visualizing a computer (in my case) sitting on a wooden desk in a room.

There's nothing wrong with (a) but it's highly conceptual and thus difficult to transform into a mental picture. Let's look at another example:

"Ensure that every customer who leaves our store, does so smiling." 

Here, using the word 'smiling' as opposed to 'happy' is powerful, because it conjures a mental image of a person smiling.

It won't always be possible to bring this level of tangibility to a vision statement - but if it is, I would strongly encourage doing so.

Final check

Our tip for creating a good vision statement is to use our formula, which we explain below, in conjunction with the CASCADE vision framework. 

Ask yourself the following questions to check if your vision statement checks all boxes of a good vision: 

• Is it  C lear? 
• Is it  A mbitious, but not seemingly unattainable? 
• Is it  S timulating? 
• Is it  C oncise
• Is it too  A bstract? 
• D uration: Is it limited to a specific time range? 

Does it  E ncourage you to take action?

Great Vision Statement Examples for inspiration

First, let’s look at the vision statement on an example of the bakery we used in the previous section.

Following our 4-step process, the final vision statement looks like this:

Producing and selling locally sourced cakes and pies that are so delicious and satisfying , that every customer who leaves our store does so with a smile.

If we deconstruct this into our various steps, we can see each at work as follows:

Step 1 - The output Step 2 - The twist Step 3 - The quantification Step 4 - The human connection

Even if yours doesn't look like this at the end, following the process above will help you to bring structure and purpose to your effort.

Of course - there are other ways to write a well-thought-out and effective vision statement. So let’s look at some other examples of great vision that don’t match our vision statement formula but still make an engaging and memorable company vision: 

Vision statement: To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online. 

Vision statement: To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.

Vision statement: A global force for Learning-through-Play. 

We love this one because it’s short, sweet and easy to remember. 

Vision statement: To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles.

Note: If you look closely, you’ll see that their vision statement is a mix of vision and mission statement. Let’s remember the difference between these two: Vision shows your business desired future state, while the company’s mission describes how you will get there. 

Cascade tip:  If you’re in doubt about what is a vision statement and what is a mission statement, do this simple test with two questions: 

• What do they want to achieve?  To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century…  (vision statement)
• How?  … by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles.  (mission statement)

Want to see more examples of a great vision statement? Check  this article with 17 vision statement examples  from top companies, such as Patagonia, Ikea, LinkedIn, and Disney. 

How to effectively communicate the company vision? 

Let's say you've finally crafted the perfect vision statement that makes everyone in the C-suite proud. Marketing updated the website, ran a PR, and posted across all company social media channels. The new direction is making waves in the company, but as time passes, everyone forgets about it and gets on with their business-as-usual. 

If you have a vision but take no action - your organization has no future. In other words, you need to keep the company's vision top of mind 24/7/365 if you want to achieve it. Consistent communication is the key to success.

Keep your vision statement in a place where everyone can see it on a daily basis.

You can start by including your vision in every company-wide meeting. Here at Cascade, we make sure to run the all-hands meeting every week. Here’s what our agenda usually looks like: 

• Drive alignment around company vision and overall strategy 
• Communicate the strategy priorities 
• Share updates and progress toward key business goals
• Celebrate our accomplishment 
• Establish two-way communication between employees and executives 

Turn your vision into a strategic advantage 

We have entered a new normal - an environment where change is the norm. You may have a top-flight board and a great executive team, but the success of your organization depends on your leadership. Your vision for the future needs to be clear and strong so people can understand it and join forces behind it.

In short, unity and a laser-sharp focus are what separate winning businesses from losers these days.

Cascade has your back, offering speedy and agile  business transformation  to help you align teams behind a shared vision and drive business growth.  See Cascade in action  to discover how you can turn your vision into reality.

Editor’s note:

This article was originally part of our ‘How to Write a Strategy’ series:

• How To Write A Strategic Plan: The Cascade Model
• How to Write a Good Vision Statement (This Article)
• How To Create Company Values
• Creating Strategic Focus Areas
• How To Write Strategic Objectives
• How To Create Effective Projects
• How To Write KPIs

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55 Personal Mission Statement Examples

A personal mission statement defines your purpose. It explains what you want to achieve in your life, career, personal relationships, and so on.

It differs from a career or educational mission statement because it’s more holistic: it’s not just about your job or school. It’s about what you want to achieve with your life overall. and what your personal philosophy is in life .

Here is my personal mission statement:

“I will be generous with my time both with family and strangers. I will consciously and intentionally spend quality time with my parents, my wife, and my children. I will pass-on love of life and self-belief to my children by living as a positive example. I will commit my career to working on projects that are meaningful to me. And I will be responsible with my health and finances for the longevity of my life and to ensure I can care for my family for many years to come.”

When I was asked to write a personal mission statement for applying for my job as a teacher, I tweaked it to focus more on my career:

“My personal mission statement as a teacher is to inspire and support my students, help them see their own potential, and build them up each and every day. I will commit my time to letting each student know they are capable of success, and I will help show them the path to personal and academic success.”

Below is a range of ideas for a personal mission statement. As the mission statement is personal, I recommend using these ideas as inspiration, but make sure you pick and choose the sentiments that are meaningful to you, and write your own.

Personal Mission Statement Examples

The following examples can be used as stimuli for you to think about what you want to include in your own mission statement. But, as the word suggests, a personal mission statement should be personal and unique to you . So, pick and choose key ideas from below, while coming up with your own mission statement that reflects your uniqueness.

• Live a life that aligns with my core values : “I will strive to live a life that is consistent with my own values and ethics. To achieve this, I will ensure I reflect every day on how my daily actions and interactions with others will reflect upon me, and whether they’re consistent with who I strive to be.”
• Seek to be a catalyst for change: “I will dedicate my life to being a catalyst for change in my world. The change I want to see is change toward greater social equality, fairness, and prosperity. To achieve this, I will advocate for the disadvantaged, seek career opportunities for supporting the underprivileged, and donate generously to causes I care about.”
• Commit to a journey of self-discovery: “My daily mission is to embark on an ongoing journey of self-improvement and self-discovery, always on track to find my deeper purpose in life.”
• Empower myself and others: “I will always strive to empower myself and others through positive affirmation, constructive feedback, and making smart choices. I will remove barriers to self-determination and always respect people’s choices in life.”
• Seek opportunities to give back to the community: “I am grateful first and foremost to my community for their support and nourishment, and my personal mission from here on out is to find opportunities where I can give back to my community in both my career and volunteerism.”
• Strive for excellence in all endeavors: “ My credo is to always hold myself to a high standard. To me, this means always putting in maximum effort and trying to be the best I can be each and every day.”
• Always have a growth mindset: “My core mission is to always maintain a growth mindset each and every day. For me, this means embracing challenges rather than shying away from them, having persistence and resilience when I face setbacks, and viewing effort as a pathway to mastery. “

• Aim to leave a meaningful legacy: “At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and know that I’ve left a legacy for the world and my family. To achieve this, my mission will be to always give more to the world than I take, so I leave the world better off. I will leave a legacy of kindness and a spirit of service and community.”
• Continually redefine personal goals and aspirations: “I believe that a person is most successful when they self-reflect to achieve ongoing improvement. So, in my personal mission, I am committed to the ongoing process of personal evolution that will help me continue to refine myself over time. “
• Seek the silver lining: “The silver lining is the positive that we can extract out of every situation, even our failures. With this in mind, my mission is to cultivate optimism and to focus on what can be learned from every situation. This approach will both enhance my personal resilience and inspire others to adopt a similar perspective.”
• Develop resilience, adaptability, and grit in the face of adversity: “My mission is to develop and embody qualities of resilience, adaptability, and grit. I am determined to approach adversity as an opportunity for growth, learning to navigate through challenges with grace and tenacity. In doing so, I will become stronger and more capable.”
• To be generous with my time: “I will be generous with my time because I believe my time is the greatest gift I can give to others. This means I will commit to quality time with my friends and family and make sure I maintain a work-life balance so I can commit my time to the people who deserve it.”
• Empowering people around me: “My mission is to empower the people around me, including my colleagues at work, my friends, and my family. By empowering others, I can bring out the best in my community, and leave my community a better place.”
• Living with gratitude: “I will commit to expressing gratitude each and every day of my life. To do this, I will commit to meditating, reflecting on what I have, and being grateful for my health, wealth, and family.”
• Develop wisdom : “My mission is to continue to develop wisdom. To me, wisdom is knowledge, intelligence, and insight developed through experience and humbly listening to people who have knowledge and experiences beyond mine.”
• Seek authentic self-expression: “My mission is to express myself authentically , reflecting every day on how my words, actions, and creations align with my core values. This journey towards authenticity is ongoing and evolving, helping me understand and articulate who I truly am.”
• Change what’s in my control: “I pledge to focus my energies on what I can control in my life. I will strive to change my circumstances when possible, and adapt my attitude when it isn’t. By understanding and accepting this distinction, I will bring about the most positive outcomes for myself and those around me.”
• Creating harmony between mind-body-soul: “I am committed to fostering harmony between my mind, body, and soul. This means balancing mental challenges with physical exercise and spiritual nourishment, nurturing every part of my being, and achieving a healthier and more balanced life.”
• Cultivate emotional intelligence : “I am committed to nurturing my emotional intelligence. This involves understanding my own emotions, demonstrating empathy, and adapting my attitude when necessary, leading to stronger and more effective personal and professional relationships.”
• Foster innovative thinking: “My mission is to foster innovative thinking. I will strive to always question, explore, and reimagine the world around me, aiming to leave a legacy of creativity and change.”
• Live sustainably and promote environmental consciousness: “I pledge to live sustainably, focusing my energies on what I can control to reduce my environmental impact. Moreover, I will advocate for environmental consciousness within my community, contributing to a healthier planet.”
• Encourage diversity and inclusivity in my surroundings: “My mission is to promote diversity and inclusivity. I will strive to empower all voices and create an environment where everyone feels respected and valued, thereby fostering a sense of community and belonging.”
• Be a mentor and guide to others: “I will dedicate my time to mentoring and guiding others. By sharing my wisdom and experiences, I can help others navigate their own journeys, leaving a legacy of kindness and service.”
• Lead with integrity and honesty: “I am committed to leading with integrity and honesty in all endeavors. I will hold myself to a high standard, aligning my actions with my core values and striving for transparency in every interaction.”
• Cultivate a balanced and peaceful lifestyle: “My mission is to cultivate a lifestyle that is peaceful and balanced. I will practice mindfulness, express gratitude for my blessings, and strive to find harmony between my personal, professional, and spiritual life.”
• Maintain physical fitness and promote healthy living: “I pledge to maintain my physical fitness and promote healthy living in my community. I will strive to make smart choices regarding diet, exercise, and self-care, thereby embodying and promoting a vision of holistic health.”
• A lifelong learning mindset: “With a commitment to growth and a spirit of exploration, I will always seek to broaden my knowledge and perspectives. Embracing challenges and viewing effort as a pathway to mastery, I believe learning is an ongoing journey, not a destination.”
• Advocate for social justice and equality: “I am committed to advocating for social justice and equality. I will dedicate myself to being a catalyst for change, promoting fairness, and empowering the disadvantaged, contributing to a more equitable society.”
• Practice mindfulness and presence in daily life: “My mission is to cultivate mindfulness and presence in my daily life. By committing to this practice, I will enhance my emotional intelligence, develop resilience, and foster a deeper connection to the world around me.”
• Enhance personal and professional relationships: “I pledge to improve and deepen my personal and professional relationships. By demonstrating empathy, respect, and honesty, I will foster meaningful connections and contribute to a vibrant, supportive community.”
• Invest in self-care and well-being: “My mission is to invest time and energy in self-care and well-being. Through this practice, I will ensure a balanced life, promote a positive mindset, and prepare myself to better serve others.”
• Strive for financial independence and stability: “I am dedicated to achieving financial independence and stability. By making smart and informed decisions, I aim to create a secure foundation that enables personal growth , adventure, and service to my community.”
• Foster a spirit of exploration and adventure: “I commit to embracing a spirit of exploration and adventure. By welcoming new experiences and fostering curiosity, I will maintain a lifelong learning mindset, and continually evolve as an individual.”
• Practice empathy towards all: “My mission is to cultivate empathy in all my interactions. By striving to understand others’ perspectives, I will empower those around me and contribute to a community rooted in kindness and mutual understanding.”
• Embrace change and maintain flexibility: “I am dedicated to embracing change and demonstrating flexibility. I see change as an opportunity for growth, and I will cultivate resilience, adaptability, and a positive attitude in the face of evolving circumstances.”
• Nurture a positive and optimistic mindset: “My mission is to cultivate a positive and optimistic mindset. By seeking the silver lining in every situation, I aim to inspire myself and those around me to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.”
• Advocate for the welfare and rights of animals: “My mission is to advocate for the welfare and rights of animals. I will use my voice and actions to promote humane treatment of animals, contributing to a more compassionate and ethical world.”
• Make informed and responsible choices: “I pledge to make informed and responsible choices that align with my values and the greater good. I am committed to reflecting on the implications of my decisions and acting in a way that contributes positively to my community and the environment.”
• Create meaningful connections with people: “I strive to create meaningful connections with people. Through empathy, open-mindedness, and genuine engagement, I aim to nurture relationships that enrich my life and the lives of others.”
• Develop and demonstrate leadership skills : “My mission is to develop and demonstrate effective leadership skills. I strive to lead with integrity, empathy, and resilience, inspiring others to achieve their best and fostering a spirit of teamwork and mutual respect.”
• Seek to understand and respect differing perspectives: “I pledge to understand and respect differing perspectives. I believe that diversity of thought enriches our society, and I strive to promote inclusivity and mutual respect in all my interactions.”
• Foster creativity in myself and others: “My mission is to cultivate creativity in myself and others. I will continually explore new ideas, foster an environment that encourages innovation, and inspire those around me to express their unique perspectives and talents.”
• Commit to the pursuit of knowledge: “I commit to the continuous pursuit of knowledge. By maintaining a curious and open mind, I strive to learn from every experience, deepen my understanding, and contribute to my personal and professional growth.”
• Seek to find joy in the everyday : “My mission is to find joy in everyday moments. I commit to practicing mindfulness, expressing gratitude for the simple things, and cherishing each day as a unique gift.”
• Be a source of encouragement and positivity: “I strive to be a source of encouragement and positivity for those around me. By uplifting others, celebrating their achievements, and offering supportive words, I aim to foster a more compassionate and optimistic community.”
• Pursue a path of continuous learning and development: “I am dedicated to pursuing a path of continuous learning and development. By always seeking to improve, learn, and grow, I aim to better myself and contribute more effectively to my community and the world at large.”
• Prioritize balance in all aspects of life: “I commit to prioritizing balance in all aspects of life. This includes fostering harmony between work and personal time, mental and physical health, and personal desires and community responsibilities, to cultivate a peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle.”
• Strive to be a good listener and communicator: “I aim to be a good listener and communicator. By practicing active listening and clear, empathetic communication, I will strengthen my relationships and foster mutual understanding and respect.”
• Cultivate and express artistic talents: “My mission is to cultivate and express my artistic talents. Through this creative exploration, I aim to express my unique perspectives, contribute to the cultural richness of my community, and inspire others to express their creativity.”
• Strive to make a positive impact on the environment: “I am committed to making a positive impact on the environment. By living sustainably, advocating for environmental consciousness, and influencing positive change, I hope to leave a meaningful environmental legacy.”
• Seek simplicity and contentment: “My mission is to seek simplicity and contentment in life. By valuing the essential, expressing gratitude for what I have, and finding joy in simple pleasures, I aim to cultivate a lifestyle of peace and fulfillment.”
• Develop and foster a spirit of entrepreneurship: “I am dedicated to fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship. By embracing innovation, taking informed risks, and learning from both success and failure, I aim to contribute to economic growth and social impact.”
• Strive for integrity in actions and communication: “I strive to uphold integrity in my actions and communication. By aligning my actions with my values, being transparent, and communicating honestly, I aim to build trust and respect in my personal and professional relationships.”
• Embrace new technologies and innovation: “My mission is to embrace new technologies and innovation. By staying informed about technological advances and integrating them into my work and life, I aim to enhance productivity, creativity, and the quality of life for myself and my community.”
• Cultivate and foster peace and harmony in relationships: “I am committed to fostering peace and harmony in my relationships. By promoting understanding, showing empathy, and resolving conflicts with grace, I aim to create strong, fulfilling, and respectful relationships.”
• Advocate for responsible consumerism: “I pledge to advocate for responsible consumerism. By making informed choices, promoting sustainability, and encouraging others to do the same, I aim to contribute to a healthier planet and a more equitable economy.”
• Care and provide for my family: “My mission is to care for and provide for my family. By being present, offering support, and ensuring their needs are met, I aim to create a nurturing and secure environment for my loved ones.”
• Cultivate self-discipline and good habits: “I commit to cultivating self-discipline and good habits . By maintaining focus, setting realistic goals, and consistently pursuing them, I aim to achieve personal and professional growth.”
• Influence others by my deeds: “I strive to influence others positively through my deeds. By acting with kindness, integrity, and respect, I aim to inspire others to do the same and contribute to a more compassionate and respectful community.”

See Also: How to Write a Values Statement

A personal mission statement for a resume needs to be personalized to you and your unique values and moral, goals, and life circumstances. You may also want to adjust it depending on the context in which you’re using it – i.e. if you’re asked to make a personal mission for work, then it’d likely incorporate elements of your job into it.

Also note that you’re always free to adjust your personal mission statement over time, so create one that’s true to you right now, but be willing to adjust it every few months.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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15 Personal Vision Statement Examples

Now that you recognize it's time to approach your life proactively, you need to create a personal vision statement .

Clearly defining the vision you have for your life requires more than just thinking about it. You need to write it down.

The act of writing something down and then reading it daily reinforces the message and makes it more real.

Even better, print out your personal vision statement and post it where you can see it frequently.

This reminder will increase your motivation and foster the self-growth you desire.

What Is a Personal Vision Statement?

How to write a personal vision statement, final thoughts.

A personal vision statement is a clear, concise summary of your personal goals and dreams for the future . It serves as an anchor when life pulls you in different directions.

It is also a guide for making decisions based on your values, and it helps you stay focused on the goals you want to achieve.

The process of writing one compels you to think about the purpose of your life and how to achieve that.

You'll identify your most important guiding principles and describe how you intend to apply them to your life.

Your statement also introduces you to the power of setting concrete goals. Research by psychologist Gail Matthews found that people who wrote down their goals succeeded 33% more often than people who only thought about their goals.

If you want to live the life you envision, you need to avoid the trap of abandoning your dreams in the realm of the abstract. Writing down your vision is the best way to actualize it.

To get started, you can study personal vision statement examples to get ideas about how to write yours.

Writing a personal vision statement begins with free writing. At this point, you simply ask yourself questions and write down whatever comes to mind. Don't impose any judgments at this point because you want to uncover your hopes and dreams for the future.

• List your personal strengths .
• List your personal weaknesses.
• Write down your core values .
• Think about how your values should guide interactions with family, at work, and within your community.
• Consider the best uses for your life energy based on your inner compass and values.
• Identify some specific goals that you want to pursue.
• Imagine the legacy of your purpose, goals, and actions.
• Examine your notes to see what jumps out as most important.
• Compose a paragraph that summarizes your priorities in the form of a vision statement.

It's important to keep your vision statement as a single paragraph. This way, you'll be able to read it easily and frequently.

If you want to write more paragraphs to address specific goals, that's fine, but these would be supplemental to your main vision statement.

Here are several vision statement examples you can use to help you brainstorm your own. There are no strict rules here related to the words you choose and the concepts you include.

But if any of the statements in these examples resonate with you, feel free to make them your own and rewrite them to suit your goals and dreams.

I want to be a source of stability and inspiration for my family. I commit myself to succeed in my career while balancing my emotional needs with those of family members. I want my actions to promote harmony and increase everyone's chance for future happiness. When stress threatens to overtake me, I consciously take time to calm down to prevent acting with hostility or annoyance toward others. I also express my needs and seek support from others instead of letting my problems stew inside me as I've been prone to do in the past.

My life's work has a greater purpose beyond my own material needs. I identify a problem in my community and take responsibility for contributing to its solution. My purpose is to serve others in a way that best matches my skills and values, and I am committed to making choices in my personal and professional life that furthers that purpose.

My personal vision recognizes that I am a small part of a living Earth. I want to live in a way that represents authentic participation in a sustainable ecosystem. My guiding principle is reducing my negative impact on the environment. I direct my spare time toward regenerative practices that nurture the soil, such as gardening and tree planting. I control my consumption by choosing a modestly-sized home and reducing my production of plastic waste through conscious consumer choices and actions. I become an example to others for the purpose of spreading a greater appreciation for green living.

My vital role in the lives of my children automatically means that I have a great purpose in life. Instead of dreaming about the world seeing my value, I strive every day to be the hero of my family. My job as a parent is to mindfully raise my children in an environment of acceptance, love, and affirmation.

Advancing my career is important for me at this point in life. If I achieve my career goals, I'll have greater financial stability and peace of mind. To make these things happen, I intend to set certain standards for my professional life and only make strategic compromises. I want to keep myself accountable for my career instead of falling back into the habit of blaming others for my disappointments. I cannot control everything that influences my career, but I can persist after setbacks and focus on what I can do to improve my skills and increase my value. This means that I should seek continuing education and make time for networking with colleagues. I must put myself out there to connect with opportunities.

My rough childhood has inspired me to choose a career in teaching. I accept the challenges of this occupation with grace because children need positive adults in their lives. For some children, a caring adult within their community can give them hope when things aren't good at home. I believe that this purpose helps me be content with my life and heal the wounds from my past.

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Upon much reflection and consultation with those who know me best, I accept that my stubbornness is both my greatest strength and weakness. To take advantage of it as a strength, I intend to volunteer with my local legal aid office, where my experience as a paralegal can benefit people who lack resources to cope with legal challenges. Legal issues often require patience and persistence, and these two traits are reflected in my stubborn nature.

Although I value my introverted nature, I intend to experience more human connections in my life. I recognize the value of stretching myself and interacting with more people. To this end, I am setting the goals of joining a book club and hosting dinner parties twice a year.

My whole life I imagined myself with children, and the time has come for me to make family a priority. I plan to devote more time to dating in the hopes of finding lasting love and building a happy, healthy family life in the next five years.

My personal vision statement places faith at its center. Attending religious activities gives me a deep sense of spiritual connection with others. I want to learn more about my religion and provide comfort to people in their times of need. As a result, I intend to join a place of worship, attend services, and participate in at least one outreach program.

I see now that I could be in much better financial shape if I had been thoughtful earlier in life. My mission now is to value financial responsibility above impulsive purchases. I make money decisions related to how they benefit me instead of how they provide short-term gratification. This helps me alleviate financial stress and improve my well-being.

My lifetime goal is to master the art of non-judgment. Seeing the best in every living thing and viewing situations gracefully and compassionately is essential. Part of the journey is acknowledging my faults and learning to love myself – flaws and all. I choose to let kindness light my path and appoint empathy as my faultless guide. Spreading joy and understanding is my mission and something I can control. I pray my efforts lighten others’ emotional loads.

Learning to be a mentally healthy, admiringly responsible, financially independent adult will be a journey filled with peaks and valleys. But I can reach the summit by being mindful of my budget and living at or below my means. Not internalizing cultural messages and comparing myself to others on social media is vital to my success. A happy, healthy, stress-reduced life awaits if I adopt these guiding principles and learn to love what I have instead of coveting what I don’t.

Growing up, my parents, teachers, and other kids told me I wasn’t smart enough. But now I realize my learning style didn't mesh with my school's tactics. With dedication and patience, I can conquer any academic goal I set. I will no longer listen to the naysayers. Instead, I’ll take things one step at a time and make progress at my own pace. If I learn to control my thoughts and develop a solid work ethic, my horizons will expand, my reading and writing skills will improve, and from there, I’ll be able to develop fresh and exciting ideas.

I acknowledge that psychological issues, unaddressed toxic trauma, and fraught family dynamics caused me to behave poorly and act selfishly in the past. But it’s a new day, and I give myself permission to move on from the past and treat people better. Nobody is perfect; I will falter at times. But I know if I’m mindful, generous of spirit, and never take advantage of others, my relationships will flourish, and I’ll find happiness rooted in kindness, compassion, and mutual respect.

Are you ready to write your personal vision statement?

Philosophers may argue about the existence of a free will, but the truth is that you have plenty of control over the direction of your life.

The time that you invest in crafting a personal vision statement will keep you grounded amid the endless distractions of life.

As you can see in the personal vision statement examples presented here, your vision doesn't have to follow any particular direction.

Let your heart define your purpose and values, and then use your mind to pursue your values-based goals.

More Like this

Vision statement template and 40 vision statement examples, a vision statement is a clear articulation of your organization’s bold future state—meaning where you want your organization to be in 5-10 years..

As you embark upon your strategic planning process, your vision statement is the foundation of your organization’s long-term goals and day-to-day activities. Knowing where to start when creating your vision statement can be tricky, but we’ve got you covered! We’ll cover the basics of vision statements, how they differ from mission and values statements, and how you can build your own using our vision statement template. As you work through the creation of your own vision, browse 37 of our favorite vision statement examples and learn some best practices.

Pro Tip: Without a clear vision statement, you’ll have a difficult time communicating that vision of your future to your team and to the people around you.

What is the Purpose of a Vision Statement?

Your vision statement is the big, bold declaration that defines what you seek to accomplish or where you want to be in the next 5-10 years. It is foundational to your strategic plan and should not be overlooked in the planning process, as it articulates and crystalizes your future state.

What is the difference between a vision statement, a mission statement, and guiding principles?

While this is a common mistake, an organization’s vision can be confused with its mission statement. They are not interchangeable, as each has a clear purpose. Missions express why you exist and what you do; visions paint a bold picture of your future, and company values outline how you expect your team to behave.

A company’s vision articulates where you’re going.

A company’s vision statement is a forward-looking declaration that outlines your organization’s aspirations for the future, typically spanning multiple years. It asks (and answers) the fundamental question, “Where are we going?”

Your vision statement is your big, bold, lofty aspirations all wrapped up in a clear and memorable sentence. Your vision may feel, in some ways, a bit out of reach and overly ambitious, but that’s okay- it’s supposed to be! The primary purpose of creating a vision statement is to provide direction and inspiration, setting a clear and ambitious target for what the organization aims to achieve.

A company’s mission statement articulates why you exist.

Unlike a vision statement, which answers the question, ‘Where are we going?’ a company’s mission statement focuses on why they were created. A mission statement asks the question, “Why do we exist?”.

It describes the organization’s current purpose and reason for its creation. Your mission is essentially your statement that defines the purpose of the work you do. It should provide the context for all the decisions made within the organization and be useful for both internal and external audiences.

Again, this statement would ideally be clear, succinct, and memorable, as it will be something that you’d share with your customers, employees, and stakeholders.

Guiding principles define how you will behave.

Your guiding principles or company’s core values are the uncompromising principles or standards by which you guide your decision-making. They inform your approach to growth and impact. These can also serve as the clear guardrails and principles that keep your organization growing with quality and integrity.

They define the clear behaviors you expect of your organization and your team as you pursue your big, bold vision.

These elements make up essential aspects of your strategic plan and are not interchangeable. Each element is foundational and has a clear purpose. Missions are what you do conversationally, visions paint a bold picture of your future, and values outline how you expect your team to behave.

What are the benefits of a compelling vision statement?

There are several benefits to incorporating your vision statement into your strategic plan. Some key benefits that a well-defined business vision statement provides are:

• Directional Guidance: Your vision statement acts as a compass, guiding strategic planning and decision-making by defining the desired end state.
• Motivation and Inspiration: A compelling vision can inspire and motivate stakeholders, including employees, customers, and investors, by providing a sense of purpose and direction.
• Unity and Alignment: A vision statement helps align the efforts of all team members, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.
• Strategic Framework: Your vision statement serves as a foundational element in the strategic planning process and helps to shape the objectives, strategies, and action plans that will drive the organization toward its envisioned future state.
• Decision-Making Clarity: With a clear vision, decisions can be evaluated based on their alignment with the desired future, ensuring that actions contribute to long-term success.
• Differentiation: A distinct and ambitious vision can set an organization apart from its competitors.

Does every organization need a vision statement? Absolutely!

A vision statement is not just a declaration of long term future intentions that is only shared during yearly board meetings or during fund-raising events; an inspiring vision statement is a strategic tool that benefits an organization by providing direction, inspiring stakeholders, fostering unity, guiding decision-making, and differentiating the organization from its competitors.

Vision Statement Template & Visioning Canvas

Coming up with a big, bold vision that encompasses your goals for the next 5 to 10 years may seem like a daunting task. Prior to drafting your vision statement, you need to go through a few ‘visioning’ exercises to determine what your vision for your organization actually is. To help you build a vision statement that matters, we’ve created a visioning guide and attached an easy-to-follow visioning template. Click here to download !

How to write a vision statement

The first step to narrowing down your vision for your organization is to ask yourself and your team these two questions:

• What does success look like for us in the future?
• How will that differ from how it looks today?

These questions are a good way to put your team in the mindset of thinking about where you are today versus where you want to be tomorrow.

When thinking of your ideal future state, it may help to think about your team’s common goals in relation to four specific areas: people and organizational suitability, operational excellence and innovation, customer growth and retention, and financial results and impact.

Pro Tip: You may recognize these four areas in a balanced scorecard, which is exactly what it is. When you outline what the future would look like in these four areas, it will paint a clear and well-balanced picture of your overall vision for your organization and provides some guidance of where you want to focus your development efforts.

The best way to do this exercise is to follow this canvas to guide your exercise and with each matrix, ask yourself two questions; “What does success look like (in this area)” and “How is it different from today?” For each perspective you explore, write supporting vision descriptors, aka “min-visions,” that will ultimately support your larger vision of success.

These help your organization clearly understand your ideal future in all areas of your organization. Use the template provided in the canvas above to complete the following vision descriptors:

People and Organizational Suitability

The first perspective is internally focused based on our equity in our people and organizational stability. This includes areas such as organization structure, size, and capabilities, as well as overall company culture and skills.

What does success look like for your people? Think about your organization’s structure, size, capabilities, and culture.

Mini Vision: Have a growing team of 200 people who are passionate about changing our industry.

Operational Excellence and Innovation

The second area focuses on operational excellence, and innovation. This includes such concerns like facilities, processes, technology, innovation and environmental impact.

What facilities, technology, innovations, or environmental impact are needed to achieve that vision? How will it help you get there?

Mini Vision: Scale our infrastructure to increase output by 50%.

Customer Growth and Retention

This area focuses on the market/customer-facing perspective of growth and impact. Areas of concern could include the services, customer service, products, benefits, and value proposition that your organization brings to the market.

What does the volume, number of customers, geographies, or products/services look like once you reach your destination?

Mini Vision: Become a top player in our market, positioned as ‘innovators’ in the minds of our customers.

Financial Results and Impact

Finally, this perspective focuses on a financial perspective, and includes concerns such as social impact, sustainability, profitability, and revenue growth.

What is the revenue growth, profitability, or social and community impact achieving this vision will help achieve?

Mini Vision: Achieve sustainable, profitable growth by increasing profits by 10% year over year over the next 5 years.

OnStrategy Vision Statement Example

Now that you have the four areas filled out, , you can use the vision statement template we’ve created as a guide to write your own . Begin by setting a target date or year to accomplish, followed by the phrase ‘we envision’ paired with your organization’s desired future state. Finally, end your statement with a ‘why’ to give your team vision a reason and purpose. Fill in the blanks to help write your vision statement:

• By: Insert the year or timeframe

This doesn’t have to be explicitly stated in your vision statement, but you should have a timeline in mind as you draft it.

• We envision: A phrase that helps frame your vision statement.

Again, you don’t have to explicitly keep this phrase in your vision statement once you’ve drafted it. But starting your vision statement drafting process with this phrase can help put you in the right frame of mind.

• Verb: An action verb in future tense
• Impact: Description of future impact on the world

We envision being the #1 choice for premier organic, sustainable foods by changing the way produce is grown and sold in North America.

6 Characteristics of a great vision statement:

• An ideal vision statement at least five years in nature or longer, but no longer than 10 years. You need to have flexibility to pivot if your company or end goal changes, so 10-year vision might be too long.
• Your vision statement needs to be unique to your organization, sound like no one else’s, and stays true to what sets your organization apart
• Vision statements are set in the future tense and have a powerful action verb.
• A great company vision statement is directional. Again, we’re not there today but are moving towards our ideal future with forward momentum.
• A good vision statement is audacious. Visions are big and broad with high-reaching thoughts.
• Finally, a strong vision statement is descriptive.

40 Sample Vision Statements

Now that you have a template to help create your vision statement, we’ve put together a list of 37 of our favorite vision statement from organizations around the globe. First, we will jump into some of our favorite vision statement’s from OnStrategy client’s:

OnStrategy Clients:

#1– Experience Kissimmee

To be the recognized leader in destination marketing by promoting Kissimmee and Central Florida’s tourism experiences to the world.

Get the Free Guide to Create a Clear Vision and Future State

#2– bright path labs.

Bright Path Labs’ vision is to bring our advanced manufacturing technologies to the entire pharmaceutical industry where our cutting edge and proprietary chemical production techniques can significantly contribute to solving some of today’s biggest healthcare challenges, including:

• Improving the resiliency of domestic supply chains and the affordability of medicine
• Reducing the risk of life-saving drug shortages
• Supplying increased access to medicine for underserved and overlooked patient populations.

#3– Keystone Health Care

To become the preferred provider of Emergency Medicine and Hospital Medicine services by embracing dynamic healthcare challenges and focusing on controlled growth in select markets.

#4– Patagonia

Making the best product matters for saving the planet.

#5– Cleveland Metropolitan’s School District Engagement Division

CMSD is the number one choice in Cleveland; families enroll and remain with the District because they feel welcomed, valued, supported, and meaningfully engaged as partners in students’ success.

#6– The City of Reno

We are a thriving urban center known for our world-class colleges, vibrant culture, diverse outdoor activities, and innovative industries.

#7– City and County of San Francisco Department of Technology

We envision being a trusted leader and global example in providing innovative technology services and solutions to all CCSF agencies, the people of San Francisco and worldwide.

#8– Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

We envision becoming the trusted, respected, and sought-after community partner by serving our citizens and taking care of our employees.

For-Profit Vision Examples

Serve people worldwide with the joy of expanding their life’s potential by leading the advancement of mobility and enable people everywhere in the world to improve their daily lives.

#10– Hyundai

Progress for humanity. We’re here do the right thing for humanity.

#11– Porsche

The brand for those who follow their dreams.

Providing a new space that makes life more convenient and enjoyable by realizing superlative mobility based on innovative people-oriented, eco-friendly technologies and comprehensive services.

#13– Microsoft

Microsoft’s vision statement is to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.

Lead the future of Streaming TV by creating new and familiar experiences for our viewers, amplifying bold voices, and challenging our diverse builders and creators to push the boundaries of storytelling and technology.

#15– Netflix

Becoming the best global entertainment distribution service.

#16– Verizon

We create the connections that shape the future. Verizon is transforming how people, businesses and technologies interact, setting the stage for the next Industrial Revolution.

…To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.

#18– Google

Google’s vision is to provide access to the world’s information in one click.

To create a better everyday life for the many people.

This vision goes beyond home furnishing. We want to have a positive impact on the world– from the communities where we source our raw materials to the way our products help our customers live a more sustainable life at home.

Healthcare Vision Statement Examples

#20– Renown Health

Renown Health, with our partners, will inspire better health in our communities.

#21– Blue Cross Blue Shield Minnesota

Be the customer’s first choice by reinventing ourselves and the system.

We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world.

#23– Johnson & Johnson

To help people see better, connect better, live better.

#24– Mizuho

Our aim is to be a world-leading medical equipment supplier committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of our clients.

Guided by our purpose, CVS Health® is building an entire world of health care around each and every person we serve, no matter where they are on their journey.

#26– AstraZeneca’s Vision

Driven by innovative science and our entrepreneurial culture, we are focused on the delivery of life-changing medicines that are fueling growth and contributing value to patients and society.

Education Vision Statement Examples

#27– Harvard

Harvard College sets the standard for residential liberal arts and sciences education. We have committed to creating and sustaining the conditions that enable all Harvard College students to experience an unparalleled educational journey that is intellectually, socially, and personally transformative.

We will be an innovative and adaptable community of educators that creates a seamless and transformative experience for all Brown students by equipping them to succeed academically, empowering them to be in community together as their authentic selves, and supporting them in developing skills for life after Brown.

#29– Stanford’s Vision

We are expanding avenues of discovery across all fields while creating new pathways for applying knowledge where it is needed in the world.

#30– Michigan State College of Literature, Science, and Arts

We are a diverse intellectual community, working together to reimagine the world and create positive, purposeful change.

#31– The University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada, Reno ‘s vision is to educate and graduate the best-prepared, confident leaders for the state, national, and global community; to be a nexus for research and creativity that focuses on vital issues of our time; and to serve as a catalyst for the betterment of our society.

#32– Los Angeles Unified School District

L.A. Unified will be a progressive global leader in education, providing a dynamic and inspiring learning experience where all students graduate ready for success.

#33– Clark County School District

Our vision is for all students to graduate from high school having the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values necessary to achieve academically, prosper economically, and contribute in a global society.

Non-Profit Vision Examples

#34– Global Fund for Children

The Global Fund for Children, envision a world where all children have the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. This vision can be turned into reality with the help of grassroots organizations.

#35– St. Jude

To accelerate progress against catastrophic disease at a global level.

#36– Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

All youth achieve their full potential.

#37– Nevada Humane Society

Our vision is that all pets have a healthy, happy life.

#38– Boys and Girls Club of America

Provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.

#39– Habitat for Humanity

A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

#40– American Red Cross

The American Red Cross, through its strong network of volunteers, donors and partners, is always there in times of need. We aspire to turn compassion into action so that…

• …all people affected by disaster across the country and around the world receive care, shelter and hope;
• …our communities are ready and prepared for disasters;
• …everyone in our country has access to safe, lifesaving blood and blood products;
• …all members of our armed services and their families find support and comfort whenever needed; and
• …in an emergency, there are always trained individuals nearby, ready to use their Red Cross skills to save lives.

For a deep dive on Vision Statements, check out our post on all things vision .

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22 vision statement examples to help you write your own.

When launching a startup, founders typically have an idea of what they want to achieve — a vision of what success will look like. During the strategic planning process, it’s important to put this vision into concrete terms. Not only does a vision statement clarify your thoughts, but it helps employees and stakeholders understand what the business has set out to accomplish. No matter what the business, a good mission and vision statement can inspire and motivate employees to make that vision a reality.

Whether it’s your first or fifth business, writing a compelling vision statement can be challenging. Below, we'll share how to write a vision statement — one that inspires your employees and positively impacts your business — and we'll look at a few vision statement examples to help you get started. 

What is a vision statement? 

A personal mission statement and personal vision statement can be used to guide our decision-making and help us stay focused to meet our long-term goals. Company statements are no different. A company vision statement is one of your most important business documents, along with your mission statement and core values. Although it’s easy to confuse the three, each one is unique and serves its own purpose. 

Core values are the organization’s long-term beliefs and principles that guide employee behavior. A mission statement deals with “why” an organization exists, while a vision statement outlines “what” that existence will eventually look like. A mission statement has to do with what the organization is doing in the present, while a vision statement focuses on the future. Mission statement examples include L’Oreal’s “Offering all women and men worldwide the best of cosmetics innovation in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety.” Conversely, Disney’s vision for itself is “to be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.”

Primarily intended for internal employees and shareholders, a vision statement describes what an organization aspires to be. It helps to think of a vision statement as part roadmap, part inspiration. By outlining a long-term vision, rather than just short-term goals, a vision statement helps give the organization shape and purpose. 

Why it’s important to have a vision statement.

Despite the importance of a vision statement, many companies choose to operate without one. Some simply combine their mission and vision into one general document. Others do away with the idea altogether, thinking that corporate visions are vague statements that serve no actual purpose. 

Furthermore, studies show that highly aligned organizations grow revenue 58% faster, and are 72% more profitable than ones that are unaligned. If an organization doesn’t have a vision or a clear idea of what it wants, it will greatly limit its opportunities and have a difficult time inspiring employees to stay committed.  

How to write a vision statement.

Writing a vision statement may seem like a daunting task. It’s read by every employee and shareholder, and greatly impacts the success of the organization. And a vision statement takes time and thought. When done well, a vision statement can provide the encouragement your company needs to achieve its goals. To streamline the process, keep the following steps in mind while crafting your vision statement:

1. Determine who will help write your vision statement.

When starting out, it’s likely you and your partners will be responsible for writing your company’s vision statement. Once you start hiring, you can ask managers and employees to contribute additional insights. Interviewing a range of individuals will help create a vision statement that integrates and speaks directly to the entire organization. 

2. Project your goals for the future.

Imagine your company five or ten years down the line. The outcome you envision — your dream for the future, your success as a company — should be captured in the vision statement. Keep in mind that the statement should only include the vision, not an actual step-by-step plan for implementing solutions. 

The following questions can help you clarify your vision: 

• Where do we want the organization to go? 
• What can we realistically achieve?
• What problem does the organization intend to solve?
• What are the changes we believe the organization can make for individuals? For the industry? 
• How will things be different if the vision is realized?
• What phrases or keywords describe the type of organization and outcome we want?

3. Stick to the specifics.

A generic vision statement — one that sounds like it could apply to any company — will not be enough to motivate your team. Vision works best when it’s specific and describes an end goal only your organization can provide. Don’t be afraid to dream big. A lukewarm vision will only yield lukewarm results. So it’s important to be bold, and even risky, when writing your vision statement. 

4. Keep it short and simple.

While it should be specific, a vision statement shouldn’t be overly detailed. It should be concise. Start by jotting down all of your ideas, and then pare those down to the essentials. Keeping just one or two key points helps create a clear vision that’s easy for everyone to focus on and fulfill. Stay away from technical terms and jargon, and use the present tense. Rather than trying to write something catchy, aim for clarity. A great vision statement works best when it’s simple, memorable, and inspirational. 

Revisit your vision often as your company evolves.

A vision statement sets an organization’s sights on the future. However, once that future is reached, the vision needs to continue moving forward. Your vision statement is a living document, not a set of static sentences. It plays an important part in your overall strategic plan for a certain time frame. It should therefore be regularly updated to reflect your organization’s current purpose. 

Constantly communicate your vision.

Once you have a vision statement that articulates your end goal, make sure it’s clearly communicated. A vision is more effective when your entire organization takes it to heart. Commit the proper resources and time toward realizing the vision you’ve set. This can mean investing in seminars and training or launching a new product. It can also include offering the lowest possible prices, entering new markets, or exploring other areas of opportunity. A good way to help everyone align with a company's vision statement is by inviting them into the process. Ask for employees’ input, and suggest ways to incorporate the vision into their work. Then, make sure to recognize or reward individuals for their standout contributions.

Vision statement examples.

Sometimes, seeing what works for notable companies is just the inspiration you need to create your own vision statement. Below are some inspiring vision statements from today’s top companies:

Concept-based vision statements.

Some vision statements are based on concepts of what the company hopes to be or achieve in the future. This can be a general statement focused on customers, or a position the company wants to hold within the industry. Below are a few examples of concept-based vision statements:

• BBC: “To be the most creative organization in the world”
• Disney: “To make people happy.”
• Google: “To provide access to the world’s information in one click”
• IKEA: “To create a better everyday life for the many people”
• Instagram: “Capture and share the world’s moments”
• LinkedIn: "Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”
• Microsoft: “To help people throughout the world realize their full potential”
• Nike: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”
• Oxfam: “A just world without poverty”
• Shopify: “To make commerce better for everyone”
• Sony: "To be a company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity.”
• TED: “Spread ideas”
• Tesla: “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy”
• Uber: “We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion”
• Whole Foods : “To nourish people and the planet.”

Quality-based vision statements.

Other common vision statements are focused on internal goals. These include the type of products and services the company hopes to provide as they grow. Quality-based vision statements can also relate to company culture and operations. The following are some examples from actual United States companies in different industries:

• Amazon: “Our vision is to be earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”
• Avon: “ To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service, and self-fulfillment needs of women—globally.”
• Ben & Jerry’s: “Making the best ice cream in the nicest possible way”
• Ford: “People working together as a lean, global enterprise to make people’s lives better through automotive and mobility leadership.” 
• IBM: “To be the world’s most successful and important information technology company. Successful in helping our customers apply technology to solve their problems. Successful in introducing this extraordinary technology to new customers. Important because we will continue to be the basic resource of much of what is invested in this industry.”
• McDonald’s: “To move with velocity to drive profitable growth and become an even better McDonald’s serving more customers delicious food each day around the world.”
• Nordstrom: “To serve our customers better, to always be relevant in their lives, and to form lifelong relationships”
• Starbucks: “To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.” 
• Warby Parker: “We believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket. We also believe that everyone has the right to see.”
• Zappos: “To provide the best customer service possible. Deliver 'WOW' through service”

Keep a clear vision.

Even if it’s just a few sentences, a vision statement provides a lot of value. Not only does it outline the company’s desired outcome, but it can communicate intentions and hopes for the future. The best part is that a vision statement changes with your organization. When a vision is reached or updated, it’s time to create a new vision statement. This encourages everyone toward greater goals, and opens your company to more possibilities.

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Vision Statement College Essays Samples For Students

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Mission Statement Essays Example

Individual strategy paper.

Introduction The paper is aimed to apply the strategic management approach to the personal life. For this purpose, the paper is going to use Me Inc. approach to conduct vision, mission, and strategy analysis to apply to my personal career. It is considered as very important to develop the strategies for the personal career goals and objectives so that the organizations one need to join can easily look at the career view of the organization. The paper includes a personal vision statement, personal mission statement, goals, personal values, contributors and strategies that are applied to my personal career.

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The company under consideration is Zoni Language Centers, which is known as one of the leaders in teaching English language and in international college placement education.

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Guest Essay

Is This the End of Academic Freedom?

By Paula Chakravartty and Vasuki Nesiah

Dr. Chakravartty is a professor of media, communication and culture at New York University, where Dr. Nesiah is a professor of practice in human rights and international law.

​At New York University, the spring semester began with a poetry reading. Students and faculty gathered in the atrium of Bobst Library. At that time, about 26,000 Palestinians had already been killed in Israel’s horrific war on Gaza; the reading was a collective act of bearing witness.

The last poem read aloud was titled “If I Must Die.” It was written, hauntingly, by a Palestinian poet and academic named Refaat Alareer who was killed weeks earlier by an Israeli airstrike. The poem ends: “If I must die, let it bring hope — let it be a tale.”

Soon after those lines were recited, the university administration shut the reading down . Afterward, we learned that students and faculty members were called into disciplinary meetings for participating in this apparently “disruptive” act; written warnings were issued.

We have both taught at N.Y.U. for over a decade and believe we are in a moment of unparalleled repression. Over the past six months, since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, we have seen the university administration fail to adequately protect dissent on campus, actively squelching it instead. We believe what we are witnessing in response to student, staff and faculty opposition to the war violates the very foundations of academic freedom.

While N.Y.U. says that it remains committed to free expression on campus and that its rules about and approach to protest activity haven’t changed, students and faculty members in solidarity with the Palestinian people have found the campus environment alarmingly constrained.

About a week after Hamas’s attacks in October, the Grand Staircase in the Kimmel student center, a storied site of student protests , closed indefinitely; it has yet to reopen fully. A graduate student employee was reprimanded for putting up fliers in support of Palestinians on the student’s office door and ultimately took them down; that person is not the only N.Y.U. student to face some form of disciplinary consequence for pro-Palestinian speech or action. A resolution calling for the university to reaffirm protection of pro-Palestinian speech and civic activity on campus, passed by the elected Student Government Assembly in December, has apparently been stuck in a procedural black hole since.

The New York Police Department has become a pervasive presence on campus, with over 6,000 hours of officer presence added after the war broke out. Hundreds of faculty members have signed onto an open letter condemning the university’s “culture of fear about campus speech and activism.”

Such draconian interventions are direct threats to academic freedom.

At universities across the country, any criticism of Israel’s policies, expressions of solidarity with Palestinians, organized calls for a cease-fire or even pedagogy on the recent history of the land have all emerged as perilous speech. In a letter to university presidents in November, the A.C.L.U. expressed concern about “impermissible chilling of free speech and association on campus” in relation to pro-Palestinian student groups and views; since then, the atmosphere at colleges has become downright McCarthyite .

The donors, trustees, administrators and third parties who oppose pro-Palestinian speech seem to equate any criticism of the State of Israel — an occupying power under international law and one accused of committing war crimes — with antisemitism. To them, the norms of free speech are inherently problematic, and a broad definition of antisemitism is a tool for censorship . Outside funding has poured into horrifying doxxing and harassment campaigns. Pro-Israel surveillance groups like Canary Mission and CAMERA relentlessly target individuals and groups deemed antisemitic or critical of Israel. Ominous threats follow faculty and students for just expressing their opinions or living out their values.

To be clear, we abhor all expressions of antisemitism and wholeheartedly reject any role for antisemitism on our campuses. Equally, we believe that conflating criticism of Israel or Zionism with antisemitism is dangerous. Equating the criticism of any nation with inherent racism endangers basic democratic freedoms on and off campus. As the A.C.L.U. wrote in its November statement, a university “cannot fulfill its mission as a forum for vigorous debate” if it polices the views of faculty members and students, however much any of us may disagree with them or find them offensive.

In a wave of crackdowns on pro-Palestinian speech nationwide, students have had scholarships revoked, job offers pulled and student groups suspended. At Columbia, protesters have reported being sprayed by what they said was skunk, a chemical weapon used by the Israeli military; at Northwestern, two Black students faced criminal charges , later dropped, for publishing a pro-Palestinian newspaper parody; at Cornell, students were arrested during a peaceful protest . In a shocking episode of violence last fall, three Palestinian students , two of them wearing kaffiyehs, were shot while walking near the University of Vermont.

Many more cases of student repression on campuses are unfolding.

Academic freedom, as defined by the American Association of University Professors in the mid-20th century , provides protection for the pursuit of knowledge by faculty members, whose job is to educate, learn and research both inside and outside the academy. Not only does this resonate with the Constitution’s free speech protections ; international human rights law also affirms the centrality of academic freedom to the right to education and the institutional autonomy of educational institutions.

Across the United States, attacks on free speech are on the rise . In recent years, right-wing groups opposed to the teaching of critical race theory have tried to undermine these principles through measures including restrictions on the discussion of history and structural racism in curriculums, heightened scrutiny of lectures and courses that are seen to promote dissent and disciplinary procedures against academics who work on these topics.

What people may not realize is that speech critical of Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies has long been censored, posing persistent challenges to those of us who uphold academic freedom. Well before Oct. 7, speech and action at N.Y.U. in support of Palestinians faced intense and undue scrutiny.

Our students are heeding Refaat Alareer’s call to bear witness. They are speaking out — writing statements, organizing protests and responding to a plausible threat of genocide with idealism and conviction. As faculty members, we believe that college should be a time when students are encouraged to ask big questions about justice and the future of humanity and to pursue answers however disquieting to the powerful.

Universities must be places where students have access to specialized knowledge that shapes contemporary debates, where faculty members are encouraged to be public intellectuals, even when, or perhaps especially when, they are expressing dissenting opinions speaking truth to power. Classrooms must allow for contextual learning, where rapidly mutating current events are put into a longer historical timeline.

This is a high-stakes moment. A century ago, attacks on open discussion of European antisemitism, the criminalization of dissent and the denial of Jewish histories of oppression and dispossession helped create the conditions for the Holocaust. One crucial “never again” lesson from that period is that the thought police can be dangerous. They can render vulnerable communities targets of oppression. They can convince the world that some lives are not as valuable as others, justifying mass slaughter.

It is no wonder that students across the country are protesting an unpopular and brutal war that, besides Israel, only the United States is capable of stopping. It is extraordinary that the very institutions that ought to safeguard their exercise of free speech are instead escalating surveillance and policing, working on ever more restrictive student conduct rules and essentially risking the death of academic freedom.

From the Vietnam War to apartheid South Africa, universities have been important places for open discussion and disagreement about government policies, the historical record, structural racism and settler colonialism. They have also long served as sites of protest. If the university cannot serve as an arena for such freedoms, the possibilities of democratic life inside and outside the university gates are not only impoverished but under threat of extinction.

Paula Chakravartty is a professor of media, communication and culture at New York University, where Vasuki Nesiah is a professor of practice in human rights and international law. Both are members of the executive committee of the N.Y.U. chapter of the American Association of University Professors and members of N.Y.U.’s Faculty for Justice in Palestine.

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