I have been blogging each week around the six essential questions that one needs to be asking to get clear on purpose. I have been working to unpack the questions into various sub-themes that I believe will help you get on the path to your purpose.

I did a blog on the third question, what moves you? This question helps you work to discover or clarify your assignment.  When you are walking or living out your purpose, you should pursue assignments that are in line with your purpose.

However, when you are unclear about your purpose, what tends to happen is that you will be tempted to take on assignments that you can do, but those assignments do not necessarily help you thrive in your purpose or fulfill the mission that you are called to. You may also risk over-committing to not disappoint people.

You may also struggle in making decisions related to your assignments.  Prior to establishing the King’s Collective Network, I struggled to articulate my purpose as it relates to ministry.  I was good at everything ministry-related (not patting myself on the back), but this was also a problem.

I wanted to do all kinds of ministry events that did not necessarily hit the target that I was trying to achieve. Hence, I made decisions that cost money but had minimal impact. I am grateful for the learning, but the root cause was that I was unclear with my vision, mission, and values.

To mitigate overcommitting, people-pleasing, and poor decisions regarding your assignments, you must get clear on your vision, mission, and values. When you are clear on these, you can say yes and no with confidence and zero ambiguity and not worry that you are disappointing people. 

What is Vision, Mission & Values?

The late Dr. Myles Monroe made this powerful statement that resonates: “Purpose gives precision to life.”[1] Vision is the end state of fulfilled purpose. Vision is what realized purpose looks like.  

For instance, my purpose is to inspire and equip others so that they make big plays and bold moves that transform their world because of discovering their purpose in God’s Kingdom. What will it look like when my purpose is fulfilled in relation to those whom I am called to serve?  As a result of discovering their purpose, they are transforming their world!

Your purpose clarifies your vision, fuels you with the passion to fulfill your mission, and enables you to live out values that govern your choices and guides your actions.  Your purpose intersects your vision, mission, and values. Your vision, mission, and values are the force -multipliers of your purpose.  They are Purpose Enablers.

Knowing your Purpose and Better Decision-Making

Monroe makes some keen observations about how Jesus walked in His purpose and used it to inform everything the He did: [2]

• Jesus made choices that fulfilled His destined purpose (He fulfilled prophetic scripture with clear intention).
• Jesus made decisions bases on His purpose (He overcame temptation)
• Jesus purpose influenced with whom He spent time (He spent time with “sinners”)
• Jesus allowed His purpose to determine his priorities (He chose the cross although many did not understand that the Messiah was to also suffer and die).

If you have not worked to clarify your vision, mission, and values, here is a free tool by Franklin Covey that can help you get started. 

What area do you struggle the most in? Over-Committing, People-Pleasing, or Decision-Making?  What will you do differently now that you are aware of how mission, vision, and values can enable you to gain the upper hand in these areas?

[1] Munroe, M. (2015). In Pursuit of Purpose: The Key to Personal Fulfillment. Destiny Image.

[2] Ibid.