Come to grips with your true vision and mission

Aug 28, 2009, 12.00am IST


Most corporations spell out their philosophy in a mission statement.


This makes clear the vision of the organisation and enables stakeholders to understand the goals to be achieved. Similarly, it would be fruitful for every individual to have conceptual clarity about his vision and mission. A vision statement is the desired state of affairs in the future, what we wish to be. The mission statement would express the purpose of existence, the purpose of the individual's life. All the while, it is instructive to keep in mind the guidance of seers who advise against getting entrapped in narrow worldly and materialistic visions.

Spiritual insight, modern or ancient, enables us to formulate a vision that takes us beyond the status quo and acts as a catalyst for the evolution of body and soul. To become rich and wealthy in the material sense alone is a shortsighted and immature vision.

Similarly, making a career chart to reach a certain status in the profession, industry or business is a lower level of vision statement. To visualise a future that is happy and free from pain and suffering could be a vision statement at the middle level for an individual blessed with worldly intelligence. But to visualise a future that leads to the evolution of the individual to a state that is free from even the desire to be happy is the indication of a blessed soul. To aspire for a state of mind that reacts the same way to both joy and sorrow is the mission statement of the higher order.

Vision is individualistic but the mission has to be related to the environment - including society and all of the animate and inanimate worlds. A mission that envisages exploitation of human and natural assets around is governed by materialistic desires and leads to situations of extreme stress, discontentment and conflict. The second order of mission can be a plan to achieve individual or small group harmony by being indifferent to the sufferings of others or even feel helplessness to serve the deprived, downtrodden and those in pain and hunger. A mission of creating a situation where one's consciousness merges with the common universal consciousness is the mission that seers envisaged for the seeker. To become a part of the common universal consciousness is to obliterate the ego completely and experience oneness with the Supreme.

The third component relates to methods to achieve the stated vision and mission. M K Gandhi spoke of the need to use righteous methods. The process of realising the vision and accomplishing the mission can be expedited, but there are no shortcuts. The method is as important as the targeted vision and mission. Honesty is not only the best policy but it is the essentiality of one's value system for an enlightened future. To seek truth and to present only the truth is the best course of action for spiritual pursuit.

Compassion helps us to feel one with the universe; once this is achieved, then the positive forces of Creation help you in your sacred efforts. Patience is the key. Without worrying about the outcome, keep performing your duties, without deviating from the path of honesty and compassion. The results are bound to come and without you having to undergo the stress of expectation and impatience.

The writer teaches communication at Kurukshetra University.