Companies have developed mission statements for years. It helps guide them by defining who they are and why they do what they do. Coca-Cola’s mission statement, for example, is “To refresh the world. To inspire moments of optimism and happiness. To create value and make a difference.”

For Google is “To organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” When Stephen R. Covey wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People in 1989, he put a spin on the idea, suggesting that individuals create their own mission statement as part of his second habit: begin with the end in mind. Twenty-five years later, personal mission statements, sometimes called purpose statements, are proving to be a good tool for high achievers. “If you want to be successful, you need to think of yourself as a personal brand,” says William Arruda, author of Ditch, Dare, Do: 3D Personal Branding for Executives. “A personal mission statement is a critical piece of your brand because it helps you stay focused.”

Writing one, however, takes introspection. Arruda suggests asking yourself, what am I passionate about? What are my values? What makes me great? “We all have super powersthings we do better than anyone else,” he says, adding that it helps to ask someone else what your talents are. “These things often feel natural  to us, but it’s important to see them as being special.”

When you’re ready to write, Arruda offers a template that links together three elements: The value you create + who you’re creating it for + the expected outcome. For example: I use my passion and expertise in technology to inspire researchers to create drugs to cure  rare diseases.