Mission, Vision and Branding

Mission Vision and Branding Photo by Karina Lago on Unsplash

Connect with your Vision and Mission

You want to manifest your dream and gain clarity and direction. Teaching Yoga isn’t just a job for you – it’s your calling. Still, you want to make this career sustainable; just as much as you want to make an impact and share your gifts.

It is time to clarify your vision and attract the abundance you deserve in your life. In marketing terms, it’s time to define your brand.

BRAND = Meaning + Identity

Branding is another stepping stone in your journey of self-discovery.  The term might sound daunting, but really, your brand is simply the reflection of your spirituality. It aligns perfectly with the values and purpose of your chosen path. You want to live your own great dream and share it and connect with others. 

In order to live the manifestation of your goal, it helps to

  •         put your values and purpose in words and solidify them
  •         consider whom you want to serve
  •         express your dream and your goal and write them down

Brands give meaning and identity, and the process can be challenging, however, by defining your brand you enable people to affiliate with you and say: ‘I am part of this tribe.’

You should also consider the definition of the brand, according to Mark Hurst, founder of Creative Good: “The brand is what people say about you afterwards.”

Study the people you want to serve. Learn the habits and true desires of your current and prospective following. Don’t rely on what you think they think. Know what they think – Social Media can help with that. Remember that brands are not only constructed by the individual that creates them, but they are also formed through the conversations, interactions and experiences with your followers.

Creating your brand and defining the person you want to serve starts with two essential statements:

  •         The Vision Statement
  •         The Mission Statement

Why do you need a vision and mission statement?

We live in a fast-paced world, and there’s a lot of distractions out there. Having a clear vision and mission helps you to stay focused. It’s a reminder why you are teaching yoga, what you love about teaching and why yogis come to your classes, your yoga studio and retreats.

Your vision and mission are the foundation on which your following is built. You probably have a dream of where you want to go and why you do what you do, but if you don’t have it solidified, then it is easy to lose clarity and direction.

By expressing your vision and mission, not only you define your tribe and attract your following, but also you have a touchstone on which to base your decisions — thinking of creating a new course? Are you considering branching out into a related field? Are you intrigued by a new social platform? Test it against your vision and mission statements, and you’ll know if it’s right for you.

Clarifying the Vision Statement

A Vision Statement focuses on tomorrow, and what you want to become, how you visualize yourself in the future. Your vision statement defines your long-term aspirations. It explains why you’re doing what you’re doing and the ultimate good you want to achieve through your practice. Think of your vision as the image of where you ultimately want your yoga to lead you.

Clarifying the Mission Statement

A Mission Statement focuses on today and what you need to do to realize it. Your mission statement defines the purpose of your calling and the effect you intend to have on the world around you. It states what you do for others and the approach you follow as you aim to achieve the aspirations you’ve set for yourself. Think of your mission as the path you’ll walk on to achieve your vision.

This exercise is great even if you have a good sense of your vision and mission but haven’t yet committed to it in writing. Now is the time to put your ideas into words and write your statements. Putting everything on paper will help you make things clear and save you from steering away from your path.

Writing your Vision Statement

 Make sure you find the words that let your authentic self shine through your vision statement.

The Vision Statement spells out where you want to be in one, two, three or five years from today. By adhering to your mission, the vision is what you will become.

 You can create your Vision Statement by answering the following questions:

  1. What do you want to do going forward?
  2. When do you want to do it?
  3. How do you want to do it?
  4. Describe a measurable goal
  5. What are you doing as an output?
  6. Define your unique style, twist that you bring to the outcome?
  7. Who is your target group?

Tips for your writing Vision Statement

 Tip 1: Define what you do as an output. Start by being exceptionally clear about what it is your Yoga offers.  Be careful to remain ‘output focused’ rather than ‘input focused’.  

 Tip 2: Define the unique element that your individual Yoga practice and approach brings to your output. As a Yogi, you are not offering a truly new path, but rather you are introducing your individual approach, focus or spirituality. At some point in your journey, someone will have believed that the reason YOU were successful where others failed was because of _______. It is your calling to fill in that blank and communicate your Unique Selling Point, your Unique Offering.

 Tip 3: Try to incorporate some kind of quantification. A common problem with an unattractive vision statement is that it’s too visionary!  With no possible end in sight (or an unrealistic one) the initial inspiration of a compelling vision statement can quickly turn to frustration among your following. Give them a hint on measuring their progress while remaining authentic.

 Tip 4: Add relatable, human, ‘real world’ words. By incorporating an evocative message, you allow people to conjure up a solid mental image and connect more vividly with your vision statement.  

Writing your Mission Statement

A good mission statement is a useful tool for a well-run business. It’s the ‘why’ of your business strategy. The mission statement gives you the direction you need to accomplish your vision.

Answer the following questions:

  1. What are you doing today?
  2. For whom are you doing it?
  3. What’s your responsibility towards your Yoga students?
  4. What is the benefit?
  5. What is your personality like?
  6. What are your values?
  7. What are your interests and passions in teaching yoga?
  8. What are your strengths, talents and skills?

 And you should always subject a mission statement to this test:

When you have your Mission Statement on paper, test it by asking yourself, honestly, whether another yogi could use exactly the same statement.

Tips for writing your Mission Statement

Tip 1: Define your purpose. Ask yourself why you want to teach Yoga and why you want to increase your following. The following will communicate your purpose to your prospective following.

  1.   Start by identifying what service you offer to people and define who this service is for.  
  2.   Define how you plan to deliver it and why what you offer is valuable.

Tip 2: Be specific – same with your Vision Statement, avoid jargon as it is generally ineffective in a mission statement. If you tell people that you “offer the best Yoga classes” they’re unlikely to look at your statement twice, let alone remember it and choose you over someone else. Choose your words wisely and use terms that are easily understood while relevant to your Yoga practice.

Tip 3: Inspire – It is essential to make a Mission Statement that your following finds plausible and attainable, but it is also necessary to include an inspirational element. This element can cultivate a common spirituality among your tribe and encourage them to commit to your vision. You might also find it useful to tie your mission statement to specific activities or behaviors, which can move it from the conceptual realm to the practical everyday world.

Tip 4: Keep it concise – When writing your mission statement, make it as concise as possible. If it comes out lengthy, try to purify it and isolate the essence of it. Aim for a message that is authentic yet sharp.

Notes on writing your Vision and Mission Statements

When writing your statement, keep in mind the following:

  1. Make it short, no more than a couple of sentences. Feel free to expand on your statement with more detail, but you definitely need a memorable version.
  2. Make sure it’s true to your unique identity and describe what only you can offer to your following. Steer clear from general statements that are open to interpretation. This is the time to express and share your authentic message.
  3. Try to avoid words that are overly used and evoke cliché statements.
  4. Keep it simple so that it is easy for newcomers to understand. You want to grow your following and attract more people, not alienate them with unfamiliar terminology.
  5. Aim for a balanced statement. It needs to be inspiring enough to invite people, but not too ambitious that it feels unattainable.
  6. Both Statements need to align with the Values that you want to communicate to your following.

Epilogue

The process of manifesting your dream starts with visualising your true calling and taking steps to realise it. Everything you do should always reflect the values and purpose behind your Mission and Vision Statements. Impactful statements can serve as a reminder of why you chose to be a Yogi and why you founded your business.

Inspired and authentic statements will light your path for the years to come.

References 

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/77408

https://www.clearvoice.com/blog/difference-between-mission-vision-statement-examples/

https://www.dummies.com/business/marketing/branding/how-to-write-vision-and-mission-statements-for-your-brand/