A family mission statement clearly defines a family's collective purpose, values, goals and approach to life together. It provides guiding principles and a unifying code to follow as a family unit.
Crafting a compelling family mission statement may seem daunting. Thankfully, following proven templates and examples can make the process much easier.
Let’s get started crafting your family’s purpose and shared vision!
A family mission statement provides tremendous value, including:
It cultivates open discussion to align on guiding principles for your family.
It frames a central purpose that bonds family members together.
It informs objectives and activities tied back to principles the family defined.
Referring back to defined values and vision resolves conflicts more easily.
Memorable mission statements remind, motivate and guide family members daily.
In summary, the deep introspection required to craft an inspirational joint mission statement brings families closer together now while providing direction for years to come.
While details will differ across families, most strong mission statements contain the following key elements:
Outline principles and ethics that your family agrees to live by together. For example: integrity, honesty, respect, compassion.
Frame an inspiring central vision that grounds the family - why you are together beyond relationships alone.
Define specific goals, outcomes, or causes the family aims to accomplish or support long-term.
Describe orientations, doctrines or philosophies that inform family beliefs and decisions.
Establish boundaries, responsibilities or behavioral expectations to enable cohesive family functioning.
With core elements defined, let's look at some family mission statement templates to spur creative thinking on ways to structure your own.
While family mission statements require personal customization, the following templates provide starter frameworks commonly leveraged:
The [Family Last Name] family aims to...
Values: Kindness. Integrity. Generosity. [Other Values]
Purpose: Support each other. Give back to our community. Have shared adventures together.
This simple fill-in-the-blank template allows easy tailoring to each family’s unique values and mission. Next, let’s look at another format.
We, the [Family Last Name] family,
Value honesty, respect, resilience and empathy above all. We support and motivate each other through challenges.
Commit to serving our community, nurturing lasting friendships, and pursuing growth. We help others in need.
Seek adventure, knowledge, and new perspectives. We embrace opportunities that bond us closer together.
Structuring statements beginning with “we value/commit/seek” provides a bold declaration of principles for families aiming for an aspirational mission statement. Now here is one more creative template:
Our family is guided by an unwavering light representing our vision, values and purpose.
The [Family Last Name] light shines brightly with:
Vision - a supportive, adventurous family that stays together through life’s ups and downs
Values - integrity, empathy and perseverance in all that we do
Purpose – to raise good human beings while exploring the world hand in hand
This example frames the family mission metaphorically as an ever-present guiding light leading members forward. The vision, values and purpose expand on framework.
Hopefully these templates sparked ideas on ways to structure your own family mission. Now let’s look at full examples.
To inspire your thinking, here are 5 excellent real-world examples of family mission statements from the Smith, Rodriguez, Chen, Wilson and Muhammad families:
Our family values openness, sincerity and facing challenges together.
We support each member’s dreams and ambitions with encouragement. We give back by volunteering on weekends.
We commit to regular family vacations, game nights and new experiences that broaden our perspectives.
The above mission statement defines shared values, commitment to service and family time priorities. Now let us look at another example:
To create a nurturing household grounded in our Mexican-American roots that supports each family member in achieving their highest potential while giving back.
Values: Respect. Unity. Generosity.
Goals: Celebrate our cultural traditions. Volunteer locally. Pursue growth through higher education.
This example leads with an inspiring purpose statement backed up by shared values and specific family objectives they aim to accomplish - very comprehensive. Now here is another creative mission statement:
The Chen family is guided by an unwavering light representing our vision, values and purpose.
Our light shines brightly with...
Vision: A cohesive, multigenerational household where wisdom guides positive change.
Values: Heritage, Knowledge, Compassion
Purpose: Support professional growth of family members while volunteering time to less fortunate communities.
This example adopted our previous “Guiding Light” template to effectively define their family’s code including respect for elders and volunteerism. Now let us look at another example:
The Wilson family aims to create lasting memories on adventures together while cultivating kindness and confidence in our children.
Values: Exploration. Kindness. Resilience.
Commitments: Annual family vacations. Weekly board game nights. Volunteer at food bank each month.
Rules: No yelling. Take care of pets daily. Write thank you notes.
In this example, the Wilson family defines their purpose upfront backed by shared values, commitments and household rules that guide behaviors - very thorough. Finally, here is one more excellent mission statement example:
We, the Muhammad family, value faith, intellect and community above all.
We support each other’s personal and professional aspirations. We give time and financial help to those needing shelter or hunger relief in our community.
We seek to deepen our understanding of global cultures, issues and perspectives through regular travel adventures together. We grow by stepping out of our comfort zone.
This final example opens powerfully defining values upfront, then expanding on commitments to service and global exploration pursuits as a family unit.
Hopefully reviewing detailed mission statement examples provides initial ideas to incorporate into your own family’s guiding vision and code.
Now let us briefly discuss tips for crafting impactful statements.
When facilitating your family’s mission statement drafting discussion, here are some key recommendations:
Engage All Family Members - Get broad participation from kids and adults alike to increase ownership.
Define Core Values First - Start by aligning on guiding principles before goals to provide the right foundation.
Keep It Concise - Avoid lengthy statements. Focus on most vital concepts that resonate.
Use Inspiring Language - Consider metaphors and frame the purpose memorably beyond just facts.
Revisit It Annually - Schedule reviews to update the statement as family evolves over time.
Starting the mission statement dialogue is often the hardest part. Use the templates and examples provided above across multiple family meetings to craft an inspiring guiding vision. Refine over time as needed.
Creating a family mission statement provides huge value in aligning your family behind deeply held common beliefs, purposes and rules of engagement. The introspective process brings everyone closer together while providing direction and inspiration for years ahead.
Use the templates and examples in this guide as thought starters, engage all household perspectives and make drafting a rewarding vision exercise through multiple working sessions. Refine annually.
Creating a family mission statement that encapsulates shared values, legacy, and vision can be challenging. Just Think AI makes collaboratively developing a thoughtful mission statement easy.
To leverage Just Think AI for family mission statement templates:
With this context, Just Think AI can provide draft family mission statement templates touching on:
Refine statements further by adding more personal details.
When requesting a family mission statement template from Just Think AI, provide:
Supplying this background allows Just Think AI to craft a thoughtful family mission statement template you can customize to inspire and unite your family.