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Citizen empowerment #1: Internalize your mission

“Begin with an end in mind.” – Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Understand what you are trying to accomplish. What is your mission – your passion? What fires you up in the morning and makes you want to attack the day. Then contemplate how it creates value for others (e.g., stakeholders, constituents). Leading organizations have mission statements, a brief statement or phrase that clearly articulates why the organization exists.

Here are some of my favorite mission statements:

• TED: Spread ideas.
• JetBlue: To inspire humanity in the air and on the ground.
• American Heart Association: To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.
• Patagonia: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
• Nordstrom: To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.
• LinkedIn: Create...