Catalysts who have been instrumental in the formulation and evolution of my life mission statement

( I hope to name other individuals in my posts with their permission, as they are not at this time, public figures )

Mission statement started with: "To love, to learn, and make meaningful contributions " with I had determined I needed during a management coaching session at work faciliated by our HR specialist on a new program at the time, I think it was around the late 1990's. I've done my best to incorporate them in everything I do. What was lacking and internally struggled with is the last part of the statement which is "in such a way that may help inspire others do the same". The "WHY" , is to help, "HOW" is to make it inspirational, and to "WHOM", others besides myself. That segment of my mission statement was added during one of our sessions at the Society for Information Management's Regional Leadership Forum where I was fortunate enough to be sponsored by our then CIO, Pat Skarulis, to participate in 2007 at the New York Metro chapter facilitated by Darwin John (ex CIO Scott Paper and the FBI) and Mike Carleton (CIO of US General Services Administration).

Last year, I was presented with an opportunity to informally mentor another person, initiated by a co-worker. I've taken the role and I'm happy to report that the mentee is doing well in life. She texted and thanked me immediately after we both attended a zoom meeting at work on Friday, October 23, 2020, that described a new formal program to acknowledge "Distinguished Technologists" as well as a new mentorship program. I replied that it was really all her that made the difference but she had mentioned that she was "awaken by her mentors". I was thinking that if had helped her, the one person that I've taken as mentee, that I can potentially help many more to help guide in the path of actualizing their potential. That Friday evening, I embarked on taking action of creating this site and noticed I'm still missing something, it was too serious, for which I've added "to find joy in life's simple pleasures".

As you can see, I haven't figured everything out, far from it. What is clear to me is that we need to adapt and adjust while embracing key principles that we know work. I am sharing this, hoping those who haven't thought of formulating their own life-mission statement to do so. Having a clear mission helps me make quick decisions simply by asking, does this align with who I am and if the answer is yes, then it has been decided to be a resounding yes!

What a difference a day made

I continued to make tweaks to this blog, on Saturday, October 24, 2020, It was a gray day. I woke up late as I was working to set the site up in the wee hours of the morning from Friday night. Still excited and fixing up typos, added links, etc.

Sunday came and I received a phone call from my friend Crispin that our mutual friend Jimmy from high school had passed away. We were both devastated. Suddenly the world seem to have crumbled. Luckily, I had Liza, Jimmy's wife's contact info as she had sent me a message earlier in the year as she was planning a surprise 60th birthday for Jimmy in September if COVID-19 subsides by then. (We now know it didn't and surprise, the big surprise party didn't happen.) I had texted and tried to console her. We texted throughout the day, probably a good method not having to hear quivers in each other's voice. In the meantime, I am glad that I had recently updated my mission statement, it had made it a little easier for me to deal with the loss as I've written "don't let our past define us". To take positive steps today.

In memory of my mother who passed away in June, a good friend from college, Vinny, who passed away in July, and now Jimmy, although I am with fresh grief again, I had to eat my own words and move forward. I am now channeling that accumulated and refreshed grief, to make best of the bad situation, hoping that since having started this blog with my mission in life and learning to move on from grief and depression, that it may help others as well and consequently help me fulfill the part of my mission statement with the phrase "help inspire others to do the same".

I therefore urge you all "To Love, to learn, to find joy in life's simple pleasures, and make meaningful contributions in such a way that may help inspire others do the same".