The mariner's compass is one of the most useful and nifty instruments ever to be discovered by man. The rough seas, in their murderous rage, had killed scores of unsuspecting sailors. Once shore was left behind, there really was not much that sailors could do except trust themselves to the skill and experience of their captain. During rough weather, it was natural for ships to get lost and subsequently wrecked. But once the mariner's compass came along, there was a drastic change. Now, there was no need for fear anymore. Directions became apparent and destinations were crystal clear. All the guesswork was taken out of sailing.

Have you ever thought whether you own a personal mariner's compass? Many of us blunder through life clueless about how we are traveling and where we are headed. A personal mariner's compass that would help us to stick to our path and deliver us to our destination is what most people lack. So, how do you go about making such a compass?

The first thing a traveler does when he is about to start a journey is to fix his DESTIANTION. This is so simple when you think of traveling, but in life, most people have no idea what their destination is. Think hard and think deep. What is your destination? This is where you need to make a personal mission statement. A personal mission statement is just a simple yet effective statement that expresses your aim in life. There is no need to use flowery language or correct grammar. So long as it inspires you and keeps you focused on your goals, your mission statement is doing a good job. Here are some effective mission statements:

"Everyday, I will remind myself why I love my kids so much and what they mean to me. Showing patience and love is what my mission is."

"Read, read, read - read as much as possible till I have got all the texts at the tips of my finger. Acquire more knowledge and more command in my field and climb the ladder to success."

Why are these mission statements so effective? First off, the mission statements above have fixed goals. The first mission statement says that love and patience is the destination. It then charts out what needs to be done on a daily basis to achieve this. The second mission statement fixes success in a profession to be the goal. It also points out what needs to be done everyday to achieve this goal.

The people who read these kinds of statements everyday have some advantages: Firstly, when things are going well, most people tend to forget that they have to keep working to achieve greater heights. A mission statement reminds you of what you have to do EVERY SINGLE DAY. Secondly, many a time, we get frustrated and desperate. A mission statement breaks down the seemingly difficult task to something achievable by laying down what needs to be done on a daily basis. There is no room for uncertainty if you have a well thought out mission statement in front of you. Your mission statement is your personal mariner's compass. It keeps you on the right path, and also reminds you when you stray away from the right path.

Another great advantage of a personal mission statement is that it removes your dreams from the realm of the unreal and brings it into reality. The first step towards realizing your goal is to set it down on paper. This simplifies the task and persuades your psyche that you can achieve your dreams. Most people never have the courage even to put their dreams on paper. How then would they ever achieve their dreams?