Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
1 Peter 3:15
I once attended a book-writing conference in another state. I had a rough manuscript of substantial length, words that I had written with deep emotion and intention – but when one of the guest speakers happened to sit at my table and ask, “So, what’s your book about?”, I completely froze. Then I stammered some muddled phrases that left him (and frankly, me) confused.
I was mortified. I had even tried to prepare for this question beforehand – but I realized too late the problem: the stated purpose of my book was not clear or short enough to remember well. Under stress it became incoherent.
The valuable lesson I learned that day: Be ready to clearly state the ‘so what’. And make it snappy, sister. Because if no one gets what you’re trying to offer – if it’s not clear and easily shareable – you’re not going to make a lot of impact.
So what’s YOUR “So what”? If someone who didn’t know you very well asked you “So what’s your story?” Or “So what do you do?” (or a similar question – and answering with your job description seems so trivial), do you know what you would say in a sentence or two? Does this question make you squirm with sudden discomfort? (I feel you.)
Good news! You get to make a “So what” statement for yourself! I can help.
Creating a “So what” statement (commonly known as a personal mission statement) for yourself does two things:
- Tells others what your main purpose – and why it matters
- Leads you to do what matters most
A “So What” statement helps you chisel down to the core of what you’re about for others. It also gives you a guideline to help you make the best decisions for where you want to spend your valuable time and energy – and ultimately your precious God-given life.
This can also be a source of freedom in liberating you to say no to things that don’t fall inside the lines of your main purpose.
As an Ambassador of Christ, the ‘so what’ should be something we all work to define for our lives – whether we herd goats, lay carpet, raise little humans, or do brain surgery.
While ultimately our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever (Westminster Catechism, answer to “What is the chief purpose of man?”), we must work this out on a personal level to understand what and where our greatest impact is in this season.
(If you are unable to agree truthfully with the big picture purpose of glorifying and enjoying God, perhaps you should start with “Why don’t I?”. I recommend John Piper’s “Desiring God”, “When I Don’t Desire God”, “A Hunger for God”, or “The Pleasures of God” as great resources.)
So how do we come up with that juicy yet clear “So what” answer? One simple format to follow is to fill in the blanks in this sentence:
“I [action] by [ability/skill] for [people you reach] to [desired result].”
And rearrange the sentence as you need. For example: a fiction author might say: “I create stories that inform, entertain, and inspire people around the world.”
Or a homeschool mom: “I train and educate my children to become compassionate, godly and hard-working members of society and disciples of Christ.”
Is there a lot more to this? Yes! But this is a great starting place.
Why does it matter whether or not you articulate a personal “So What” statement?
Because a simple, clear description of your “So what” gives your purpose power.
It helps you simplify what is most important to you – and what you can let go of to prioritize your precious time. This gives you clarity to live purposefully the precious life God has given you.
Go strongly, friend.
Wear Your Crown, Carry Your Sword. – Maria Miller
If you want a free cheat sheet with more help and tips on how to create your own purpose statement, you can get access to my exclusive free printable page by signing up to receive my articles in your inbox - the password is immediately sent to you! (If you’ve already signed up, you’ll be getting an email with the password.)
I’d love to hear what YOUR “So What” statement is – please email me to share it with me!
(If this article was encouraging, inspiring or helpful to you – would you please share it? Thanks!)