Vision vs mission statement – what’s the difference? A definitive guide + 20 examples

Despite being used interchangeably, mission statements and vision statements are two distinct types of brand messages that serve different purposes.

So, we’re here to clear up the vision vs mission statement debate and explore their differences. Plus, we’ll help you write your own.

Key takeaways

• Mission statements describe your company’s current purpose and goals.
• Vision statements outline your company’s future goals and aspirations.
• A powerful mission statement sets out what your company does and why.
• Aligning your core values and culture with long-term goals can help you create an inspirational vision statement.

Mission statement vs vision statement: what’s the difference?

Mission statements define what your company is doing right now to achieve its goals, while vision statements define what your company’s ultimate goal is.

So, you could say that your mission statement is the blueprint for how you’re going to achieve your company’s vision statement.

So, to sum up, here’s a table showing the main differences between mission and vision statements:

	Mission Statement	Vision Statement
Purpose	Describes what your company does, who you’re doing it for, and why you’re doing it.	Describes what you hope to achieve in the future.
Timeframe	Focused on your current goals and activities.	Focused on your future aspirational goals.
Audience	Generally targeted at customers.	Generally targeted at employees and other stakeholders.

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement is a short, simple statement that communicates what your business’s purpose is.

In one or two sentences, it aims to tell readers three fundamental things about your company: what it does, who it serves, and why.

Mission statements are always written in the present tense and describe the current goals and priorities of your company.

Most mission statements begin with “to…” or some variation of “we strive to…”.

You can also create department-focused mission statements.

A sales mission statement, for example, defines the purposes, values, and goals of your sales departments.

These three things are primarily what makes a good mission statement.

What is the purpose of a mission statement?

A good mission statement helps employees, leadership, and target audiences understand the main purpose and key objectives of your company.

For customers, it serves to distinguish you from the competition and communicate the values that, hopefully, resonate with your audience.

And for employees and leadership, mission statements unite everyone involved on a focused, foundational purpose.

This is particularly important in departments like sales, where competitiveness can sabotage sales collaboration. With a strong mission statement, you can unite sales teams, helping them to focus their strategies and decision-making to meet shared goals.

What is a vision statement?

A vision statement defines the aspirational goals of your company — in other words, your vision for the future.

It focuses on the large-scale impact you hope to have on the world and communicates your brand’s long-term goals.

They tend to be highly ambitious — for example, Microsoft’s old vision statement was “A computer on every desk and in every home.”

If you’re unsure how to formulate a vision, keep reading because we cover that later in this guide.

What is the purpose of a vision statement?

Vision statements are designed to inspire and motivate employees.

Boldly aspirational, they act as your company’s guiding star, leading everyone toward shared, big-picture dreams and objectives.

A powerful vision statement can unite employees and leaders, drive company strategies, and secure stakeholder confidence.

So, to sum up the vision statement vs mission statement debate, mission statements are focused on current goals, whereas vision statements are focused on future goals.

20 mission statement vs vision statement examples

To truly understand the difference between mission and vision statements, we’ve collected 20 examples of statements that get the message across.

Let’s begin with ten mission statement examples:

1. Starbucks: “To inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.”
2. Google: “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
3. Coca-Cola: “To refresh the world and make a difference.”
4. Tesla: “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”
5. JetBlue: “To inspire humanity — both in the air and on the ground.”
6. IKEA: “To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”
7. Disney: “To entertain, inform, and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling.”
8. Slack: “Make people’s working lives simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.”
9. Lego: “To inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.”
10. American Red Cross: “To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

Now for some vision statement examples:

11. Starbucks: “To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.”
12. IKEA: “To create a better everyday life for the many people.”
13. Amazon: “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices.”
14. Pepsi: “Be the global leader in convenient foods and beverages by winning with purpose.”
15. Lego: “To be a global force for learning through play.”
16. LinkedIn: “Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.”
17. Southwest: “To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.”
18. McDonald’s: “To move with velocity to drive profitable growth and become an even better McDonald’s serving more customers delicious food each day around the world.”
19. Samsung: “Inspire the world with our innovative technologies, products, and design that enrich people’s lives and contribute to social prosperity by creating a new future.”
20. Tesla: “To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.”

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Mission and vision statements define and guide your company’s core initiatives and priorities.

Mission statements clarify the purpose and primary objectives of your company, while vision statements describe your future goals.

Both statements unite and motivate your employees, reassure stakeholders, and resonate with your customers.

On a sales level, a strong mission statement provides focus and direction for sales reps, improving sales quotas.

What else can you do to achieve those goals? Once you’ve crafted powerful mission and vision statements, consider using a document workflow automation solution like PandaDoc for Sales.

With PandaDoc, your teams can:

• Automate proposals to improve their workflows
• Create personalized sales documents using a drag-and-drop editor
• Access real-time reporting and notifications

PandaDoc for Sales motivates employees to succeed, enabling them to deliver better client experiences. Why not check it out today?

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Frequently asked question

• Which comes first, vision or mission?

  While there’s no hard and fast rule for which one to define first, brands tend to begin with their mission statement. Your business’s purpose — i.e., why your company exists — should be at the core of your brand’s messages. So, starting with your mission statement and using it to guide your wider vision makes sense.

• What are the three parts of a mission statement?

  A good mission statement focuses on purpose, values, and goals.

  Purpose: Why does your company exist? How does this relate to the product or service you offer?

  Values: What foundational values does your company stand for? Affordability? Sustainability? Innovation? How does your brand differ from your competitors?

  Goals: What are the immediate objectives of your company? What impact do you want to have on your customers?