A mission statement gives us general guidance. We can make it more specific by applying it to specific roles. A role is a function that we serve in life. All of us have school related work roles. The idea is to find some sense or order about life by dividing it up into meaningful patterns of related activities.
Roles are key to creating balance in life.
Perhaps the most useful aspect of roles is that they can help us maintain balance in our lives. For example, if, as we plan our day, we consider each role and ask what ought to be done within it, we will be more balanced in our effectiveness than if we simply attend to the most pressing problems. In fact, the way we define our roles can help us maintain the balance that is so critical to effectiveness in life. Goals define what we want to achieve within each role. Roles are more specific than our mission, but they still aren't specific enough to let us make clear plans.