Is a mission statement a bunch of meaningless words written on a piece of paper?
Is it something that looks good but is never really taken seriously?

Well the answer is, yes and no!

Your mission statement can be a useless document that is meaningless to all and leads no one, or it can be a reflection of the guiding principles of your life!

Ideally, you will write a mission statement that is a reflection of what is most important to you. What do you want out of life? Who do want to become?
If you use your mission statement to answer these questions and you refer to your mission often, it will help you to stay focused on the larger goals for your life. You can avoid getting sidetracked on things that are not truly meaningful to you in the long run.