WTF do i do with these?

Let’s talk about the holy trinity of brand strategy that everyone tells you to define ... which if you’re anything like 99% of my clients you promptly leave sitting there collecting digital dust (a branding black hole if you will), wondering WTF you’re meant to do with them next. And honestly i don’t blame you because no one ever tells you what you’re supposed to do with them - just that you should have them.

Purpose.
Vision.
Mission.

I know these sound like a spiritual retreat or a motivational mug set but they are the absolute key to unlocking the power of your brand.

They’re not just fluffy nice to haves, they’re the roots of a brand that actually feels like something. That moves people to their core. That doesn’t just look good on Instagram but holds real weight when you’re knee-deep in an identity crisis wondering what your brand stands for.

So, let’s break it down:

Purpose = What you’re here to do beyond making money.

Not for the algorithm. Not to “scale.” Your real reason for getting up in the morning and doing this work in the first place. It’s the heartbeat of your brand. The why beneath the why. The thing that tugs at your gut and says, "This matters."

🔥 Example: Patagonia

Their purpose: To save our home planet.
Not sell jackets. Not be trendy.
To. Save. The. Planet.
It drives everything from their product decisions to their activism to the fact they literally gave away the company profits to fight climate change.
That’s what i call putting your purpose where your Patagonia puffer is.

How to actually live your Purpose:

✅ Use it to shape your storytelling.
Stop starting with what you do. Start with why you care. Drop it into your About page, welcome emails, captions. Let people feel your fire.

✅ Infuse it into your offers.
Ask yourself: “Does this service/product help me fulfil my purpose?” If not, it’s a distraction. Refine or scrap it.

✅ Audit your brand voice.
Does your tone reflect the heart behind what you do? Or are you hiding behind professional fluff? Your purpose should come through in the way you speak, not just what you say.

✅ Use it as your North Star in wobbly moments.
Feeling comparison-itis or content fatigue? Reconnect with your purpose. Remind yourself why you started.

Vision = The future you’re building.

It’s your brand’s Big Picture. The north star. The bold, maybe-a-bit-scary dream of what the world could look like if your brand did what it came here to do. The goal you want written on your tombstone (sorry to be morbid), which says “she achieved xyz for humanity!”

It’s where your magic meets leadership.
You’re not just selling a product, you’re selling a future people want to be part of, and that is so magnetic!

💋 Example: Fenty Beauty

Fenty’s vision: To redefine beauty standards so that every person—every shade, every gender, every identity—feels seen.
And they’re doing it. From 50+ foundation shades to gender-inclusive campaigns, they didn’t just imagine a more inclusive beauty industry, they built it. And then forced the rest of the industry to catch up (amazing!)

It’s visionary branding. It shifts culture.

How to actually live your Vision:

✅ Create future-casting content.
Speak from the world you're building. Share your opinions. Paint a picture. Take a stand. Let people buy into the movement, not just the moment.

✅ Let it guide your brand tone.
If you’ve got a visionary brand you need visionary language. No more playing it safe or vanilla. Your tone should reflect boldness, hope, and clarity.

✅ Use it to make brave decisions.
Not sure if you should launch something, shift directions, or collaborate with that person? Ask: “Does this move me closer to my vision?” If not, it’s a no.

✅ Build a community around it.
Your vision is magnetic. Speak it clearly, and it will attract people who want to help make it real.

Mission = How you’re doing the damn thing.

This is your day-to-day compass.
What you're doing, who you're doing it for, and how you're delivering on that purpose and building toward that vision.

It’s action-based. Strategic. A bit less dreamy, a bit more move in closer, we’re building a brand.

🎙 Example: The Black Girl Bravado

Their mission: To create a space where Black women feel seen, supported, and empowered in their personal growth.
And every podcast episode, every post, every offering delivers on that mission like clockwork. From content to community-building, they’re living that mission loudly, consistently, and unapologetically.

How to actually live your Mission:

✅ Use it to shape your offers + delivery.
Your mission isn’t just for your website, it should influence how your services are structured, priced, and delivered.
Are you actually doing what you say you’re here to do?

✅ Turn it into daily decisions.
From what you post to what you say yes to, run it through your mission filter.
“Does this align with how I want to show up and serve?”

✅ Use it to brief your team or contractors.
Even if it’s just a VA or designer, make sure they understand your mission so every output reflects it.

✅ Show people the how.
Pull back the curtain. Share the behind-the-scenes of how you're fulfilling your mission. Client stories, process insights, your why-in-action. That’s what builds trust.

So... WTF do you do with yours?

Most people write these once and let them rot in a dusty doc. But if you want a brand that connects, converts, and feels like you, you’ve got to make them working parts of your brand.

So revisit them. Not as buzzwords, but as the living, breathing strategy your brand has been craving.

And if you’re sitting there thinking:
"Right, but how do I pull this all together and turn it into a brand that actually fits me now?"

That’s exactly what we do inside The Brand Awakening.

We bring your truth to the surface, plug it into your brand strategy, and build something with real resonance.

You in?