It’s getting harder and harder to stay focused and pay attention for longer periods of time nowadays. Yet, if we want to keep making progress with all those constant distractions and demands, it’s essential to find a way to keep our goals and dreams at the forefront of our minds. One powerful technique that has gained popularity in recent years is the creation of a vision board. This creative and inspiring tool serves as a visual representation of your aspirations, helping you stay focused, motivated, and aligned with your goals.
I know. Many of you will say that it doesn’t work, that it’s just popular psychology mumbo-jumbo, that there is no success without work. And let me tell you: you’re right. You won’t get anywhere just by creating a vision board. That’s not how it works. Creating a vision board is just the first step on your journey to success. However, it is a valuable step because it helps you gain clarity and present your goals visually. It is a great reminder of why you do what you do.
In this article, we’ll dive into the concept of a vision board, its purpose, benefits, and how to create one to help you make your dreams come true.
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board, also known as a dream board or goal board, is a tangible representation of your goals, dreams, and desires. It’s a collage of images, quotes, and affirmations that resonate with your aspirations and create a visual reminder of the life you want to live. The idea behind a vision board is to harness the power of visualization, where you use imagery to stimulate your mind and emotions, thereby influencing your actions and decisions.
Remember, if you can see it, you can do it.
The Purpose of a Vision Board
The main purpose of a vision board is to serve as a powerful tool for visualization and goal-setting. By regularly exposing yourself to images and words that represent your goals, you’re sending a clear message to your subconscious mind about your intentions. This process helps shift your mindset and behaviors in ways that align with your values and the goals you want to achieve.
A vision board acts as a constant source of inspiration, reminding you of what you’re working towards, even when challenges arise.
Benefits of a Vision Board
Clarity and Focus
Creating a vision board helps you clarify your goals and aspirations. By selecting and arranging images that depict your desires, you bring clarity to what you truly want to achieve in different areas of your life, such as career, relationships, health, and personal growth.
Additionally, a vision board serves as a reminder of your goals and helps you set specific intentions for your future. By regularly viewing your vision board, you keep your goals in focus and are more likely to take actions aligned with those goals.
Increased Motivation
Visualizing your goals in a positive and exciting way can boost your motivation. A vision board keeps your spirits high, even when faced with setbacks.
What is more, looking at your vision board regularly can inspire and motivate you to take consistent steps toward your goals. The visual reminders can boost your determination and remind you why you’re working towards those aspirations.
Enhanced Confidence and Positivity
A vision board fosters a positive mindset by focusing on what you want to achieve rather than dwelling on what you lack or fear. It shifts your focus from potential obstacles to potential opportunities.
As you witness your goals becoming a reality over time, your self-confidence and belief in your capabilities grow.
Accountability
Sharing your vision board with others or placing it in a visible location can create a sense of accountability. It encourages you to stay committed to your goals and track your progress.
A study done in the US showed that people are 65% more likely to reach their goals if they’ve committed to someone that they will do it and 95% more likely to accomplish their goals if they have a specific accountability appointment with the person they’ve committed to. Not sure about you, but I think those are pretty high numbers to just pass the opportunity.
Your accountability buddy can be your partner, friend or even an accountability coach. Regardless of who you choose, make sure it’s someone you won’t be able to ignore.
Law of Attraction
Some people believe in the “law of attraction,” which suggests that focusing on positive thoughts and intentions can attract positive outcomes. A vision board is a tangible representation of your positive intentions and can help you align your thoughts and actions with your desired outcomes.
Here’s another way to explain that.
The brain believes anything you say. So, if you keep reminding yourself of all your failures and mistakes, the message you send to your brain is how limited you are. On the other hand, if your thoughts are geared towards learning from mistakes and trying in different ways, your brain will see that as a challenge to find solutions to potential problems and obstacles.
Whichever perspective you choose, you’ll be right. But only one of the two will help you move forward and grow. You get to decide which path you want to take.
Overall, a vision board is a tool that helps you define your goals, visualize your desired outcomes, and work toward making your dreams come true. It’s a personal and meaningful representation of your future aspirations that can have a positive impact on your mindset and actions.
How to Create a Vision Board
Creating a vision board is a creative process so let your imagination and creativity run wild. You can create it physically on a piece of paper/poster board or digitally in an online tool like Canva. I like to create my vision boards in Canva and then print them off as a poster.
Regardless of where you create your vision board, make sure you have some fun while creating it. And in case you’re not sure how to go about it, below are the steps you can take to create your vision board.
- Set Your Intentions: Clarify your goals across different areas of your life, such as career, relationships, health, and personal development.
- Gather Supplies: Collect magazines, newspapers, printed images, quotes, scissors, glue, a poster board, or any other materials you’d like to use.
- Collect Visuals: Look for images, words, and quotes that resonate with your goals and aspirations. They can be anything that sparks excitement and motivation.
Pro tip: Instead of using random images, find your own photos that reflect the goals on your vision board. This may not be possible for every goal, but give it a try for the ones where it is doable. For example, if one of your goals is to eat healthier, find a picture of yourself drinking a smoothie or eating a salad and add it to your vision board. It’ll be way more motivating to go after your goals once you see yourself achieving them rather than some random person.
- Arrange and Create: Arrange your chosen visuals on the poster board in a way that’s visually appealing to you. Get creative with the layout and design. Remember, this can be both on paper or digitally.
- Affirmations: Include positive affirmations that reinforce your beliefs and intentions. These can be handwritten or printed out.
- Place it Strategically: Put your vision board in a place where you’ll see it daily, such as your bedroom, office, or any other area you frequent.
- Regular Review: Take a few moments each day to gaze at your vision board. Imagine yourself living your dreams as you look at the images.
- Update and Evolve: As you achieve your goals or as your aspirations change, don’t hesitate to update your vision board to reflect your evolving desires.
To Sum Up
In a world filled with distractions, a vision board offers a potent way to keep your goals and dreams in focus. By creating a visual representation of your aspirations and regularly immersing yourself in it, you harness the power of visualization to manifest the life you desire. The journey of creating and nurturing a vision board is not only fulfilling but also empowers you to take charge of your future, one inspiring image at a time. Start creating your ultimate vision board today and watch your dreams come to life.