What is a Vision Board, and How Does it Work?

The difference between people who achieve their goals and those that don’t sometimes boils down to how much of their goals they can manifest. To manifest is to turn something internal (like a dream or ambition) into a visible or physical object. One way people manifest their goals and ambitions is through the use of a vision board.

What is a vision board?

A vision board can be described as a collage of images and words that motivate specific goals. By turning your dreams into tangible objects of motivation, it is possible to stay on course to accomplish everything you set out to do. Therefore, a vision board is also a compass that puts you on the right path to making your dreams and deepest desires a reality.

How does it work?

Although you might initially doubt the effectiveness of a vision board, the proof is in the pudding. Waking up to a reminder of why you do what you do every day can be a powerful driving force.

Vision boards remind you of what’s waiting at the end of your hard work. They keep you focused by showing you what you need to do to make your primary goals come true. In essence, they are a daily reminder that the hard work you’re putting in leads to something big and wonderful.

A vision board can also dissuade feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty. In the process of making your dreams a reality, you’re bound to stumble into obstacles. These obstacles have the power to end your journey if you let them.

One way successful people stay focused even when everything seems to be falling apart is through a vision board. The ability to visualize your success through a vision board can keep you going even when problems try to slow you down.

How to Make a Vision Board

Step One: Think About Your Goals

The all-important first step towards achieving your goals is thinking about what you want to achieve in the first place. All of us have a vague idea of what we want and what we need to be happy.

However, when someone asks us, “what do you want to achieve in life,” or “what do you need to live a happy life,” we stutter and fumble our way around meaningless clichés like having a family, financial stability, and so on.

The most important part about creating a vision board is knowing exactly what you’re working towards. Try to be as specific as possible. Don’t just say that you wish to be debt-free or that you want to start a business. Go into the details. “I want to be rid of my credit card debt by this time next year” or “I want to be earning over $100,000 a year by the time I’m 30” are far more achievable goals because they feel specified and personal.

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So, sit down with a piece of paper and a pen (or with your computer) and just think about what you want. Write down every single goal you can think of wanting to achieve. Write them in as much detail as possible. If it feels important to you, put it into words, and make it clear as possible.

Step Two: The Big Three Questions

Usually, humans assess the quality of life by asking and answering the following questions:

• What is a good life made of?
• What makes life worth living?
• What regrets will I have on my deathbed?

The answers to these questions may give you a clear idea of how to live life to your expectations. However, these questions are pretty complex as it is. Besides, “I want to live a good life” is as vague a goal as it gets. What you should do is break up these big questions into bite-sized challenges that you can achieve in different life stages. They can be:

• What do I want from my career? What steps do I need to take to get my business to where it needs to be/land a lucrative job?
• Which skills do I need to learn? Which skills will improve my job opportunities or make me happier in the long run?
• What kind of relationship do I want? What should I do to get the ideal partner or keep the partner I’m happy with?
• What is my legacy going to be? How are people going to remember me after I’m dead?

Of course, these are just general questions to help you understand. Make sure yours aren’t general. They should be very specific to your cause. A vision board is supposed to speak to the depths of your passions and desires. It won’t do that if the goals you post are not personal and specific.

Step Three: Creating your Vision Board

Once you’ve written down every goal you want to achieve, the next step is creating your vision board. Here, there are two important considerations:

The theme of your vision board – a vision board, must communicate to your inner desires. It has to have a theme that instantly reminds you why you’re doing what you do. If your goal is to have a destination vacation, for instance, your vision board can have a tropical island theme. If you’re gunning for a promotion at work, it could portray the lifestyle you want after getting your raise.

Your vision board’s format – traditionally, vision boards are made from physical cork boards and poster boards. Today, however, vision boards can take either physical or digital form. Whether you want to use an app to create a vision board or use sites like Pinterest is of little importance. What’s essential is that your vision board reflects all your goals and that you can see it at least once every day.

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The theme will help you re-focus on your goals every time a new obstacle or challenge threatens to derail your progress. The format you select should be the one that you’re most comfortable with and the one you’re most likely to keep looking at.

Your vision board should contain the following:

• Inspirational images
• Words of affirmation

Inspirational Images

A picture speaks a thousand words. Ensure your vision board contains several of them. As with your goals, your pictures must be specific and carry a deep personal meaning. They must be powerful enough to inspire you even after you’ve seen them a thousand times.

Use the Internet, magazines, photographs, and any other source to collect your pictures. You don’t have to finish this process now; it can be ongoing. Keep your eye out for images that speak to your inner desires, whether they’re funky clip arts, product labels, or even newspaper clippings.

Words of Affirmation

As important as images are in redirecting your focus and reestablishing your desire to achieve, don’t forget that your vision board needs to contain lots of inspiring words and phrases.

An affirmation is any short phrase that you can repeat to yourself, kind of the way you would with a mantra. These words should help you overcome your daily challenges. For instance, if you fall just short of reaching your daily work targets, you can write “Don’t stop ‘till it’s done” on your vision board to motivate you.

Keep in mind that affirmations are supposed to inspire you; not remind you of your shortcomings. For example, rather than “I should sing every day for thirty minutes,” which sounds more instructional than inspiring, you can write, “I will fill my room with the sound of my voice for at least thirty minutes every day.”

Words that inspire you can resonate deeply within you, and with time, affirmations can turn into beliefs.

Putting it All Together

This part is supposed to be the most enjoyable in the whole process. Turning your vision board into reality will sort of feel like a kindergarten arts and crafts project. That’s exactly how it should feel.

Let your creativity run wild. Though you can browse the Internet to see what other vision boards look like, in the end, it has to be a design that’s uniquely styled in a way that resonates with you.

Colors

Make use of colors for emphasis. If it’s a goal that you consider a priority, make the background a strong color like red. If you’re working on becoming a calmer, friendlier person, consider making it a soothing light blue or green. Colors can have a psychological impact, so choose yours wisely.

Personal images

If you want your vision board to feel like it belongs to you, you will need to put a picture of yourself somewhere in the midst of it all. Some people prefer to place it at the center. Others may place it where they feel they are on their journey.

Glue or staples?

Finally, figure out how you’re going to put it all together. You can use staples, glue, or double-sided tape as long as your pictures won’t start drooping or falling off after a while.

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Step Four: Positioning Your Vision Board

Your vision board is supposed to be a daily reminder of what you’re hoping to accomplish. You need to place it somewhere where you’ll view it every time your focus starts to drift. Your vision board doesn’t belong in a dark basement or at the back of your closet.

Ideally, you should be able to see your vision board immediately after waking up. If it’s a digital vision board, that may be a little easier because your computer/smartphone can be moved from room to room. The idea is to make a habit of looking at it.

Vision Board Dos and Don’ts

Do look at your vision board for more than five minutes a day. You’re not just glancing at it; you’re viewing it, absorbing it, digesting it, and believing it. You should look at each image, remind yourself what it means to you, and then read every affirmation aloud. Make it a habit of doing these things because, eventually, they become second nature.

Don’t think a vision board has the power to make your goals come true. Most people forget that vision boards are just compasses and reminders. Your hard work is what will turn your dreams into reality. Your vision board merely reminds you of what you’re working towards.

Do use the vision board to visualize the process. Many focus on the results alone, which are often sweet, exciting, and glamorous. Remember, the path to success is a treacherous one, and if you don’t work on picturing the journey (not the destination), it’s easy to feel demoralized or give in to distractions.

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Featured Image by Sh1ra from Pixabay