We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
A vision board might sound hokey but, as Harv. T Ecker says “I’d rather be hokey and rich than cool and broke”. But don’t worry this post isn’t going to be about getting rich, it’s about planning your future so you can see it. And a vision board is the perfect way to do just that.
The concept of a vision board has been around for a long time and it’s pretty sound. All you have to do is look at the multitude of people who recommend making one.
From Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soup fame to Napoleon Hill in his famous book Think and Grow Rich, vision boards have been tooted as an amazing way to focus your energy on achieving your goals and living your dreams.
Reasons you Should Create a Vision Board
Get Clear
One really helpful thing about a vision board is that it gets you clear about the things you value and want in your life.
Only after you know what it is that you want can you start to take steps to get it. And those steps will seem more natural due to the process below.
A vision board gives you the chance to find things that really inspire you and make you think about your best life. Having that in front of you consistently is major.
People are visual
Most people are very visual so having a representation of the life you want for yourself does a ton for our motivation.
There is a concept I’m super fond of that says:
Thoughts lead to feelings which lead to actions that bring you results.
Multiple Sources
(Michlle May M.D., Harv. T Ecker and more)
When you look at a picture you start thinking about the things you’re seeing. As you think about them they make you feel a certain way, hopefully happy, motivated or grateful to name a few.
When you feel that way you’re more likely to do things that are in lines with those feelings. In short you make better choices.
And it follows that when you’re doing good things for yourself you bring about good things in your results.
The Science of Visualization
We can say visualization is hokey as much as we want but when it comes down to it, it’s a version of preparation.
People like Olympic athletes have been known to run through their plays or routines before performing them.
In a study done by Ellen Rogin and Lisa Kueng they found that Olympic athletes that trained their minds using visualization performed the best during the games.
And further, the regions of the brain that are active when the athlete is physically performing are activated the same way when they were just thinking about doing it. Read the whole article here.
So if your brain acts like you’re riding a bike when you’re thinking about riding a bike, what is it going when you’re thinking about nailing your job interview or delivering an amazing presentation or living your dreams?
It’s getting you ready to have that happen.
How to Create your own Vision Board
Creating a visual board doesn’t have to be a big project.
But visualization works best when you’re specific. So take some time to find things that represent what you want and give you the feelings you need.
Supplies
All you need to get started is:
- a piece of paper, poster board or you can use a corkboard and pin things
- magazines or print outs
- Adhesive (glue, tape, tacks- not an adhesive but you get it)
Find the right pictures
Go through your magazines or pictures on online and cut/print out the ones that really speak to you.
You can use quotes too!
Take your time and find the right ones for you. The idea is to get you really connected to your board so don’t pick something that’s “good enough” pick something that’s perfect for you.
Be patient. It’ll make a difference.
Fit it Together
Now for the fun bit.
After you have everything you want to put on your vision board all you need to do is attach it to your board.
It’s like being back in art class. Play around with fitting things together. You can do a full collage having things overlap or you can fit them together like tiles, really anything goes.
You just want to make sure it feels good when you look at it.
- Related: 30.60.90- The action plan for your goals
- Related: Prioritizing: What to do When
So what do you do with it after it’s made?
After you make your vision board is does no good to just hide it in a closet.
I’d recommend putting it in a place that you’ll see it often.
You can use it as a piece of art in your house or you can put it up beside your computer on your desk at work. You want it to be somewhere your eyes gravitate towards so you can continually be reminded about the awesome life you’re creating.
In my old office I used to endlessly stare at this white board I had.
Since I spent so much time staring at this board I decided to put up a vision board there. This way when I was looking at it, like I did anyway, I would be focusing on the things that I wanted and was working towards.
Talk about a 1 minute mood booster.
Start Making Progress
Having a vision board is a great way for you to focus on the things you want in your life. It’s always a great way to motivate you during those times that you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed.
Progress always starts with a single step. As long as you have a destination in mind and take a step towards it, you’re doing well.
