In basic terms it is a visual representation on what you want that year to look like. What would bring you joy? This will often be a mix of both personal and professional goals.
Often in the wedding and creative industries businesses use โmood boardsโ with clients to help them visualise a design concept. They are beautiful creations meant to inspire clients with the creativity of the designer and excite them on what is possible.
Please listen when I say this as loudly as I can, a vision board is NOT a mood board. They seem similar at first glance, but their purpose is very different. I find creative clients getting stuck on creating the most aesthetically pleasing vision board that it turns into a mood board and put simply this is not fit for purpose.
Why do one?
In order to smash your goals you first need to have a goal. But writing them down is not enough, visualising your goals is so powerful. You can write goals down but unless you are looking at them daily some can be forgotten.
I view the vision board as your heart, its envisaging what you want for your life so family, wealth, health + business. Whereas you yearly written goals is more strategic.
How do you create a vision board, the pre planning
Before you even get creative the first step is visualising your future, what is it you want this year? Listen to my future self-visualisation to help you imagine your future.
Write down your goals for the year both personally and professionally, I encourage you to โstretchโ your goals into the big impossible ones. Forget the โhowโ at this stage.
Some things you may want to include on your board:
- Words that motivate you
- Financial targets
- Physical items: clothes, handbags, cars, house development
- Health
- Holidays
- Family
- Business projects and goals
- Affirmations, quotes, poems
How do you create a vision board, the creative bit!
Personally I feel a physical vision board is more powerful than one on pinterest for the simple reason you need to see it every day. So my guidance is based on creating a physical board.
- Buy some magazines, browse Google and use pinterest to gather images to represent your vision for the year
- Decide whether your board will be a canvas, wall of your office, larder door, blackboard. Basically what will you be using?
- Print the images and/or cut them out
- Start by placing them on your board, move them around and only start gluing when you are happy with the finished product
- Decide whether the images will be placed haphazardly or patterned, for example I often have personal goals one side and work/financial goals the other.
- Have the year included on the board as it can be fun to look back over boards in future years
Tip 1: Make sure any words you use are short and prominent. At a glance can you read the words easily?
Tip 2: This is going to be hard for creatives but do NOT to make it perfect. Have images out of alignment, different sizes and donโt be afraid to use colour. Think about it, what would you notice more, a financial target in a bright, bold colour or one that aesthetically blends in with everything else? The board has to be noticeable in order for it to work. It is NOT a piece of artwork. Creatives you will find this very difficult, your natural tendency is to make it beautiful.
Tip 3: Place the board somewhere you look at it every day, mine is opposite my desk in my office. Iโm looking at it multiple times over the course of a day. Your subconscious needs to be looking at the images in order for them to sink in.
How has the vision board worked for me?
Whether you believe in manifestation or not, vision boards have absolutely worked for me over the years.
The very first time I made a board back in 2016 (very haphazardly, zero effort and a disgrace to look at) I put on here a larger house , designer handbags, clothes. I still remember buying my first โexpensiveโ bag, and more importantly putting an offer in a larger house within 6 months and moving before the year-end! There have been so many instances over the years; the most recent was our cruise to Norway last May. I had Norway and Iceland on my vision board and come February my Mum asked if we wanted to go on a cruise to Norway.
Sometimes something will manifest without any action from me (like the cruise) and other times the vision board acts as a reminder on taking action in order to achieve that goal. Like speak with an estate agent!
Vision boards can help you envision your dreams, what is it you truly want?
What if you have a new goal?
You can add or remove images over the course of the year. It is your board so be fluid with it should you wish to do so.
Want to up-level your business in 2024? Book a call with me below and we can discuss how I might be able to help you. Or have a look at the different 1:1 services I currently offer.
Further reading
Setting your 2024 goals inc. FREE workbook
