A vision board is a visual representation of what you want your life or business to look like. It’s not about pretty pictures for the sake of it — it’s about clarity, focus and intention. Unlike writing goals in a journal that gets closed and forgotten, a vision board keeps your dreams visible. It reminds you, daily, what you’re working towards and why.
What would bring you joy? What memories do you want to make? What experiences? I tend to mix both personal and professional goals on my annual vision board. Think of it as a visual anchor for your goals.
Often in the wedding and creative industries businesses use “mood boards” 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.
Vision Board vs Mood Board (There Is a Difference)
Please listen when I say, 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. A mood board is all about creating a design, wedding, new kitchen, garden design.
A vision board is different.
It’s about:
- outcomes
- experiences
- feelings
- achievements
Your vision board should represent where you’re going, not just what is visually pleasing.
Why Vision Boards Actually Work
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.
The truth is vision boards work because your brain responds strongly to images. When you regularly see visuals connected to your goals, your brain starts to:
- recognise opportunities
- filter information differently
- align decisions with what you want
This is linked to the reticular activating system (RAS) — the part of your brain that decides what gets your attention. Once your goals are visually reinforced, your focus naturally sharpens.
How to Create a Vision Board That You’ll Actually Notice
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 “stretch” your goals into the big impossible ones. Forget the “how” at this stage.
“Perfection” is where many people go wrong in the creative industry. If your board is too neat, too symmetrical, or too aesthetically pleasing, your brain stops seeing it. It blends into the background — just like wallpaper.
To make your vision board effective:
- Use colour — bold colours wake up your attention
- Mix image sizes — avoid everything being the same
- Slightly “misplace” some photos so they stand out
- Add handwritten words or notes
- Let it feel a little imperfect – I know this is hard but trust me!
When something visually disrupts the pattern, your brain re-engages. That moment of noticing is where focus returns.
A vision board should catch your eye, not fade into the room.
Some things you may want to include on your board:
- Words that motivate you
- Financial targets
- Physical items: clothes, handbags, cars, house, jewellery
- Health
- Holidays
- Family
- Business projects and goals
- Affirmations, quotes, poems
How do you create a vision board, the creative bit!
To begin with I look at my goals and source images to represent that goal or feeling, this is the part that takes the time I’m not going to lie! It can feel tedious at times but trust the process.
- 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: Place the board somewhere you look at it every day, mine is opposite my desk in my office. I’m 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. Yours could be inside a cupboard you open frequently or even opposite your bed.
No Space? Meet the Vision Video
If you don’t have space for a physical board a vision video is a powerful alternative for 2026.
A vision video is a short video (30–90 seconds) made up of:
- images or clips representing your goals
- inspiring music
- affirmations or intention statements
- text overlays of outcomes you’re calling in
- You can even create your own manifestation script and record the audio
It’s ideal if:
- you work from a laptop
- you travel
- you share your space
- you prefer digital tools
How to Use a Vision Video Daily
The power is in the consistency.
Watch your vision video each morning before you start work.
Not while multitasking.
Not in the background.
Just take one minute to connect with it.
This sets your mindset before emails, notifications and demands take over. It’s a simple daily reset that brings you back to what actually matters. And to make it really powerful do your journaling directly after.
Physical Board + Vision Video? Even Better
You don’t have to choose. Why not create both this year?
- a physical vision board for constant visual reminders
- a vision video as a daily ritual as part of your morning routine
They work beautifully together.
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 “expensive” 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. 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. This had not been discussed as a family at all before then.
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 2026? 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
