When I was in high school my cross-country coach gave everyone a copy of the quote “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve” by Napoleon Hill. He told us to hang it up on our mirror so we would see it every single day. He said this constant reminder would engrain positive thoughts in our brain that we can achieve our goals.

At first the theory seemed silly. But after a successful year, I realized how important creating a vision and seeing it every day to remind yourself of where you are going is essential to reaching your goals. I began writing my goals on little sticky notes and posting them to my bathroom mirror. The constant reminders kept me on track, and that was hands down the most successful year I’ve had in my life!

Vision boards are a fantastic way to put your goals on paper and create them in a way that inspires you. There is no right or wrong answer, and there are plenty of resources to help you! You can even do digital vision boards on apps like Pinterest or Canva. The important thing is to have your goals in a visual format, so you see them every day and keep them at the forefront of your mind.

Believing in yourself and your dreams is crucial when it comes to achieving success. Without self-belief, it can be easy to get discouraged and give up when faced with challenges. By creating a vision and constantly reminding yourself of your goals, you are reinforcing that belief in yourself and staying motivated to keep pushing forward.

These are the 3 simple steps to follow when creating your vision board:

Step 1: Visualize

Before you dive into putting together a vision board, you must know what the vision is. It’s like when you are planning a vacation. You must know the destination first, then you can fill in the rest of the plan. 

The best way to visualize your future is to envision where you will be one year from today. You can visualize further out, but I always recommend starting with the one year mark. Where are you? What are you doing? What do you look like? Who is with you? Be specific on what you see.

Many people struggle with this because the minute they start to visualize, they think about the “what ifs” and “impossibilities” of this vision. Don’t think about that – use this as an opportunity to envision what you want to see. We all know we can’t fully predict our future, so leave the doubts out of the picture and envision what you want to see. 

Step 2: Create Your Goals

Once you have that vision, write out the things that look different. Those are the things you will focus on and create new habits around! For example, if you see yourself crossing the finish line of a 10k race but you aren’t currently running, the goal would be to start training for this race. 

List out the goals then rank out the ones you feel most confident achieving. Use a scale of 1-10 (1 being not confident) and honestly answer to yourself, “is this doable? If so, how confident am I in achieving this goal?” If you rank below a 3 for any of the goals it doesn’t mean you will never achieve it. It just means you can focus on that goal at a later time when you feel more confident in achieving it.

Under the consolidated list of goals, write out the habits you will need to create in order to achieve that goal. For example, if you want to run a 10k, you would most likely list out a habit of running or working out more consistently. Remember to create habits that you know you can do and have confidence in achieving.

Step 3: Design Your Vision Board

Start curating a collection of words, phrases, pictures, and visual representations that resonate with your goals and aspirations. These could be motivational quotes that push you forward, images depicting the success you yearn for, or even symbols that represent your aspirations. Don’t limit yourself – include anything that inspires you or creates positive emotions.

Search through magazines or browse the internet to find photos that align with your vision. You might find a picture of an athlete if one of your goals is fitness-related, or perhaps an image of a serene beach if tranquility is something you strive for. Remember this is YOUR vision board, so choose images that speak to YOU.

Now it’s time for some fun! Begin arranging and gluing together these visual elements on your board. Take your time in this process—there’s no rush. This should be a therapeutic and rewarding experience as you piece together the puzzle of your future.

Remember, creating a vision board is more than just a craft project—it’s a powerful tool for visualization and manifestation. By visually representing our dreams and ambitions, we bring them into focus in our daily lives, increasing the likelihood of achieving them. 

Step 4: Hang it Up

This is the most important piece of the puzzle. Just like the example in the beginning of this post, the most important thing you can do is to hang this up somewhere you can see it every single day. This will remind you of the roadmap, especially when things get tough, and continue to inspire you to make choices that follow that vision.

If you choose to do a digital vision board you can either print and hang it up, or save it to your phone’s screen saver. The point is seeing it every day for the constant reminder of where you are headed!

The Best Way to Predict Your Future Is to Create It.

Vision boards are the perfect way to create your dream and vision. Start with visualizing, write out the goals and roadmap, create the vision board, and hang it up so you can see it every single day. This will help you stay focused and motivated to achieve your dreams.

Download my free Vision Board Workbook for more assistance in planning out your future! You can also reach out to me if you have questions or need more assistance. 

Dream big. Believe in yourself. You can do this!