No B.S. Vision Boards: Make One That Actually Works
120: The non B.S. way to build vision board.
Once again a quick shoutout to everyone who has supported our work over the past few weeks by printing out the Mindset Rewiring Workbook and tagging us on Twitter. We managed to break into the top 10 of the leaderboard in our category, going up against Dan Koe, Zizek, and other brilliant minds. Just a reminder that the lifetime deal (one-time payment) will remain on until the end of the month. As this is something most of the readers request. Thank you all.
Welcome reader! A bit of a different one for today. It is either something you will find ridiculously valuable or completely irrelevant. Our advice? Be open-minded and try to go through it. If you have never tried it… Give it a go. Maybe apply some principles and see how they impact your life.
Power Of The Vision Board - What YOU Have To Know
Additional reading on the topic:
Vision board: There is a good chance that there is no one reading this who doesn’t know what a vision board is. The easiest way to put it is the sort of collage that supports your big vision. Serving you as a reminder of what keeps you up at night and gets you up in the morning. If you put aside everything and had to put it in only one sentence, what would vision boards be all about? They serve as something to keep the dream on your mind 24/7. Make it visible and remind you what it is all about. Everyone will have a different definition of what a vision board is. But this is ours, and one that makes the most sense.
Use case: What is the purpose of vision boards? Why would someone have one? Or what are their advantages over others? Similar to mental rewiring. Some call it the law of attraction. Others call it manifesting reality. Some claim that everything you think about and reinforce in your life eventually becomes part of it. It is hard to say. We even heard people say it triggers emotions that make you feel more fired up when working toward their goals and increases the chances of making them a reality for the same reason. We would go so far as to say that the part of the process is what keeps you on track. It is something that forces you to keep your eyes on what matters most and what you have always wanted for yourself. One way to think of vision boards is as a system that keeps your vision alive.
Use case and why you would want one:
Something to help you spark your inner fire (emotions)
Visualization tool + clarity on what YOU want (it should help you put pieces together)
Creativity booster (no one can deny this)
Support system for your vision (a reminder of why you are doing what you are doing)
Finding your balance: The key to a good vision board (and one that will work out in your favor) is that it requires you to be true to yourself. Every item you put out there has a deeper meaning. It also involves knowing yourself and being the creator of your own kingdom. Suppose you are not 100% sure about your vision or what you want. There is a good chance you will be limited in what you can get out of it. This also brings us to the point of fulfilling it just for the sake of fulfilling it. Don’t do it. As soon as you feel you are doing it from that state of mind, it means it is time to stop. Putting something you don't believe in or find inspiring at the #1 place on your board is something to avoid. It leads nowhere and takes you away from your mission. One way to approach this is to remind yourself that everything on the board should have a deeper reason it is there. This is one of those prerequisites to pull this vision board off. At the same time, this doesn't get enough attention.
Preparation: What we mean by that is that to get the most out of your vision board. The way to prepare is to start saving all relevant information before you even create it. Let's say you spend the next month or two thinking about what you want and what things spark your imagination and emotions. The best thing you could do is start saving them into one folder that you will reference and use as a base for building your vision board. Preparation might not be the right name. But it will make your job easier and give you enough time to think it through. Whether it is really something you want on your board.
Difference Between Mediocre And Proper Vision Board
Be specific: As with everything else in your life. If you want results… You can't half-ass it and expect results. Stay away from general claims. Or a vision you can’t support with smaller bits and pieces. You want to be specific. You are not going to travel to Europe next year. You are going to travel to the _____ country. You are not going to start building your summer house somewhere in Europe. You are going to build it in the _____ city. This sounds ridiculous. But it is one of the key requirements between a mediocre vision board and a good one. You need to be specific with your vision and what you want. To make it easier for yourself… The difference between mediocre and good board is that one board is based on macro principles (general, without specifications) while the other one is more on the micro side (full of specifications → when put together form a big vision). It is a bit difficult to put it into words. But this should provide you with a clear idea.
Common misconception (time component) that builds on the above point: Until the end of the year (month, week or any other time period) I am going to _____. Don’t make these claims and don't include those time elements on your vision board. Yes, they make it more specific. But if you know you have not done what you are claiming you will in _____ period... Don’t put it on your vision board. It is the wrong approach, and it will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. The time component, if not followed through, is one of the ways to kill momentum and the whole power of the vision board.
Things you should avoid putting on the board:
Until end of the year I am going to _____.
In the next few months I am going to _____.
The next year I am going to _____.
Revisiting your vision board: Vision boards are not a one-time thing. Quite the opposite. As you grow and experience different things, your vision will change. Meaning? You will need to revisit your vision board. Better said. Remake it. Our advice? Don’t allow yourself to fall in love with what you created. You have to, to a certain point, consider every item on it has to hold a certain weight. But knowing that you will have to recreate it sooner or later gives you a better POV and a healthier perspective. Nothing should be set in stone, and the same applies to your vision board - keep this in mind. As in the 6 months your board might become irrelevant to who you are and what you achieve.
Taking your vision board to the next level: The massive difference between the good and bad vision board comes down to the basic principles that you will never hear mentioned because 80% of the people doing boards don't understand it. Focusing 100% on the vision and the dream without supporting it with the current situation you are in. Results? You already know the answer.
The principles we are talking about:
Putting things on the board that completely don't align with your current lifestyle and the life you live.
Not creating a vision board that supports (forms) a big picture.
To get the most out of the vision board. You have to create it in a way that allows it to be broken down and connected with other parts. You want a whole story, not just pieces put together that should work.
Not revisiting your board, depending on how your life priorities change.
We would go so far as to say that most of the vision boards we have seen and have spoken with people are not even built on 1/3 of these principles. Deeply convinced that 2/3 and up puts you in the top 10% of those who have ever created and attempted to use one. 3/3, and you are probably in the top 1% who will see a positive ROI+ from it.
Should YOU do it: It is hard to say. We would go so far as to say it depends on your character. For us? We never had much success with it, as we were constantly reminded of our goals and vision. Never worked for us. Quite the opposite. It is a distraction. On the other hand, we know of many people who swear by it and say it is efficient. Mostly coming from those who suffer from ADHD or have a hard time focusing - having those constant reminders going in their favor. Does that mean that if you don't fit that category, you should not give it a try?
No.
Quite the opposite. Considering there is no entry on this (just a bit of thinking and effort from your side), we encourage you to give vision boards a try to see how they work out for you. It is one of those low-effort / high-output activities. Another thing worth mentioning is that, compared to something like our workbook or similar, the effort required is minimal. Once you invest your initial time into creating your vision board (max a few hours if you follow our approach). The only thing you will have to do is reference it. This means there is no more time to invest from your side. This is the big point in favor of vision boards and something you should consider.
Requirements
Prerequisites
Being true to yourself.
Being optimistic but realistic (finding the balance between too far in the future and where you are right now).
Knowing who you are (or at least knowing yourself enough).
Understanding what each item on your vision board represents and the weight it carries.
Put it somewhere in a form that you can reference quickly. If you work on a computer, having it next to you is the perfect place.
What NOT to do (think)
Put stuff on the board just to put it there (or you might end up living someone else's dream).
Think it is a one-time thing (you will have to revisit it and update).
Think of it as a sort of magical tool (it is not).
Not being specific enough or creating it in a way that doesn’t form the big picture.
Making it hard for yourself to reference it (important one).
WARNING #1: As with most of the material that fits a similar narrative. Nothing ever works if you are not the one putting in the necessary hours and effort. No matter how many vision boards you have or what images you hold for yourself. It won’t come to life if you are sitting on the couch all day doing nothing. The way you should approach this is to treat it as a support system for your plan. Something that you now believe can become reality if you are doing enough of _____. The reason we mention this often in posts like this is that it… Because it is the only morally right thing to do. Remember. Without effort, hard work, and preparation, neither manifestation nor visualization works. They make a point. But the universe ONLY rewards those who put their energy into the stuff MUCH MORE often. Similar concepts to those unwritten rules of money.
WARNING #2: We already mentioned that you need to find a balance between what you put on the board and what it means to you. What we didn’t mention is that to get the most out of your vision boards… Striking the balance between YOUR big vision and the things that are not too far in the future is important. What do we mean by that? If you are at step 1, who is going directly to step 3 on your board… That might backfire. The reason is that if the goal is so big and you are relentlessly working towards something so far away in the future, you are missing step 2 in between. Why does step 2 matter? It all comes down to psychology. Achieving your step 2 will fire you to reach your step 3 faster. It is simple and makes a lot of sense once you start thinking about it. It all comes down to momentum and seeing the things you once dreamed of come to life.
To give you more context:
Step 1: Where are you at right now
Step 2: Something you can achieve in 1 - 3 years
Step 3: Something you can achieve in 3 - 5+ years
Following our approach instead of the common one - put your dreams on a vision board and hope for the best. It provides you with a more relatable vision that will be supported by the momentum and the things you have already achieved.
WARNING #3: The big reason we are not as bullish as we should be about our vision boards is that people are living other people’s dreams. We already mentioned that each item on the board should carry a certain weight + meaning behind it. Those who do not follow our principle might find themselves adding items to their board that do not align with their big vision. This is quite common, and when you think about it, most people are doing exactly that. Following someone else's plan, vision, and dreams, not knowing what they enjoy, love, and are passionate about. The point we are making. Don't turn your vision board into someone else's vision of their future. You have slowly adapted and modified it to be yours. You want to be 100% owner and stand behind what is on your vision board. Better said, know what it is in the first place.
5 Step Approach To Getting More Out Of YOUR Vision Boards
Do the opposite of what everyone else around you is doing. The #1 thing that makes a good vision board is knowing what you want on it in the first place. The first step is not doing your vision board. But thinking and reflecting on what matters. These are the questions you should 100% have answers for:
What do I want from my future?
What does my ideal life look like?
How will this vision board support that?
What items do I even need to put on top of it to get the most out of it?
Decide how you will approach creating your vision board. Digitally or physically version. If you have been reading us for some time. You already know that the physical version has advantages over the digital one. Lazy man's solution? Make a digital version and have it printed. This is our recommended approach.
Before going any further. Combine steps 1 and 2. Do you already have a vision of how your vision board will look? If not. Stop and do something else. You are not ready and need to rethink it so it doesn't end up being someone else's vision you have adapted and convinced yourself was yours. Read warning #3 to get a better understanding.
Does your vision board and the items you plan to put on it evoke any feelings? Or you are just putting things on it for the sake of it? If it does evoke your emotions… That is a positive sign. Emotions = better chance of you pushing it through = bigger chance of your board turning into reality.
Reference our approach on how to take the vision board to the next level. 1/3 principles is the minimum you want. Without at least having one of those down, and not understanding what it is all about. It is all worthless. 2/3 is a sweetspot and something you should aim for when creating your vision board.
Reminder:
Only put things that support your big vision (not because someone else told you to put it there, but because you want to).
Only put things that support your future and who you want to become (be careful for what you wish for).
Make sure you understand that you will have to revisit your vision board often (it is not a one-time thing). That is why it is important to build out the system to make it work.
Physical Version Of The Vision Board
Requirements:
Understanding the principles mentioned in this post
Printer (you can do it without, but it is not recommended)
Glue (no, it is not for sniffing)
Solid amount of patience
Use at least an A3 paper (larger-sized paper is a must - forget about A4)
Get into the flow (forget about multitasking)
Have your “items” (images, quotes, or whatever else you are putting onto the vision board) ready. We suggest putting everything into one folder… It will make things easier down the road - items folder.
How To:
Prepare your "items folder".
Bring out the paper and glue.
Begin printing out those images you saved. Quotes can be either handwritten or printed. This is a personal preference.
Arrange items in the way you find best or in a way that inspires your creativity (supports your vision).
Digital Version Of The Vision Board
Requirements:
Tool of your choice (Figma, Canva, Notion…)
Printer (this is more of an extra)
Get in the flow (forget about multitasking)
Have your “items” (images, quotes, or whatever else you are putting onto the vision board) ready. We suggest putting everything into one folder… It will make things easier down the road - items folder.
How To:
Prepare your “items folder”.
Choose the tool of your choice (list below) and how you are going to use it. Our advice is to keep it as simple as possible. Forget about fancy Photoshop or anything else that requires experience to pull off.
We suggest taking a larger space (paper, file, template) so you are sure everything you plan to put on it will fit properly.
Arrange items in the way you find best or in a way that inspires your creativity (supports your vision).
Want to get even more out? Print it out.
Tools you can use:
Notion (one of the best digital ones we have seen was done in Notion, unfortunately don’t have access to it anymore)
Keep in mind: The technical part is the easy one. The thinking (vision) part is where you have to collect everything, think it through, assign values to things, and then think it all through again. Making it a much harder one. 80% of your time should be spent on the preparation part, while the remaining should be spent on you actually doing it. This is max 2 hours of your time from the technical perspective (putting it all together). But much more when it comes to collecting (could easily take a few weeks). That is why the preparation phase we have mentioned above is crucial and makes a big difference.
A Few Extras To Get The Most Out Of Your Board
Phase approach
The image above should make our point clear. One way to build your vision board is to base it on phases (or blocks). Phase 1 is something you are most likely to obtain in the next few months or a year. Phase 2 will require a bit more work and take more time. The phase 3… You get the point. The reason this is powerful is that once again, it comes down to momentum. Imagine seeing one part of your vision board (block) and being 100% there. Achieving everything you have dreamt about, getting ready to attack phase 2. This is something we have never seen anyone mention. But it makes a lot of sense, and it should be considered one of the approaches you can use.
Come up with the playlist
It sounds ridiculous if you don't consider that music has a massive impact on your emotions. Six to eight songs are all you need for your playlist. The playlist should be listened to only when things get tough or when you need a reminder of why you are doing what you are doing. This is a similar concept to the one we used in our workbook post. This works, and you should try it yourself.
Quick reference
Having your vision board as a part of your lock screen is the perfect approach. Why? Because it is something you will look at multiple times throughout the day, and you can always remind yourself what it is all about. The same principle you should apply to everything else that you can quickly reference. You can use the same approach with everything else from the open vision board in your browser to the printed version next to your monitor.
There is no right or wrong
Don’t fall for this idea that your vision board has to be specific or look specific. It doesn’t. Some prefer it clean and fully transparent. Others prefer it messy with more content. There is no right or wrong to it. The only things that matter are whether you are satisfied with what you have created or not. The same idea applies to everything else, from sticking to only one shade to the format and how you want it to look. Limitations are in your head.
Don't offload creating YOUR vision board to others
We have seen this on Reddit. The whole idea was that someone suggested others just send all the material (collect it) to someone else and let them create it for them. The user claimed that this way you are saving your time and effort. In our books? Nonsense. If you are someone who can't put aside a few hours to pull it through. Forget about the vision board. No one else can do it for you.
Nothing will happen if…
You already know the answer. None of this matters if you are not putting in the effort required. Nothing. It is all a waste of time. But if you are someone who is working hard, giving their best, and in a better position than yesterday… Vision boards are meant to help you get to where you want to be. No one can deny their power. Nothing much else to add here… Good luck. You got it.
TLDR
Vision boards work. They are powerful. But to get anything out of them, you will have to work harder than those around you.
Everything you put on your vision board must have a meaning. If it carries no weight, there is no reason to put it there in the first place.
80/20 rule - preparation and collecting the right material / putting the material onto the paper. One matters more than the other. Preparation matters more than assembly.
Make it easy for yourself to reference it and learn to love them for what they are… Support system.
Your vision board has to be built on principles that support your current life. It is not all about the future and where you want to be. Where are you now, and how realistic is it for you to be there?
Follow our principles. 2/3 principles put you in the top 10% of those who have ever tried to create a vision board. 3/3 principles put you in the top 1%. It is clear what you have to do.
The secret to the non-BS vision board lies in its momentum. Position it strategically so that one success builds on the next.
Disclaimer: None of this is to be legal or financial advice of any kind.
Great post on vision board. Thanks for tldr at the end