Have you jumped on TikTok's vision board train yet? Reflect, set goals, and manifest your aspirations for 2024! Dive into the trend that's taking TikTok by storm. The #VisionBoard hashtag blazes the platform with 7.9B views and counting. These visual tools, backed by psychology, help you sculpt a clear vision of your 2024 ambitions. Visualizing yourself living your best life and achieving all your goals can help you become more motivated.
“What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.”
What Exactly Is a Vision Board?
For those less familiar, a vision board is a vivid snapshot of your dreams laid out on a board - physically or digitally. Vision boarding is creating a dream collage with images, text, or even objects that represent the future you are striving towards. They can be a great way to focus your mind on what you truly want.
Don't confuse vision boards with mood boards; they're distant cousins. A mood board is used to plan aesthetics for your living room or the next party you throw, a vision board is about your life's trajectory. Imagine your success like it's the movie of your life. Your vision board? It's the script, and you are the 5-star director.
The Psychology Behind Vision Boards
The psychology behind vision boards shows how they can positively impact our focus and attention. A vision board keeps your goals top of mind, consciously and subconsciously. According to Psychology Today, our brains are wired to process visual information easier. This makes visualization a powerful tool to influence our thinking, feeling, and acting.
Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a network that acts as your brain's filter, sifting through information and spotlighting what matters. When you consistently surround yourself with visual reminders of your goals, it's like giving your RAS a workout, teaching it to zoom in on opportunities that match your ambitions. Your heightened awareness will help you uncover connections that might have slipped under the rug otherwise.
Building a vision board revolves around selecting images that create strong emotions like inspiration and excitement. Emotion shapes our behavior, so emotionally connecting with our goals through visualization drives us to bring our dreams to life. Our brains love consistency. Making a vision board is like tidying up your thoughts and actions. Regularly looking at your vision board, reinforces the neural connections associated with your goals, solidifying them in your consciousness. It's telling your brain, "Let's all get on the same page with what I want."
Why a Vision Board Matters
A vision board is your personal GPS to get you through the jungle of success. Vision boards aren’t rocket science; they are fun, accessible tools to turn your dreams into reality. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just stepping into the ring, a vision board is like having a business genie granting your wishes (well, almost).
Daily Dose of Woo-hoo:
We all have days when we wake up feeling "meh" about the day ahead. Say hello to the perfect mood booster, your vision board. It's not just wall decor; it's your personal hype-up team that screams, "You got this!" Vision boards are a great way to get your wheels turning and let your goals inspire your morning coffee sessions, and if you are like us, keep you focused.
Success Stories
Real talk – vision boards aren't just artsy projects, although aesthetics are always a plus. They're success incubators. From hitting marketing bullseyes to launching a new venture, real people with real stories have experienced the influence of vision boards. But don't just take my word for it; let me hit you with some A-list success stories that started with a vision board.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah, the queen of talk shows, doesn't just talk the talk; she vision-boards the dream. She visualized owning her television network, and boom, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) was born. "Having a vision creates a path for the future," she says, and look where her visions led her.
Jim Carrey
Ever heard about Jim Carrey's magical check? He wrote himself a $10 million check, dated it five years into the future, and scribbled, "For acting services rendered." Guess what? That check wasn't just a piece of paper; it was his ticket to becoming a successful actor with a fat paycheck. A visual representation turned into reality.
Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey credits vision boards for his 20 years of success. From hosting TV shows to penning bestselling books, he's been vision-boarding his way to goals. Focus, action, and achieving dreams – that's the Steve Harvey vision board recipe.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry started early. In fourth grade, she crafted a vision board with her favorite singer, Selena, holding a Grammy at the center. Fast forward, and Katy's on stage, grabbing her Grammys. Lesson learned? Dream big, even if you're still in grade school!
Vision Board Entrepreneurs
Hold up – it's not just Hollywood stars! One in five business owners kick-started their ventures with a vision board. That's right, from corner cafes to tech startups, entrepreneurs are turning dreams into business plans with the power of visualization.
Steps to Create Your Vision Board
When it comes to creating your vision board there really aren’t any fast and hard rules. Everything is up to interpretation - it's really about creating something that will inspire you to be a go-getter every day. Some vision boards hone in on a specific idea, while others capture the broader strokes of what you envision for the future.
In the grand scheme of things, bringing your vision board to life is about setting clear intentions, believing in them, and actively pursuing steps to get there. Whether your goal is to master social media marketing or travel the world, a vision board is your North Star. With persistent effort, success will find its way to you, although it might not be wrapped in the packaging you expect.
1. Reflect: Pause for a second and think about what most matters to you. What are your grandest aspirations? What do you want to achieve in different facets of your life, personally and professionally?2. Clarify Goals: Now, before you start scrolling Instagram and Pinterest in search of inspirational images, let's roll up our sleeves. Clearly express your goals for the next year. Break them down into concrete, measurable objectives. Infuse some brain power into the heart of your goals. Make them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals provide a sturdy foundation for your vision board, so you're not just dreaming but creating a roadmap for success.
3. Collect Pictures and Quotes: To get into the right mindset for finding powerful images, start by compiling a list of words or ideas that symbolize your goals. A masterful vision board includes vivid details about the setting, the people involved, interactions, and, of course, the emotions. In the wise words of journalist Eilene Zimmerman, "We need to make the visualization as real, people-based, detailed, and emotion-filled as possible."
Now’s the time to start digging out that stack of magazines, or searching the likes of Instagram and Pinterest. Curate symbolic images, quotes, and icons. Find specific elements depicting what your POV would look like once you achieve your goal. The trick is to make sure your vision board grabs your attention. Opt for polished images and concise words.
Whether you're cutting and pasting or using digital tools, make your masterpiece unique to you. If you’re creating digitally, tools like Canva allow you to arrange your elements into a visual representation.
5. Showcase Your Board: Put your vision board where it can be your daily dose of motivation. Display it in your regular line of sight, because the key is to look at it as often as possible. If you create your board digitally, you can even set it as your laptop's background or your iPad’s lock screen.
You can use your vision board to encourage you throughout the day. As you sip your first cup of coffee, let your eyes wander over your vision board. It's a morning boost, a reminder of why you started and what awaits you at the finish line. When the midday slump hits, glance at your board. It's a mini pep talk, recharging your motivation and fueling you through the day's challenges. Your vision board is there to reset your focus. Before you wrap up the day, let your vision board be your reflection space. Assess your progress, recalibrate your goals, and end the day with a visual affirmation of what's to come.
6. Check and Adjust: Alright, time for a reality check. Set regular checkpoints to review your progress in the context of your goals. Celebrate the victories, no matter how small, if you've hit a milestone mark it on your board. It's a visual affirmation of progress. It’s not always going to be smooth sailing, if challenges arise, don't shy away from acknowledging them. Use your vision board as a problem-solving canvas – brainstorming ideas, seeking inspiration, and adapting strategies. Let your vision board evolve with you, it’s not a hard-and-fast script.
Maybe a new marketing trend emerges, or a fresh idea sparks, don't be afraid to make updates. A vision board is not going to manifest all our dreams into reality instantly. It is, however, a powerful tool that helps us clarify our intentions, focus our attention, and take inspired action toward our goals.
Party Time
Why stop at a personal vision board when you can turn it into a celebration with your favorite people? Round up your dream team and make your vision boards together. TikTok’s got the memo with over 11.4M views on #VisionBoardParty2024 - BTW, a great place to search for ideas. Share your goals, bounce ideas off each other, and watch as the collective energy propels everyone towards success. So, whether it's a virtual gathering or an in-person soirée, turn your vision board creation into a celebration.
Picture this: Wine glasses clinking, a charcuterie board brimming with goodies, and the cozy ambiance of a night in. Your vision board party isn't just about cutouts and quotes; it's about forming an atmosphere of community and creativity.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Take small, intentional steps toward your goals. Your vision board is there to remind you that every tiny action contributes to the bigger picture.
