How to Create a Vision Board

Warning: Before you think that this post is about how to create a fancy-schmancy, Pinterest-worthy, straight-out-of-a-magazine vision board…think again.

But keep reading because I’m going to be sharing my super-simplified version of how to create a vision board and why it works for me.

Okay, there are a few things that I’m pretty dang passionate about. One of them is the idea that everybody (hey—looking at you!) has a purpose and that the dreams we have aren’t an accident.  

They were given to us.  We were born with them, just like we were with our talents and our eye color and everything else that’s a part of who we are.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to run a business.  The kind where I made a lot of money and had a swanky office and worked with amazing people.  

Ohhhhhh…I just loved that dream. Even when I was an awkward kid with a life that was crazy different than my vision for myself.

And there have been times in my life when I was told that my dream, my vision for my life, wasn’t sensible. That it wasn’t achievable.  And that it even seemed a little…

…wrong.

Imagine being in a room where every. single. person expressed exactly the same dream for themselves.  Except you.

And you’re sitting there, torn between fitting in and being brave enough to share the vision and dreams you have for your life.  

Well, this video takes a deeper dive into my experience, but let me “sum up.”  

Every other girl in the room: “I want to be a stay-at-home mom.” Me, leaping to my feet, my face flushed, heart pounding, and proclaiming MY dream of being a mom AND having a successful business.  

There was a lot of jaw dropping, breath being drawn in…and possibly the sound of crickets.

Just in case you don’t watch the video (although you’ll want to, I promise) know this: stay-at-home moms are AMAZING. Those who get to fulfill that dream as part of who they are…well, they’re rock stars.  

It’s just that my vision, my dream for my life was different. And I was given that dream for a reason. I did find a way to be a mom AND run a successful business. I worked really hard to achieve those goals. And I continue to have new goals, new dreams and new visions for what I want to accomplish next.

Enter…how to create a vision board, part of my process for goal setting and planning.

Actually, it’s a vision paper. Why? Because I want my vision of what I’m working towards to be straightforward and simple. I want it to be clear and specific. And I also want my goals to be where I can see them, whether it’s right by my computer or on the mirror in my bathroom.  

(I’m not going to carry around a ginormous piece of foam core or a corkboard with magazine pictures around with me. Nope. I don’t even like carrying a purse. Why would I carry that?)

So how do I create a vision board and how can you use it?

1. Identify very specific goals.

No generalizations here. You need to get laser sharp. For example, instead of “I want to earn extra money”, it’s “I want to earn an extra $2500 a month this year” or “I want to net $150,000 from my business this year.” Even “I want a housekeeper” or “I want to hire someone to take care of my yard.”

Even if it feels a little scary, get specific.   

2. Put some feeling behind it.

It’s all fine and well to identify a goal but ask yourself WHY it’s important to you. What does achieving that goal mean on a real, personal level?

“I want to earn an extra $2500 a month this year because I’ll feel so much less stressed about my finances.”

“I want to net $150,000 from my business this year because I’ll be able to quit my full-time job and build my own dream.”   

“I want a housekeeper because I love my house to be clean and would use that time to have fun with my kids.”

3. Make it easy to review.

Seriously—you don’t have to write pages of goals and whys. Keep things simple. Write a few sentences that capture your vision and that keep your feelings top of mind. Just make sure you can see and refer to it often.

Speaking of making things easy, I’ve made my create a vision board sheet easily available.

Just click the link to get a downloadable .pdf delivered to you through Facebook Messenger. Crazy easy, right?

Oh—and if you have ideas for how to create a vision board in a way that works for you, please share them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

Alison