5 Steps to Creating an Effective Vision Board

Having a list of goals is a great way to keep yourself focused on what you want to accomplish. But how do you get motivated to begin working on them and to stay on track toward success? Having a vision board is a great way to engage your subconscious mind by bombarding it with images of the things that you want to happen in your life.

Once your subconscious gets a picture of what you want, it sends messages to the information filtering system of the brain known as the reticular activating system (RAS). When your RAS perceives certain images as important, it will seek them out and help you recognize opportunities to accomplish what you want to do. Having an awareness of these mechanisms is an extremely powerful tool that will help you reach goals faster.

Ready to create your vision board? Here’s how:

1. Make a list of the 50 things that you want to do.

A great way to start is by compiling a list of the 50 things that you want to accomplish in your lifetime. Here are some questions to consider:

• What kind of lifestyle do you want to live?

• What is your ideal work environment? Do you have an idea for a business?

• Where are some of the places that you want to visit?

• What does your ideal relationship look like?

• Who are some people that you admire that you would like to meet?

• What kind of a vehicle would you like to drive if you could drive any vehicle?

• What kind of a home would you like to live in if you could live anywhere and in any size home?

• What are some of the altruistic things that you could accomplish? Would you like to develop a non-profit or support a meaningful cause?

Please note that I have listed some material things here as an example but what’s really important is to get in touch with the things that you think will bring you happiness and fulfillment.

2. Search for and collect your images.

The images that you collect should be strong images of the things that represent your dreams and goals. I like to take screen shots of images from search engines, but you can also clip pictures from magazines/newspapers. I would suggest only picking positive images that evoke a strong emotion and send a powerful message to your RAS. Remember, we are using these images to program your brain.

3. Select a medium for your vision board.

Some of my clients like to paste the images onto a poster board and place the vision board in a prominent place in their home. They will then take a photo on their smartphone to carry with them everywhere they go. Others like to post the images to Pinterest and create a collage there. I have a binder that I use to collect the images because it is easy for me to take the photos with me in my backpack wherever I go, and I have pages of large, colorful photos to view. It’s up to you which medium works best for you.

4. Make it a habit.

Once your vision board is complete it is important to create a daily habit of looking over the images that you have selected to keep you focused on your goals. This habit can serve as a reminder that will be helpful in creating positive momentum during those down days when you begin to lose sight of what you want to accomplish and why.

5. Be patient.

Once you have completed the vision board exercise and you are reviewing it on a daily basis, your mind will begin to expect that these wonderful things will happen. At this point, your job is to search for ways to create the success that you desire, be open to opportunities when they arise, and be patient (none of this will happen overnight). Your success will require hard work, perseverance, self-awareness and timing.

The best way for you to gain the momentum that you seek is to have a vision board that draws you in the direction that you desire. The key is to stay in the present moment and activate your mind to create the success that you want. Once you create the vision board and the daily habit of viewing it you are creating the motivation necessary to achieve success.

Remember to always be your best self!