“Creating Vision Boards! Why? I mean, didn’t we already graduate kindergarten and finish the routine of cutting out pictures and gluing them to construction paper?” This is a common sentiment I hear from folks as I discuss the use of vision boards in the successful life. Another refrain frequently mentioned is, “Oh yea, I heard about how important they are, but I never got around to making one.”
20 years ago, I would walk around with a magazine picture in my wallet that depicted the current goal or set of goals that I was trying to achieve. Now, as my success has grown so has my vision board. I realized long ago that to have this daily reminder of my “why” keeps me inspired and moving in the direction I wish to go.
If you haven’t already created a Vision Board that works for 2021, I encourage you to take the time this week to spend 1-2 hours building one. This investment of time will pay out huge returns in your personal clarity, focus and direction. To get you moving along your path, here are a few tips:
1. Gather Your Supplies
poster board, pictures, poems, quotes along with tape, glue scissors, etc.
2. Create Time & Space
Schedule a date and time on your calendar for THIS week to build your vision board. If you don’t set up a meeting with yourself that you will keep, you’ll be unable to create a vision board that will work for you.
3. Describe YOUR Perfect Life
Realizing that perfection is stagnation, it is still important that we aim for the type of life we know will bring us the most happiness and joy. For me, I aim for perfection knowing that I will never hit that target, but I sure will get close and that, my friend, is good enough! I keep my focus on the end result that I wish to achieve; personal happiness and a joy-filled life. I have been accused many times in my career of being an idealist nut-case for the way I present my goals and perspective on life. What is awesome is I am a HAPPY, idealist nut-case and the way I move through this life brings me the joy I crave. If my idealism can help you achieve your goals, then that’s just whipped cream on top of a mug of hot cocoa for me!
4. Plaster Your Board with Experiences & “Things” that Represent Your Happiness
Most of the people I work with are not “materially minded” folks, however, we use “things” to gauge our success. As you create your vision board make sure that the “things” you use as markers for your success are truly experiences that will bring you happiness rather than creating the thought that the “thing” itself will bring you joy. Example, I have a picture of an RV on my vision board. The RV will not bring me happiness, but the experiences that I wish to have while traveling in the RV is my focus. Rather than posting 15 different pictures of the places I wish to visit once I procure my RV, I chose to just put a picture of the vehicle on the poster and it represents the goal of traveling around the US with my children while running a book tour.
5. Make Your Vision Board Reality
Most people stop working on their vision board after they create it. Don’t be one of those folks! After you see your Vision Board all put together, sit down with your calendar and start scheduling phone calls, emails, activities, classes, and meetings that will move you toward the reality you have on your board. For me, I wish to run a book tour after my current book series is complete. This requires that I have places to visit that will hold book signings and allow me to speak to my readers. Every week I call one business owner, client or fan along my proposed route asking them if they will host me during the tour. Do the same for yourself. If you decide you want to be financially independent and you’re currently $15,000 in debt. Create a plan to get yourself out of debt. If you don’t know how, start taking online classes, read a book a month that will teach you how to become financially solvent or hire a coach. Make your Vision a Reality.
Dreams are important to me. If I don’t have a vision for myself, my life and my family, then I am a rudderless leader. My dreams and visions for my life keep me in a state of Joy and Inspiration. I wish the same for you as you move about your life. You are worth the time. Invest in yourself and make a date to put together your perfect life. Now, where did I put those scissors? Probably next to my mug of cocoa!