How To Make A Goal Setting Vision Board New For 2024

This post was updated 19th November 2023.

It’s the end of another interesting year and the perfect time to think about your goals or dreams for next year (and beyond).

I am a big believer in goal setting, visualization and making plans. A goal setting vision board is a brilliant and beautiful way to keep you moving in the right direction.

Jump to how to make a vision board.

Why you should make a goal setting vision board.

Yes, we all have big plans to change at the beginning of every year and yes, most of us give up on them by January 18th (so-called quitters day according to Strava).

Here’s what I also know. At some point, if you have a desire to change your life, one year will be your year.

After close to two decades of new year’s resolutions and exciting first pages of journals and many sessions of therapy, 2019 was my year.

I had lived with anxiety and rock bottom self-esteem for too long. It was time.

Even the wildest dreams have to start somewhere.

Oprah Winfrey

I joined my local run club to help with my recovery from postnatal depression, started a daily meditation, found some like-minded souls, read multiple empowering books, and started my blog. I also made a small but powerful vision goal board.

After a year of daily micro commitments, I felt very different. Now I love my life, my work and myself. I am, for the first time, happy in my own skin. This is a huge thing for me. One mega goal ticked off.

So let me ask you one question? Is 2024 your year?

What is a vision board?

A vision board (also known as a dream board, inspiration board or goal board) is a visual reminder of your specific goals, dreams, and affirmations through the use of physical items and cues. A collection of pictures, quotes, colours or clippings from magazines that remind you of your big goal or aspiration.

A goal-setting vision board is more specific than a general vision board. When you have established a specific goal, you want as many tools as possible to get you there. It could be a goal for your health, career, finances, spirituality or personal life. The vision board helps you move forward in a clear direction. 

Do vision boards work?

The quick answer?

YES.

There is a caveat, though.

You need to follow up with action. Otherwise, it’s just a pretty collage of images on your wall. A vision board is a constant reminder of your dreams and goals, a visual stimulation to kick start your positive action and attract more of what you want.

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How do they work?

A vision board makes you think about what your big dreams are. Then you can harness the power of visualising to work towards that dream. You attract into your life more of what you focus on. It takes the principles of the law of attraction, but gives you a physically clear picture of what your personal goals are.

Then comes the action part. From your board, you can create a list of goals to walk you towards the dream or goal. Dreams without goals and actions are just dreams.

By placing your board somewhere you will see often, you give yourself a reminder on a daily basis. This affects your thoughts and actions positively and creates an emotional connection between you and your goal. Vision boards are powerful tools. Definitely worth trying this coming year?

How to create your own goal setting vision board?

The first step is the hardest. You need to work out the purpose of your vision board. Take some time, be specific, try a future self meditation.

Think about all the areas of your life. Health, relationships, happiness, career, money, spirituality, fitness, love. The choice is yours.

Tip: don’t just think about material things you wish to achieve or have. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, but it’s a good idea to think about what positive emotions you want to feel as well. How will you feel, emotionally, when you complete that first marathon, make your first sale from your business, or become a calm parent?

Second, create a list of goals or steps that will take you to your dream. You might need to break up your primary goal into smaller goals and steps. If it seems daunting, just chose one to focus on at first.

Third, get your vision board kit.

You will need;

1. A framed whiteboard,cork board, poster board or even just a large sheet of cardboard.
2. Glue, pins, markers, assorted tape.
3. Fun and creative adornments (your board should look like you, include your colors, styles, even stickers to make it visually appealing to you).
4. Your inspiration. Magazine cutouts, favorite quotes, photographs, stock images, postcards, images of places you want to visit, phrases your kids use, photos of someone you admire, sayings and poems all work. Note: I am ALL for buying second hand. You don’t need to spend a fortune on magazines, just look in thrift shops or on Ebay for old magazines.

Now you have your materials and inspiration, get vision boarding. I could say you need to set the tone, use a clear and tidy room, light some candles and make sure nobody’s going to disturb you. That’s all great if you can do it, but if you are a busy and time poor mom (or mum) like myself, you need to snatch any time you have.

Just try to give yourself some focused time, but don’t worry if you take a few different sessions to complete. Direction is more important than speed. Try laying everything out and play with different layouts before committing with the glue stick. Or if you are super determined and like decisive action, just go for it. No rules.

I love to scroll through Pinterest for beautiful vision board examples. Mine might not look as stylish, but it’s a great way to spark some ideas if you are not feeling creative.

If you don’t know how to layout your board, get yourself a vision board template. Etsy has some great examples of vision boards already laid out. Then you just need to add your magazine clippings, quotes and images.

Don’t be afraid to edit, change, or completely start your board again as often as you need. I did not do a board last year but I am raring to go this December. I think pre Christmas is always a great time of year to start a fresh board.

Where should you place your vision board?

The best place is somewhere you will see on a regular basis. Maybe on the wall in your home office or the kitchen if you are happy for other people to see it. Otherwise on the back of your bedroom door.

Make sure you look at your board, daily and then look at your action steps. Marry the visualization with the positive thoughts and actions.

Prefer the idea of a digital vision board?

This is not something I have tried, but if you would prefer the digital route Canva and PicMonkey both have simple to use digital board templates. I use Canva a lot, it’s a great tool for digital creation. The paid subscription is good value for money and you get an extensive catalogue of stock images as well.

Do you need more than one vision board?

Some people might have a different vision board for different areas of their life. This might work if your career goal is very separate from the other areas of your life for example.

I prefer one board and to really be specific about my goals. I feel it might get a little watered down, focusing on over one board a day. Whatever works for you is the best way to go.

Powerful words for your vision board.

You want to include a few big, emotional, powerful words to spark your subconscious mind. Good words to try;

• STRONG
• GRATEFUL
• UNIQUE
• HAPPY
• SMILE
• PESEVERE
• CONTENT
• CALM
• DETERMINED
• GODESS
• TRUE
• AUTHENTIC
• BRAVE
• CHANGE
• CREATIVE

Are you ready to get started with your first goal setting vision board?

It should not feel complicated or overwhelming. Think of this as a powerful tool to kick start a great year. Enjoy it. I have a new set of goals myself for 2024, so I will create one right along with you this month. Let me know how you get on. If you are feeling super brave, you could share a snippet of what you are working on? Drop me a message in the comments below or find the contact page and send me a message. I am always happy to hear from you.

Happy vision boarding. Let’s make 2024 the best year. We are due one, after all!

Amanda x

WHAT YOU SEEK IS SEEKING YOU.

RUMI

How To Make A Goal Setting Vision Board Frequently Asked Questions.

What are some goals for a vision board?

Your vision board can and should include anything you want to see in your life. Dream of writing a book? Put that on there. Want to run a half marathon? Make sure it’s. Wishing you could be a calmer parent? Definitely get that on your board. Searching for your dream job? write it down. Your own vision board should be unique to you.

It might be easy to list things you want more of in your life. Don’t forget to add how you want to feel. How would completing that book feel? Add words such and images that depict the feelings that you want to increase.

How do you write a vision board example?

If you need a visual example of some goal-setting vision boards, I had a quick look on Canva for some vision board ideas. I have added a couple of physical vision board and digital vision board examples for you below.

How to write your board depends on you. Here are some quick ideas.

• Use calligraphy to create beautiful words and quotes.
• Cut out words and quotes from magazines.
• Find words and quotes online.

How do you make a vision board for goals?

There are many reasons to make a vision board, but if you want to focus on goals, there are a few things to remember.

1. Work out what your goals are. This might sound simple, but it’s not always easy getting your big goals out of your head and onto paper. Spend some time journaling, talking to friends and family and thinking about what your goals are.
2. Break your goals down into steps you need to complete. This might me getting educated, saving for something, committing to daily good habits. Break them down so you can see you path.
3. Gather your materials. Collect images, words, quotes, poems, a board, tape, glue sticks, pens.
4. Set a time and space. Maybe do a little intention setting meditation, find a quiet space and time and give yourself focused attention to create your board.
5. Reassess your board throughout the year. Goals are not set in gold. They change and adapt as you change and adapt. Don’t forget to reassess your vision board throughout the year as you need to. Make space for new goals when they show themselves.

How to create a vision board online?

The easiest way to do this would be through Canva. You can get a free account and they even have a free vision board create tool. It’s a great place to create a vision board with minimal effort.

Is There An App To Create A Vision Board?

Yes! If you don’t want to create a physical board, then there are a number of apps you can use to create your board. Some are free, some require subscriptions. Just to let you know I am not an affiliated with these apps, just giving you a few examples.

– Canva

– Dreamer 

– Prefectly Happy

– Milanote

This is just a small selection of the apps available.

When should You Make A Goal Setting Vision Board?

Short answer. Anytime you like! There’s a lot of emphasis (and pressure) around making massive changes in the new year. This is not always practical, or necessary. You should make your goal setting vision board whenever you feel the need for change or a boost in motivation. Vision board work should be fun, not another thing to tick off your list.  

What’s the next step? Get creating your very first vision board. May your dreams and goals come true.