How do you create a vision board?
What is a vision board and why does it work?
A vision board is a collage (on paper or digital) with images, words, and short sentences that show what is important to you and where you want to go. Think of it as your "visual compass." At a glance, you can remind yourself of your goals, your values, and above all, the feeling you want to experience. Some people use it for annual planning, others for a major life reset. Both are fine.
Why it works is actually quite logical. Your brain loves images. Images make a wish more concrete than just a vague idea in your head. And if you see your goals more often, you are more likely to make choices that are in line with them. It's not that a sign suddenly takes care of everything for you, but it does help you choose a direction and maintain focus.
Creating a vision board is therefore a tool. It helps you discover what you really find important, enabling you to make more conscious choices and make your dreams come true.
Vision board vs. mood board
A vision board therefore has a completely different purpose than a mood board. A mood board is often about atmosphere and style. For example, for your interior, your branding, or your clothing. A vision board, however, is about your life and your future. It's about what you want to do, who you want to be, and how you want to feel.
But you can incorporate the idea behind a mood board into the atmosphere of the images you will use in your vision board. Perhaps you want to redecorate your home or are you moving? Then choose images that reflect the style of living you want to achieve. Do you want to work on your appearance and image? Then choose photos that not only reflect your goal, but also have the right clothing style. So make sure that the vibe and the goal match and reinforce each other rather than contradicting each other. Then you will see that your vision board will become even more powerful.
A vision board is the foundation and your starting point.
Your dreams and goals will not come true just by creating and looking at a vision board. It is a tool that helps you keep your eyes on what you want to achieve, and that is only possible if you take action yourself.
Consider your vision board more as a smart reminder. It helps you train your attention. As a result, you will recognize opportunities more quickly and gain inspiration for actions that are necessary to help you further along the path to your goals.
It still requires action on your part. And honestly? That's good news, because it means you have control over what you achieve and how you get there.
Before you begin: choose your direction in 10 minutes
Before you enthusiastically start cutting, pasting, or digitally collecting your material, first consider what you want to achieve. Take 10 minutes, for example, and write down your goals and desires. This will help you determine your "direction." That's the difference between a collection of nice pictures and a board that truly reflects what you desire.
Select 1–4 themes
Once you have made your list of goals and desires, you will soon realize that it can be quite a lot. So much that it can become chaotic or overwhelming if you want to incorporate it all into your vision board. Choose to include only those goals that will make the most difference to you in the next 6-9 months. If you had to choose between 1-4 themes, what would be most important for you to focus on first ?
Consider themes such as:
- Health, vitality, nutrition & exercise
- Work, skills, and personal development
- Relationships
- Finance
- Travel
Tip: If you have many goals, create multiple boards (or multiple digital pages).
Choice: physical or digital vision board?
Traditionally, a vision board is something you can hang up, but in today's digital age, people are increasingly creating digital vision boards that they use as wallpaper or screensavers. Do whatever suits you best and helps you the most.
Tip: First, consider where you are going to hang your vision board. How much space do you have there? Is it a place where everyone can see your board and therefore react to it, or would it be better to hang it in a place where it will mainly be visible to you? The answers to these questions may influence your choice of shape and size for your board.
Physical vision board: cut/print & paste
A physical vision board often feels more tangible and provides a completely different feeling and experience during the creation process. First, you choose the material on which you will create your board. Will you go for an A4 sheet? Or will you buy a large, sturdy piece of cardboard or canvas and use that as your base?
Next, gather all kinds of material that you can use on your vision board. You can take photos from magazines, but you can also use your own photos or images from the internet and print them out. And now, with the advent of AI, you can of course also generate your own images. Perhaps you want to learn to ski, in which case you could create an image of yourself on skis. Or maybe you've always wanted to visit a particular holiday destination, in which case you could generate a photo of yourself at a recognizable location at your dream destination.
Digital vision board: Search or generate
If you are more digitally minded, you can also create an online vision board. To do this, you can use Pinterest, Google, and AI to find and create images. Programs such as Canva offer examples and templates and also contain many images that you can use to create your digital vision board.
Once you have your digital version ready, you can print it out or have it printed as a poster or on canvas. Or you can use it as a screensaver on your screen.
Step-by-step: how to create your vision board
Here comes the heart of this blog: a practical step-by-step plan that you can start today.
Step 1 – Collect without analyzing
The first step is to find images that match your goals and how you will feel when you achieve them. This is why it is also called the feeling phase.
Browse through magazines, photos, old travel brochures, or search online for words that describe your goals and download the photos and quotes that embody your goal. Anything goes. Choose images that evoke something in you: pleasure, peace, desire, curiosity. Don't argue with yourself. You'll make the actual choice later.
Smart places to search:
- Magazines (home, sports, travel, business)
- Pinterest (create a board for each theme)
- Your own photos (moments you were proud of)
- Quotes (be selective, otherwise it might become too much)
Mini-rule: Collect first, filter later.
Step 2 – Filter on "this is really mine"
Here, you make choices. What will you choose?
Group everything together by theme. Ask yourself these questions for each image or quote:
- Do I really want this? Or does it just sound "good"?
- Does this suit me, or is it based on the expectations of others or society?
- Does this represent or express the feeling I want to experience with that theme/goal? Think of peace, freedom, fitness, happiness, etc.
- Is this image the best choice, or is it a repetition of a goal for which I already have a more suitable image or quote?
The goal of this phase is to select images and quotes that complement and reinforce each other and convey or express the overall feeling. So instead of processing every travel destination for the coming months, you can also choose 1 or 2. Or choose a photo from a previous vacation that captures the feeling. After all, a completely different location may ultimately be much better suited to the underlying desires you want to achieve with a particular city trip or longer vacation.
So, it's better to choose 10 strong images than a matching image for each canvas. Focus more on the feeling and the elements that go with it, rather than pinning yourself down to a specific result or destination. Because let's be honest, how often have you ended up with something completely different from what you had in mind at the start of your search? Something that was much more suitable, but that you didn't know existed or could be possible for you?
Step 3 – Determine your placement
In this step, it's time for composition. Test out where you want the images and quotes to be placed. Here are a few tips, but the most important one is to stay true to yourself. The goal is to create something that motivates and appeals to you . There is no right or wrong, only a style that expresses you and your personality.
To help you get started, here are some general tips:
- Put your most important wish or theme in the center. That spot usually catches your eye right away when you look at your vision board.
- Create zones on your board for your themes and place everything related to that theme together. When you focus your attention on that zone of your board, the images reinforce each other.
- Make a conscious choice about how to fill your board. What works for you? Do you want to fill the entire space, or does it give you more peace of mind to leave space between images and/or themes?
Useful layout ideas:
- Circular layout: core in the middle, themes surrounding it
- Timeline: Quarter 1–4 or Month 1–12
- Your themes as subjects: for each theme, a subject with the same size or 1 or 2 subjects with more space because that is where your main focus lies.
Step 4 – Add words, affirmations, and mini-goals
Images are powerful, but words touch you on a different level. That's why you should always include words, slogans, or quotes. Consider the following:
- 3 keywords (e.g., peace, healing, letting go, recovery, self-confidence, abundance)
- One sentence that sums up your year or theme: e.g., "I choose self-care and love." "I deserve a better life." "I get the best out of myself and my life."
Step 5 – Review your vision board regularly
Once your vision board is ready, it's time for the most exciting step. Where are you going to hang or place it in plain sight?
Choose a place where you can see your vision board regularly and reflect on it, or use it as a screensaver. If it is in a less visible place or stored somewhere in your files, schedule a moment each week to look at it. Only then can your vision board do its job.
Step 6 – Be inspired to take action
Then use your moments with your vision board to reflect on what actions you can take today or in the coming week to bring your goals one step closer to reality. Make an action list and schedule it in.
Only by regularly tuning in to your goals and feeling what is possible for that day/week can the Universe help you to bring the right people, resources, and opportunities your way so that you can achieve your goals in ways that exceed your imagination. Because often more is possible than you think, and your original interpretation was too limited.
And realize that if you could have easily achieved your goal, you would have done so long ago. So don't be surprised if your path takes a different turn or if you encounter challenges and have to do some inner work to achieve your goals. This is not happening to thwart you, but rather to help you adjust obstacles in your thinking and beliefs, so that you no longer stand in your own way and allow yourself more than you already do.
Your vision board gives you focus and helps you make your dreams come true.
