Imagine everything you ever wanted to accomplish, all in one place — your academic, career, personal, and life goals, all existing in harmony.
Now think of an image that represents each one of those goals. Put those images together into a beautiful piece of art. Ta-da! You’ve just created a vision board!
A vision board is a reminder of your goals and dreams. It can motivate you, fill you with pride, and give you a sense of direction. A vision board usually contains images, drawings, quotations, or words that relate to your goals and have deep personal meaning to you. It can be physical — like a collage of pictures printed and glued together — or digital, like a gallery on your phone.
Here are five vision board benefits (and why you might want to create one of your own this semester):
1. Get It Out of Your Head
Did you know that writing things down frees up space in your head? If your brain’s occupied with remembering details, goals, and deadlines, it has less room for everything else. By putting what’s your head on the outside, you can experience the catharsis of freeing up space in your brain — and be more productive in general!
2. Identify Your Goals and Dreams
Vision boards represent a symbolic step in carefully identifying goals and choosing to stride toward them. By creating a vision board, you’re asking yourself, “What really matters to me? What do I want out of life?”
By visually representing these goals, you’re symbolically committing to them — or at least the concept of what they represent. For example, putting a college diploma on your vision board might represent graduation, even if your major/degree changes over time. A salad on your board might represent healthier eating habits, but how you redefine “healthy eating” may change over time as you learn more about yourself and your body.
3. Keep Your Goals Top-of-Mind, Everyday
One benefit of vision boards is keeping you focused on your goals, making it easier to connect seemingly unrelated events.
For example, if your goal is to get all As this semester, and you keep that goal top-of-mind because you see it on your vision board every day, you might be more likely to notice workshops, tutoring opportunities, and extra credit options that will help you achieve that goal.
Here’s another example: If you want to become a voice actor, you might be more likely to mention your interest in voice acting, which could lead to a friend or classmate saying, “Oh, I have a brother who does that! Let me connect you.”
4. Reawaken the Excitement and Motivate Yourself
Some days you don’t feel like getting out of bed, let alone putting in hard hours pursuing your far-off goals. Finding motivation is tough — especially while juggling school, a full-time job, parenting, or other responsibilities. To benefit most from your vision board, try placing it somewhere you can see it when you wake up — like on your mirror or the ceiling. You can even make your phone wallpaper an image of your vision board, so there’s no chance you’ll miss it!
It’s important to use images and symbols that really resonate with you — so that each time you see your vision board, you get that cathartic feeling of excitement. At their core, vision boards exist to inspire you. Take a moment each day to look at your vision board and remember why you’ve set these goals, how much they matter to you, and what you’ve already sacrificed to obtain them. Then, take the next right step.
5. Reflect on How Far You’ve Come
You’ll complete goals at different times — and have goals at different stages. For example, you might be in the middle of completing your A.A. degree on your way to a bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering. Meanwhile, you’re in the brainstorming stage of that novel you want to write. All this while you’ve just been offered your first summer job — something you’ve been trying to get for a few weeks.
When you glance at your vision board, you might reflect on how much you’ve accomplished already. You were still in high school when you first put that image of a college diploma on your vision board. Look at you now: starting on your A.A. degree! Vision boards don’t just provide a sense of direction. They also give a feeling of satisfaction and encouragement, making your efforts feel recognized and worthwhile.
Ready To Make a Vision Board of Your Own?
You don’t have to be creative to create a vision board or reap their benefits! Whether you like to be hands-on or work on-the-go, there’s a vision board style perfect for you! Here are a few ideas:
- Pinterest allows you to create themed boards and even suggest additional images based on your viewing history.
- EnVision is an app that allows you to create a vision board, with regular reminders to view and update it.
- Create a folder on your Photos app called “Vision Board” on your mobile device and save images from the internet.
- Buy a folding display board from Walmart (you know: the same kind you used for your first science project) and get decorating!
It’s best to place your vision board somewhere you’ll see it often — first thing in the morning, if possible. Consider these ideas:
- Tape your board to your ceiling (make sure it’s secure!) so it’s the first thing you see when you wake up.
- Make your digital vision board your cellphone or desktop wallpaper so you see it every time you log in.
- Put it on your bathroom or bedroom mirror where you can’t miss it and will see it multiple times daily.
- Tape a miniature version on your car dashboard or the back of the door you leave through every morning.
- Make it the cover of your college notebook or binder.
Ready To Set Some Goals?
Whether you’re deciding on a career path or major, searching for a job/internship, or looking to develop yourself professionally, the Career Center can help you achieve your goals! Reach out to the Career Center closest to you. We look forward to watching you succeed this semester!
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