The new year is nearly here! Traditionally we think of setting goals for the year ahead around this time. I was reminded this week of a practice I haven’t done in awhile that I’d like to revive for myself – creating a vision board. If I convince you it’s not too woo woo, maybe you’ll want to give it a try too?

You probably know a fair amount about setting goals. The whole SMART thing (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) comes to mind. I think it’s good to take a step back and think about everything that could be without constraining ourselves to the SMART model as the first step.

And this is where the vision board comes in. Working up a vision board is a way to picture the future with real pictures. Essentially you think about what you want for yourself for the year. This doesn’t have to be selfish. It can be what you want for others as well, like a family vacation or having the time to volunteer. Ask yourself, what would an exceptional 2021 look like?

Of course, you can do this for a timeline beyond one year. A two to five year or beyond vision board is entirely appropriate.

Start by thinking. What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to have? What do your wins look like? What kind of relationships will you have? Allow yourself to think big. Think about what symbols represents the things you want.

Pick a medium. Your vision board can be electronic or on paper. Search for images online or in magazines that represent what you want to put on your vision board. The images don’t have to mean anything to anyone else. These are to remind you of what you will accomplish.

Not a fan of acquiring pictures? You can do this in writing too. I’ve done this a couple different ways in the past. One way is to simply write down what you have in mind for your vision of the future. Think financial, health, relationships, and fun stuff. Then post the list prominently so you see it every day.

A second way to write your vision is to create a letter or newspaper article written in the future. You describe your goal or accomplishment as if it’s already happened. Have your eye on a promotion? Write a letter from your leadership stating that you earned a promotion and how you earned it. Writing a book? Mock-up a letter from a publisher stating your book has been selected for publishing. Pay off your mortgage? Work up a letter stating you have zero balance left to pay.

One of the keys is to look at your board or write-up frequently. I’ve found that when I look at goals frequently, I make decisions that nudge me to complete the goal … whether I’m conscious of that nudge or not. That is, I may not even have the goal top of mind, but somehow, I make decisions that guide me to accomplish the goal anyway.

And once you have your vision board or write up you can work backwards and set the goals that will allow you to realize your vision.

engineer your life

  • Think about what you want to accomplish in the next year and in the next 2-5 years. Think about all aspects of your life including financial, health, relationships, and fun! Capture these in writing.
  • Choose your “vision board mode” – physical, electronic, or written (not really a board but let’s let that slide).
  • Find images that will remind you of your future accomplishments. Or write an article or letter to yourself stating what you’ve already accomplished. Post your vision board somewhere that you will see it frequently.
  • Accomplish your vision!