Have you ever created a vision board that you felt didn’t work?
This might be because you made a mistake when creating your vision board. Most people don’t think about this, but there are quite a few mistakes you can make when creating a vision board. Since the purpose of a vison board is to transform your life for the better, you don’t want it to become another stressor in your life.
So, if you want to boost your chances of success, read on to discover some of the most common vision board mistakes to avoid.
No advertisements!
If you’re creating a traditional vision board, then you are probably using magazines to find your inspirational images.
The problem is, when you’re trying to change yourself, the magazines you’ll be using for inspiration could sway you to focus on goals that aren’t right for you or aren’t really what you want right now.
How is that?
That’s because magazines usually contain a lot of advertisements telling you what you need in life. These could be anything from anti-aging products to travel locations.
So, it’s up to you to make sure that you aren’t swayed by advertisements when finding the right images for your board. Your vision board should only contain images that inspire you to achieve the goals that you’ve set for yourself.
Avoid using too many pictures
While the right images will make a huge difference to your vision board’s success, it’s important not to use too many. Because you don’t want to overwhelm your mind.
Think of it like this, when your home is cluttered, it can be stressful as you look around wondering where all of this stuff came from.
A vision board with a ton of images has too much going on and can leave your mind feeling cluttered too. Instead, you want your vision board to allow you to focus, so the fewer pictures you include, the easier it’ll be to focus on your goals.
Clear Goals
For your vision board to work you need to be crystal clear about what it is you want. That means making your goals simple and achievable. How do you do this? By making sure that your goals are SMART.
SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Timebound
For example, let’s look at losing weight which is often a goal that shows up on vision boards. Rather than a vague goal – “I want to lose weight.” Make your goal SMART and say, “I am going to lose two pounds each week over the next 8 weeks by exercising daily for 45 minutes and increasing my fiber intake.”
That’s a more specific goal and will help you obtain the words and images that you need to see your vision come to life.
You need to see it to achieve it
One of the keys to properly using your vision board is to look at it every day (multiple times a day is even better). So placing it in a room where you’ll never see it will be detrimental to your progress.
Ensure you place the vision board somewhere that’s easily in view. For many people, hanging it on the wall in the bedroom is the best option. However, any area in your home that you’re in everyday can work – whether it’s next to your home office computer or on your refrigerator is okay. Just make sure that you’ll see it often.
Addressing internal issues
It’s all well and good having goals. However, if you don’t address any internal issues you may have, a vision board may not be as effective as it could be. This goes back to making sure that you’re clear about what your goals really are.
For example, if you’re wanting to change your appearance, in general, there’s nothing wrong with that. However if the true issue is lack of confidence, changing the way you look might not automatically help you feel more confident, especially if you have deep rooted issues regarding self-esteem. You would need to work on those issues, not solely rely on the vision board.
Commit to taking action
Finally, one of the most common mistakes people make is not using the vision board as a tool for action. Some people mistakenly believe that creating the board and displaying it somewhere is all they need to make it work. But that’s not the case. You also need to commit to taking action.
Yes, use the vision board to inspire you, but make sure you’re also taking steps each day to achieve the goals you’ve set.
So there you have it, 5 common mistakes that people make when creating a vision board. Hopefully now you’ll be able to avoid making them so that your vision board will help you achieve your goals. It’s all about Making Time.
Let’s talk, how do you intend to avoid making mistakes when creating your vision board? Let me know in the comments section.
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn