Having a vision of who and what we want to become and achieve is crucial to growth, happiness, and success. We imagine a better way of life and believe in its possibility, so why do so many of us fail to realise that vision?

I’ve worked as a visioning coach with individuals and teams for more than 15 years. Here’s the thing: we all make the same mistakes. The bad news is that these mistakes are holding so many people back. The good news is, through simple changes to your mindset and approach, the path to achieving your vision becomes smoother, happier, and will actually end at the right destination.

By setting intentions and creating a vision board, using visioning techniques you can improve your health, wellbeing, livelihood and financial success. So, what is a vision board? A vision board is a representation of your goals and aspirations; a visual of the life you are working towards. But creating it is more than cutting and sticking. We have to give ourselves time to understand who and where we are, and what we are willing to let go of to attract something new.

📝 Vision Board Checklist 📝

✔️Setting intentions

Consider your intentions carefully and think big. This isn’t a to do list, it’s our hopes and dreams laid bare. Don’t end the thought at ‘I want to be financially secure’. That’s a great aspiration, but what will it mean for you in reality? How will financial security enhance your life? Perhaps you’ll be able to spend more time with your family, travel more, invest in your relationships more fully, give to others. Think about the end result – the part that will make you happy – not just the barriers to this happiness.

There are many moving parts involved in creating a vision board, but by consciously setting intentions regularly we can exert some control over our own circumstances and create our own happiness, peace, and security.

✔️Bring your vision to life with images

Find images that reflect these intentions. For example: take pictures of your house if you want to do house improvements or sell it. Pictures of your loved ones if you are manifesting something that involves them, love, holidays, health and happiness. Or maybe you want the dream wardrobe or body – hunt down the images that inspire you.

Dig deep into what you really, truly want to attract, don’t hold back! You don’t need to share this vision board with anybody, it’s just for you, and you need to trust that you can achieve exactly what you want. Be bold, be brave, believe!

✔️Create positive statements to accompany your images

Now it’s time to bring those images to life! Write a series of positive statements as if you’ve already achieved them. It might say ‘My life is filled with abundance. I earn more than £X doing a job I love surrounded by a team that supports me in my role’. Be as specific as you can and don’t limit your thoughts.

✔️Let go and trust

You’ve taken stock of where you are, and where you’d like to be. You’ve visioned yourself exactly where you hope to be.

Now, let go.

This is the hardest part of creating a vision board and setting your intentions. This is where most people fall down. We’ve been conditioned to think that we must constantly ‘take action!’. Our instinct is to go hell for leather to make our dreams come true.

Stop. Slow down. Trust.

Yes, of course, we have to make some changes, we do need to take some action – but it’s a fine balance. The mistake we most commonly make is to push too hard, searching for every opportunity to derive the dream. We fixate on the result, and when this result doesn’t materialise we worry, stress, and succumb to unhappiness. The dream alludes us.

✔️Align yourself, less is more

So, get on with your life and prioritise happiness. Take time out to do what makes your heart sing. Spend time with friends and family. Indulge or explore a hobby. Enjoy sports. Volunteer. Do anything that will relax you and connect you with joy. When we are happy, we attract success into our lives. I recommend reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor to understand this fully. Based on the largest ever study of happiness and human potential, the book explains how happiness fuels success and performance by ensuring we are creative, engaged, resilient and productive. Do what you need to do to make yourself happy, even if it goes against your instinct to ‘grind’ or ‘hustle’. Choose the happy route, resist burnout.

✔️Express gratitude

Following the same principle, the final step is to take the time to express gratitude for every day. Reflect on each day as it draws to a close and be mindful of the things that you are appreciative of, big or small. It all counts, being thankful that someone made you a cup of tea or held the door open for you is a brilliant habit.

A grateful mind boosts serotonin production in our brain. We absorb those feel-good hormones, we cultivate our own happiness, we attract success.

Sound do-able? It is! This approach to achieving your vision is infinitely more powerful than the new year’s resolution trap. The goal is happiness from day one, not ‘eventually, when I’ve slogged and slogged and worked until my dream came true.’ Follow these steps and watch your dreams come to life effortlessly, while you enjoy the ride.

Final thought

Of all the sessions I deliver - helping clients to understand how businesses grow and implement practical, strategic business growth advice - this is my favourite. Watching others break free from the restrictive mindset that’s been holding them back is simply the best feeling in the world. With less stress, more clarity, and trust in the process, my clients are able to move forward and embrace their dreams. 

Feel free to get in touch with me at sarah@themapleagency.co.uk if you’d like me to run a vision board workshop for you or your team.