A board that works shows where you're going and what you'll do on Tuesday to get there. Here's the method, step by step, online or on paper.
Pick three to five life areas
Health, work, money, relationships, learning, home, creativity, travel. You won't fit everything; choosing is the point. Our vision board ideas are grouped by area.
Write one goal per area first
Words before pictures. "Run a 10k by June" is clearer than a photo of a beach runner. If it's vague, run it through the SMART goals worksheet.
Find one image per goal, plus one image of the work
Your own photos beat stock photos. Add at least one picture of the routine: the shoes, the desk, the calendar. See the demo below for why.
Add a few words
A word for the year, a short phrase or an affirmation you actually believe. Believable affirmations work better than grand ones.
Lay it out and caption it
Give the most important goal the biggest spot. Pick a layout from our vision board templates.
Put it where you'll see it, and link it to a habit
Set it as your phone wallpaper, then turn each picture into a daily action on the habit tracker.
Picture the prize, or picture the path?
Toggle between two ways of filling the same board tile and see what the research found.
Tue · Thu · Sat 7am
On the board
Running shoes by the door, "Tue · Thu · Sat, 7 am", a 12-week plan
In the moment
Feels less glamorous
What studies found
In Pham and Taylor's study, students who pictured the studying did more of it, felt less anxious and scored higher than students who pictured the grade.
Sources: Pham, L. B. & Taylor, S. E. (1999), "From thought to action: Effects of process- versus outcome-based mental simulations on performance", Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Kappes, H. B. & Oettingen, G. (2011), "Positive fantasies about idealized futures sap energy", Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Do vision boards work?
There are no good studies on vision boards themselves, so be wary of anyone quoting a success rate. What we do have is research on the parts a board is made of. Imagining a goal can help or hurt depending on what you imagine: picturing the steps (process simulation) tends to help; picturing only the happy ending can drain motivation. Writing specific goals helps (Locke & Latham, 2002). Planning for obstacles helps (Oettingen's WOOP).
So the recipe is: a small number of goals, images of both the outcome and the path, and a clear next action for each one.
Digital vs paper vision boards
Paper is tactile and fun to make with others, and it sits on a wall you pass every day. Digital is quicker, easy to update, and a phone wallpaper is seen dozens of times a day. Many people do both: make it online, download the PNG, and print a copy.
Mistakes to avoid
Pinning 40 things. Five clear goals beat a wall of noise.
Only aspirational stock photos with nothing about the routine.
Making it and never looking at it again. Revisit it monthly and swap out finished goals.
Questions people ask
What do I need to make a vision board?
For a physical board: a cork board or poster card, magazines or printed photos, scissors, glue or pins and a pen. For a digital vision board: just photos on your phone and the free maker on our home page.
What should I put on a vision board?
Images and words for the few goals that matter most this year, each paired with a small action or caption. Aim for 5 to 10 items. Too many and nothing stands out.
Where should I put my vision board?
Somewhere you look daily without trying: your phone lock screen, the inside of a wardrobe door, beside the kettle or above your desk.
When is the best time to make a vision board?
Any time you want a fresh start: New Year, a birthday, the start of a season or after a big change. Researchers call these "fresh start" moments and have found people are more likely to start goals on them (Dai, Milkman & Riis, 2014).
Is a vision board the same as manifestation?
Many people use vision boards for manifesting, but there is no evidence that pictures attract outcomes by themselves. There is good evidence that clear goals and plans help. Use the board as a reminder of what to act on.
Should I make a vision board party?
It can be fun and a good way to talk goals through with friends. Everyone can use the online maker on their own phone and share the downloaded images.