Want to know a secret? Goal setting and creating big changes in your life and business does not have to involve some boring corporate-like list of measurable and deadlines. In fact, for many creative entrepreneurs, that’s just the kind of thing that makes us feel stiff and anxious. We look at that list of dates and to-dos and we’re instantly overwhelmed with the enormity of it all, so we file it away for “later.”

And we all know when “later” is in this sense. It’s never.

Yet that’s just how we were taught to approach goal setting. We’ve all heard the expression “A goal without a deadline is just a dream.” But sometimes dreaming is what we really need to see a clear path to our destination.

And that’s what vision boards are all about. Dreaming.

Rather than a bland calendar or spreadsheet with dates and impressive sounding goals on them, vision boards give you the creativity to let your dreams grow.

Which is more inspiring to you? This:

• 30 July – new podcast launched
• 30 August – Kindle book to editor
• 15 December – build mailing list to 10,000

Or this: You see, most goal-setting programs focus on the intended outcome. What is the result you want? And while that’s perfect for a business plan, it’s really not the best way to keep you inspired and motivated day in and day out. For that you need to know how achieving your goals will make you feel. And that’s the real power of a vision board.

What Exactly is a Vision Board?

The most basic definition of a vision board is just this: It’s a collection of images, quotes and symbols that have meaning to you and which bring out feelings of joy, peace, love and happiness. They represent your dream life.

Vision boards come in many different formats, both digital and physical. We’ll talk more about that later, but for now, let’s take a look at the types of content that make up vision boards.

Images. By far the most common item to find on vision boards, images can be photos, drawings, mind maps, sketches or anything else that has some meaning for you. For example, if world travel is one of your goals, you might include photos of historic landmarks you want to visit, or airplanes or ships (imagine the feeling of freedom associated with those). If you dream of retiring young, then a photo of you and your family relaxing on the beach will serve as a happy reminder of what life will be like when you no longer have to work.

Motivational messages. You’ve seen those motivation posters that say things such as, “Challenge: Always blaze the trail; never follow the path.” For some people, these messages can be extremely powerful. When you face a rough patch, simply remembering that phrase can be enough to get you fighting again.

Your vision board might include messages you see posted on social media, phrases you read and jot down in your journal, or even testimonials from your clients or nice things others have said about you.

Inspiring quotes. Inspiration is different for everyone. For some, the greatest source of inspiration is the Bible. For others, words of encouragement from industry leaders or historical figures is uplifting. You can have fun with these, too. Maybe your best inspiration comes from the notes inside a Dove candy bar or a fortune cookie. Whatever makes you smile or brightens your day is a good fit for your vision board.

Everything else. What else inspires or motivates you? The blue ribbon your grandmother’s quilt won at the state fair? A small vial of sand from that secluded beach you’ll retire to someday? Your daughter’s baby shoes? Vision boards can include these treasures as well, you just might have to be a little creative when it comes to adding them.

Vision boards work in every area of your life

Before we get into how vision boards can affect all the aspects of your life, let’s take a minute to look at the most common mistake people make when creating them:

They focus on the actual goal rather than the result.

Imagine you have a goal of visiting England. You could express that by simply writing “England” on a whiteboard. But so what? The word itself is unlikely to evoke feelings of joy or anticipation. In fact, the more you see that word, the less meaning it will have.

As a vision board item, it’s pretty weak.

Imagine instead, a photo of Stonehenge. The sun is just peaking over the horizon, bathing the scene in a golden light. Thick mist clings to the ground, the ancient structure rising out of it like a circle of ghosts. You can almost hear the voices from 5,000 years ago, as they worshipped their gods, healed their sick, and buried their dead.

When you look at the picture, it doesn’t just say “England.” It instantly transports you there and immerses you in the moment. It’s a feeling. Not a goal.

When you create your vision board, regardless of which of life’s aspects you’re focusing on, be sure to look for images and words that make you feel the way you imagine you’ll feel when you achieve your goal. It’s not about what you want to have. It’s about how you want to feel.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how you create your vision board, it only matters that you do create one. (Or more.)

Having this tool in your arsenal makes it much more likely you’ll achieve your dreams, as well as virtually ensuring your dreams will be larger than they were before you began your vision board adventure.

Before you begin though, here are the most important things to remember about your vision board.

• It’s yours. There is no right or wrong way to create your dreams.
• Dream big! Your vision board should not be filled with things that you could easily attain next week. A new cell phone has no place on your vision board.
• You have to spend time with it. A vision board is a living document, and it will work better when it has your attention for at least a few minutes every single day.

Whether you choose to create a stunning collage of individually framed images you carefully collect over the course of a year, or you build it on your iPad from stock photos, give vision boards a try. You might just be pleasantly surprised at the power they can wield in your life and your business.