Do Vision Boards Actually Work?

I love a good vision board and I make one every year. I see a lot of stuff online about if vision boards actually work and here is my answer: They can work, if you do. A vision board isn’t some magical manifestation that will automatically make all your dreams come true in one calendar year. However, it can help you visualize your goals and what your dream year looks like, which can then help you keep those goals and priorities top of mind throughout the year.

To make sure your vision boards actually work, it is more about being specific and realistic. That doesn’t mean that you can’t dream big! In fact, I encourage you to! But, for example, Instead of a general photo of an airplane with a goal of “travel more,” think of a specific destination (or a few) that you really want to go to this year. Maybe you want to go on a cruise, visit a tropical island, or finally go to Greece. Don’t be afraid to pin point exactly what you want and add that to your board.

Tips for making sure your vision board is actually useful

Okay, so you have your goals jotted down, you’re searching for images on Pinterest, and you want to make sure your vision board is intentional and helpful. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Make sure your goals are specific and realistic for where you’re currently at in life. For example, if you’re currently single and dreaming of marriage it probably wouldn’t be helpful to add a picture of your dream wedding venue on your vision board with a goal of “I want to get get married this year.” Not saying it’s impossible, but instead, you could make a more realistic goal of putting yourself out there to date more, committing to going on X amount of dates, attending singles events, and just generally being more open to love in the new year. Then, find an image that speaks to you to serve as a reminder to make that happen. Maybe it’s a specific place in your area that you’d like to go on a date at.
2. Make sure your images reflect your specific vision. Instead of random pictures from magazines, I prefer to search for more intentional images that match my goals. And even if you do want a physical vision board, you can just print out the images that you find. I like to use colors that make me feel happy, images of women of color that I feel I can relate to more, and specific places I plan to see.
3. Instead of just plopping down a bunch of aesthetic images, organize your vision board into sections for each area of your life that you want to focus on. For me, I will often have a small corner or section dedicated to entrepreneurship and career, fitness and health, travel, finances, and self-care/hobbies. It can help to have a bit of a thought process as you’re putting it together.
4. Place your finished vision board somewhere where you can see it often. I prefer a digital vision board because I like to make it my lock screen on my iPad, and a widget on my phone. They can also be great for your laptop’s home screen or your phone’s lock screen. If it’s a physical board, don’t just stash it in a corner and forget about it (been there!). Hang it on the wall in your room, near your desk, etc.
5. Have regular check-ins with yourself throughout the year. Whether it’s monthly or quarterly, it’s good to see where you’re at with your goals. That way, you don’t get a sense of panic in Q4 when you realize you didn’t do half of the stuff you were planning on. Give yourself grace, of course, there will always be unexpected obstacles that come up. But having regular check-ins can help you be proud of your progress, stay on track, and even reassess your goals as needed.

My 2025 Vision Board Recap

Let’s take a look at my personal vision board from last year and how it helped to shape my year. Some of my main goals that are represented are:

1. Pay off my credit card debt. ❌
   • I didn’t do this, but I did make significant progress in lowering it!
2. Raise my credit score comfortably above 700. ✅
3. Celebrate my birthday in Nashville. ✅
4. Get a new apartment in Downtown Detroit. ✅
   • It even has floor-to-ceiling windows, similar to the one in the picture I chose!
5. Continue to pray, study, and grow my spirituality. 🟡
   • I could always do this more, but I did stay consistent in prayer and I tried a new church.
6. Grow my following and improve my strategy as a content creator. ✅
   • I still think my strategy needs work, but I had my highest Reels views EVER this year!
7. Read at least 10 books. ✅
   • I ended up finishing 17!
8. Take more road trips, including one to Chicago. ✅
   • In addition to Chicago, I drove to Toronto, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio!
9. Travel back to London. ❌
   • I did not do this, and I wasn’t able to make an international trip happen. But, I still see it in my near future!
10. Stay consistent in the gym every week. ✅

What do you want your year to look like?

As you can see, it’s totally fine and understandable to not achieve every single goal in the span of a year. But, a vision board can at least help you to understand what you want your year to look like. Picture the happiest, best version of yourself and don’t be afraid to become them. Do they frequently take weekend trips? Often put themself out there to meet new people? Spend more time at home doing cozy hobbies? Workout 3-5 times a week? Attend major brand events? It’s up to you! It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes small efforts and changes over an extended period of time. So get to work, give yourself grace, and have the best year ever! ✨