Why a Vision Board Never Worked for Me, and What I Do Instead

The classic vision board. Paper, stickers, printed photos, all on the wall. I tried it. It didn't work for me, and the reasons are very practical.

Why a paper vision board didn't stick

It's too public. Friends come over, and there are your biggest wishes, next to the coffee machine. I don't want everyone reading that.

It fades. Regular prints lose color. Canvas lasts, but that's a lot of money for something that should change.

And it has to change. Goals move. So what do you do with the old ones? Throw your wishes in the trash yourself? Ask someone else to do it? Some people burn them in the forest as a ritual. For me that's just awful.

Keeping it in the phone is much more delicate.

What I do instead

I split it in two.

The public part is my Instagram stories. I only post what I want to see more of in my life. A trip, a good party, a smart person saying something worth hearing, a quote I like, videos of my own work. Nothing negative. Nothing boring. Nothing I don't want in my life.

Most people just see stories. The ones who get it, get it.

The private part is for goals I don't show anyone. Some of them are an art object at home, a painted picture of the goal. The rest is digital, behind a password.

A private, digital vision board in Aimgod

This is why I'm building Visualisations in Aimgod. A digital vision board for the most personal goals. Behind your login, beautiful, with smooth animations. Not one more photo gallery.

It's a Premium section and it's coming soon. Honestly, I want it for myself first.

Until then, keep the goals themselves in a plan. A picture shows what you want. A plan shows what you do today to get there. More on that in values vs goals and three horizons of planning.

A few rules that work for any vision board

1. 01Only what you really want. No "should".
2. 02Easy to change. If removing a picture feels like a ritual, it's too hard.
3. 03Private by default. Show it only if you want to.
4. 04Look at it often. A board you never see does nothing. Mine is in my phone, always with me.
5. 05Connect it to a plan. Pick one goal from the board and put its first small step into today. If the goals feel off, check them against your core values.

FAQ

Do vision boards actually work?

A vision board alone does nothing. It works as a reminder of what you want, and only if a plan does the rest.

What can I use instead of a paper vision board?

A private digital vision board on your phone, a single art object at home, or a feed where you post only what you want more of in your life.

What should I put on a vision board?

Places, experiences, people and work you really want. Nothing negative, nothing borrowed from someone else's list.