Vision boards aren’t just a pretty collection of pictures stuck haphazardly to your bedroom mirror, they’re actually powerful tools in helping you clarify your goals, align your mindset and stay motivated. They require intention, clarity and consistent energy.
In this post, I’ll show you how to create a vision board that actually works. Whether you’re manifesting success, love, money or absolutely anything at all, if you’re oldschool like me (hello fellow millenials!) and enjoy cutting and sticking or if you prefer digital tools, this guide will walk you through exactly how to make a vision board that inspires you, motivates you and is above all, effective.
Table of Contents
- What is a Vision Board?
- Do Vision Boards Actually Work?
- Step by Step Guide: How to Make a Vision Board That Actually Works
- Step 1: Get Clear on What You Want
- Step 2: Choose a Format (Physical or Digital)
- Step 3: Gather Inspiring Visuals
- Step 4: Arrange with Intention
- Step 5: Place It Where You’ll See It
- Step 6: Use It Consistently
- Bonus Tips:
- Free Printable Vision Board Template (PDF)
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board is a collection of images, quotes or symbols that represent your goals and dreams. It’s a visual reminder of where you’re headed and what matters most to you. The purpose is to keep your goals front of mind and fuel your motivation through daily visual cues.
Do Vision Boards Actually Work?
You might be wondering “do vision boards actually work or are they just another Pinterest trend?” The truth is, when used intentionally, vision boards can be a powerful tool for manifestation and helping you to make that all important mindset shift.
Here’s why they work:
- They help you get clear on what you really want. Most people don’t manifest what they want because they haven’t taken the time to define it. A vision board forces you to visualise your goals and desires in a tangible way.
- They activate your Reticular Activating System (RAS). This part of your brain filters information. When you focus on specific goals (like images of a dream house or a healthy body), your brain starts noticing opportunities and pathways related to those goals.
- They support daily visualisation and affirmation practice. Looking at your vision board regularly helps reinforce your intentions, strengthens the belief in your ability to achieve your goals and raises your energy.
- They boost motivation and alignment. When your goals are visually represented, they feel more real. It helps you to align your daily actions with your bigger vision, you’re more likely to take inspired action when your desires are in front of you every day.
👉 In short, vision boards help you focus your energy, thoughts and actions—three key ingredients for manifesting anything you want. Plus, they’re fun to create.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make a Vision Board That Actually Works
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Want
Before collecting images or quotes, reflect on your goals. Ask yourself:
- How do I want to feel?
- What areas of my life need the most love right now?
- Where do I want to be in 6 months or 1 year?
You might focus on areas of your life like:
- Personal growth
- Health & wellbeing
- Career & finances
- Relationships
- Travel & experiences
- Creativity & hobbies
👉 Tip: Journaling for 5–10 minutes before this step can help bring clarity. You can journal your answers or jot them down as a list. The clearer your intentions, the more powerful your vision board will be.
Step 2: Choose a Format (Physical or Digital)
You can create a vision board in a few different ways, depending on what feels good to you:
Option 1: Physical Vision Board
- Use a cork board, poster board or notebook
- Gather old magazines, photos, stickers, washi tape
- Cut out images and arrange them collage-style
- Glue or pin them to your board
Option 2: Digital Vision Board
- Use tools like Pinterest or Canva (easy and free)
- Create a private board (Pinterest) or custom layout (Canva)
- Add images, quotes, and text digitally
(I’ve created in depth step-by-step guides for both digital versions. I’ll link them below!)
Step 3: Gather Inspiring Visuals
Find images, words and quotes that genuinely speak to your goals and emotionally resonate with you. Choose visuals that make you feel excited, empowered and aligned. Avoid picking things that just look good, your board should reflect your dreams. You want to look at that board every day and feel those butterflies in your tummy and say to yourself, “This is the life I’m building and it’s not just a dream, it’s actually possible.”
Ideas to include:
- Magazine cuttings (for physical boards)
- Affirmation quotes (you can even write your own affirmations specific to your goals – find out how to do that in this post.)
- Photos of places you want to visit
- Inspiring people
- Screenshot images to your phone or desktop
- Symbols that hold a special meaning to you (e.g. butterflies, moons, keys, angel numbers)
This is where intuition comes in. If an image lights you up, use it.
Step 4: Arrange with Intention
Start placing your visuals on the board, playing around with the layout until it feels good. There’s no right or wrong way, just trust your eye.
Ideas for arranging:
- Group by life category or theme (e.g., health, career, relationships)
- Create a central image that represents your overall vision or centre the most meaningful images
- Add a few words, affirmations or inspirational quotes to each section – You can write them in your handwriting or type them out with cute fonts (especially for digital boards)
- Leave space to breathe (don’t clutter!)
If you’re going digital, use folders, sections or zones in your layout.
Step 5: Place It Where You’ll See It
A vision board works best when you see it often. Place your physical board somewhere visible, like on your desk, bedroom wall or on the back of a door. You could even stick it to the ceiling above your bed so you see it before falling asleep and first thing when waking up (I don’t recommend this is you have really high ceilings).
For digital boards:
- Make it your phone or desktop wallpaper (I personally like to set them as desktop backgrounds)
- Add the Pinterest or Canva link to your bookmarks
- Screenshot your favourite section and save it to your photos
- Add it to a Pinterest vision board and revisit it frequently
- You could even print out your digital vision board once it is complete and place it in the areas mentioned above
Step 6: Use It Consistently
This is the key! Spend a few minutes each day:
- Looking at your board – spend 1–2 minutes visualising your goals each morning
- Feeling gratitude as if it’s already happened
- Saying your affirmations aloud
You should also use your vision board as a homing beacon for when you’re feeling unmotivated or off-track, let it remind you of your ‘why’. Feel free to add or remove items if your goals evolve.
Pair it with other practices like:
- Daily affirmations
- Journalling
- Meditation
Bonus Tips:
- Take a photo of it – If you’ve made a physical board, snap a picture and save it as your phone wallpaper or screensaver. You’ll see it way more often this way, even if you’re not home.
- Set a reminder to reconnect with it – Check in with your vision board and spend five minutes reflecting on what’s already shifted and whether anything on your board needs a tweak. Revisit and update your board every month, every few months or yearly.
- Pair it with music or affirmations – Play your ‘main character energy’ playlist or listen to a short affirmation video while you look at your board. It helps create a vibe and makes the visualisation feel more real.
- Don’t aim for aesthetic, aim for alignment – It doesn’t have to look Pinterest perfect. It just needs to feel like you. Choose images that make you feel something, not just what looks cute.
- Leave space for the unexpected – Not everything needs to be planned. Leave a small area on your board blank or open for ‘unexpected magic’ or goals that come up later.
- Make it a ritual – Make your vision board session feel special. Make yourself a cuppa, play your favourite playlist, light a candle and treat it like a date with your future self. The energy you bring to the process matters.
- Combine your vision board ritual with journaling or meditation – After looking at your board, take a few minutes to journal or meditate on how it will feel to live that version of your life. It deepens your connection to your goals.
Free Printable Vision Board Templates (PDF)
Want a head start with your vision board? I’ve made a few simple, aesthetic Vision Board Printables you can download and start using right away. There are a few options so you can choose whatever one feels good for you.
🖨️ Just print it out, cut and paste your images or write in your goals. Easy!
✨ Perfect if you want a clean, no-fuss layout to bring your vision to life or if you’re struggling to get started.
👉 Click here to get your free moon vision board template
👉 Click here to get your free portrait flowers vision board template
👉 Click here to get your free poloroid mini vision board kit printable
👉 Click here to check out all of the free printables available
Making a vision board can be grounding, motivating and even healing. It connects you to your goals and helps you stay aligned even through all of life’s distractions. Whether you get hands on with scissors or swipe through digital images, it’s the intention behind your board that brings it to life.
If you’re ready to create your own, why not try both styles and see which one resonates more?
Let me know: What’s one thing you’re definitely adding to your vision board this year?
