While you can put images and words symbolizing your goals on a poster board, a vision book (which offers more privacy) with pages devoted to different areas of your life is also an option. Marshall adds that no matter what you create, the images should be readily accessible to look at on a daily basis. “The purpose is to have this front and center so that you’re focusing on this from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed,†she says.
To a certain degree, vision boards ignite the law of attraction by forcing you to think about your dreams, says Nicole Cutts, chief executive officer of Washington, D.C.-based success coaching firm Cutts Consulting L.L.C. “The process of gathering your thoughts to create a vision board helps you clarify your vision,†she says. “Once you’ve created the board, whenever you look at it you’ll have even more thoughts about your goals.†Why is that important? It’s harder to ignore your goals or put them on the back burner when you’re constantly thinking about and reviewing them, she explains.
Regardless of why they work, experts agree that a vision board can be a great motivational tool as long as one is willing to follow up with actions toward his or her goals. For example, Winfrey didn’t rely solely on her vision board; she actively campaigned for President Obama, as well. Thus, you also have to take the necessary steps to bring the image–your dream–to fruition.
“Vision boards allow people to move with intention closer to what it is that they are yearning to have in their life,†says Marshall. “They remind you why you get up in the morning.”
This article originally appeared in the August 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.