I’m a big fan of visualization techniques. If used right, they can be really powerful. There’s a lot of research on how they affect the brain and how they can help us achieve our goals. In short – seeing is believing. Visualization works because the neurons in our brain interpret imagery like real-life action. It’s like a constant training and preparation for our minds.
A lot of self-development experts and coaches tell you to always mentally visualize your goals and the processess leading up to it. Even better?
Step out of the mental zone, and create an actual board of your goals.
While there are many possibilities from a dream wall to a simple cardboard, I like to use Pinterest.
If we have fashion inspiration, home inspiration, and travel inspiration board, why not set up one for your goals?
+ What to pin on it? It’s completely up to you. Cities you would like to live in. The home you’re dreaming about. Motivational quotes. Inspiring career paths. Businesses you would like to work with/at. Next year’s dream vacation. The one thing you’re saving for. Activities you would like to try. A tutorial you would like to learn. However small or grand, if it’s important to you, it has a place.
+ Leave enough time. While it seems like an easy and silly thing (you’re just pinning pictures, right?), it’s actually a difficult mental thought process. Leave enough time, really do some soul-searching.
+ Work with a realistic time frame. It can be your 1 year/5 year/seasonal goal plan – it’s important to set a deadline, otherwise it remains in the dream/bucketlist category. Remember – “a goal is a dream with a deadline”
+ Be very selective and specific. Limit your categories and limit your pins. You can also work backwards. Pin a lot when you start and then ask yourself, is this really what I want? Then reduce to the absolute essentials.
+ Don’t pin too many stuff. This is not the kind of board with a 1,000 pins. Limit it to the absolute best, the ones you feel the strongest about.
+ Make it private. Or, whatever you’d like, but I prefer it private. This board is about you and your life only, after all.
+ Don’t forget it. Revisit if often. Start your week or day with it, whichever works for you. But it can only work as a constant reminder, not a one-time project.
+ Setting priorities. The selection process itself helps you zone in on your priorities. The basic tenet of minimalism and intentional living is to find the things most important to you and focus on those, and those only. But it’s sometimes easier said than done. Decluttering your desk is one thing – finding out what makes you truly happy is often more difficult. Visualisation can help, because when you see a picture you get an instant, almost instinctual reply from your brain.
+ Awesome motivation. Once a goal is tangible, we are more likely to see it in realistic, achievable terms. This can also boost our motivation as well as concentration. When you don’t know why you’re up late at night working on your side hustle, when everything comes together in the office, when you’d rather spend an hour in front of Netflix then in the gym, or when you’re about to spend some money on some meaningless stuff for an instant mood lift, because the home you’re saving for seems too distant – take a look at you Goals board.
+ Focus. Seeing your goals in one clear layout helps you develop lazer-like focus on the things you really should be doing.
+ Boosting your mood. Whenever I’m down or feel like I seriously lack the energy or the motivation to do anything remotely purposeful, I quickly take a glance at my Goals board. 9 out of 10 times, it will get me back on track (yes, there are those days when nothing helps. It’s okay.)
What do you think about this visualization technique? How do you set your goals?
