Last year I changed the way I documented my goals and I am pleasantly surprised at how well I stayed on task towards achieving them. What did I do differently? I created a “vision” board or rather a “visual board” as opposed to writing down the list of my goals. I then placed a picture of the final product on the home screen of my computer and throughout the year, I look at it and would gauge if I was on track.
WHAT IS A VISUAL BOARD?
You may have heard about vision boards from Oprah, or the movie/book, The Secret. "A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life." (1) I create my visual board using a cross between a traditional vision boards along with the techniques I learned in marketing management when creating a new brand called an “inspiration” board. In the latter, essentially the same techniques of aggregating pictures are used to create the “feeling” of the brand in development. Think of it as a photo collage of your goals.
WHY VISUAL?
"Research has shown that we remember visual images much easier and better than words. Using imagery can make learning more fun and interesting." (2)
For me, a glance at my vision board reminds of what I am trying to achieve as opposed to reading a list. From our smart phones to computers, daily communication is becoming much more dependent on pictures.
GOALS TO INCLUDE
As I mentioned before, I rely on principles that are used in branding a business crossed with the steps used to create a personal vision board.
-Short Term
I primarily accumulate pictures that represent my “short term” goals. A prime example is last year we decided to buy another horse, as we were currently leasing AND I committed that I would focus exclusively on hunters. Additionally, I have a habit of getting ahead of the motion over a jump, thus I included a picture of Lillie Kennan that represents beautiful balanced equitation. Finally, running has been a large part of my life and I wanted to stay focused on using this as my aerobic cross- training activity. Below are a few of the pictures from my 2015 board:
-Big Hairy Audacious Goals
I also include a BHAG…a BIG HAIRY AUDAICIOS GOAL. Used in the business world, a BHAG is a “strategic business statement similar to a vision statement which is created to focus an organization on a single medium-long term organization-wide goal which is audacious, likely to be externally questionable, but not internally regarded as impossible.”(3) As an example, my horse is more on the green side and recently my mental riding game has had some struggles. We also currently live at least 300 miles from larger hunter/jumper shows. My BHAG is to place in the top 5 of a USHJA National Hunter Derby at an A rated event. Remember, this is YOUR BHAG, not that of someone else!
STEPS TO CREATING YOUR BOARD
I use Microsoft PowerPoint to create the board on my computer. There are also apps available or you can even use Pinterest. For those of you that like to touch and feel, poster board or corkboard, tape, glue, and/or pins are just as effective.
- Create a positive and relaxed environment to work in...listen to your favorite music, light a candle, etc.
- Get inspired! Search Pinterest and Google Images and peruse through equestrian sport magazines like the Plaid Horse and Chronicle of the Horse.
- Objectives: Locate pictures that depict your goals. Ex. If you want to qualify for the Ariat finals, you might include a picture from the Capital Challenge.
- When you are finished, place the board somewhere you can see it. Consistent visual reminders of your goals help to keep you on track.
REVIEW
At the end of the year it is important to review your board, especially as you create one for the following year. I noticed that glancing regularly at my goals kept me focused and therefore I was able to achieve many of them, although there are a few that are still a work in progress. Here is my favorite picture that is now reality as of June 2015....
(1) http://makeavisionboard.com/what-is-a-vision-board/