The Power of a Vision Board

As we’ve looked at in previous blogs, there are many things you can do to help improve your employee engagement level. Working to help develop your career is one of them, and creating a vision board will certainly help keep you focused on where you want your career to go.

A vision board is a large presentation board that includes cut outs of pictures, words or key phrases from magazines, newspapers or any form of paper to capture something you hope to achieve.

So why not create a vision board to help you live your career? Your boss holds you up to goals they want you to achieve throughout a year, so give yourself the same courtesy and figure out what it is you are working toward.

We know that you are probably exhausted after a hard day at work, and that you want to spend time with your family and friends, or just have a few moments to sit on the sofa and relax and unwind, but why not give yourself some time, no more than an hour or so, to visualise and think about where you want to go in your career and what would define achievement in it?

Pull together a range of magazines, newspapers and favourite websites, and get started. Here are a few things to consider as you flip through the pages of print publications or scan the pages of some of your favourite online sites:

What place offers you a chance to build on your dreams?

Cut out an image that best represents and symbolises that location. For example, let’s say you want to start a business or work for an organisation in London, cut out a picture of a recognisable land mark there i.e. Big Ben.

Do you want to work for a specific company?

Feel like you would have a better chance to see your ideas flourish within a certain company? Look for their logo and print out a copy and paste it to your board.

Do you want to change careers?

Look for an image or word that illustrates the area you would like to pursue. Perhaps you want to become a nurse or a police officer –  try to find some symbol that best captures the career you are dreaming about.

Do you picture working in a certain style of workplace?

Are you working to be a top notch lawyer? Find a picture of a person in a suit in a courtroom or in a solicitor’s office. Do you dream of starting your own website and want a laid back atmosphere? Find a picture of a person in jeans surrounded by computers.

Are there a few words that can inspire you?

Research inspirational and motivational quotes. For example, maybe Buddha’s wise words will give you the right motivation, he says “Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” Or, maybe Harding Lawrence’s quote is more moving to you: “Don’t set compensation as a goal. Find work you like and the compensation will follow.”

The vision board should capture the things you want in your life or career. What images represent your dreams? What words inspire you to move forward? It doesn’t matter what you put on the board, as long as you remember each aspects’ intention.

Finally, it’s important to understand that things may not happen overnight, but by placing the vision board in a location that you see frequently, it can serve as a constant reminder of what you are working toward. It may surprise you when you look back a year later as you may have achieved more than you thought.

If you would like more information on how to improve employee engagement levels in your organisation, then contact us on +44 (0) 1255 850051.