Ferrari in one hand, Tuscan-dream-home in the other. Glue.
To me, the craft of vision board making was always more of an I-Spy game: scanning for the flashiest images, building a bold, blingy tapestry of magazine cutouts and calling it a day. My boards then found a home high up on my bedroom wall: observed all year, never reached.
Last week my sorority hosted a vision board making sisterhood where girls from all years, majors and life experiences had gathered at our tables to produce their idea of what a perfect 2026 would look like. As I meandered through – no doubt scanning for a closeup of a private jet – a conversation between some of the older girls stood out to me. Their entire concept of a vision board differed from mine, and knowing well how many of them radiate confidence and kindness like it’s their 9-5, my vision board adapted some much needed, older-sister-approved advice…
1. My Vision Board Forgot Newton’s First Law (things at rest, stay at rest!)
A goal itself is a living, changing entity. Our plans for the year on January 1st have probably updated even by the time summer rolls around, let alone December. For this reason, my vision board focuses on broad areas of my life I want to see improvement on during the year (self-care, academics, fashion, etc.) while I also create an accompanying list of goals and to-dos that can be updated whenever I feel like it. These include specifics like finishing a certain book in the next couple weeks or hitting a step goal. That way, I can see myself in motion – not just staring at the destination. I keep my list pretty attainable as well (who doesn’t love the feeling of checking a box!) so that I know I’m staying on track for bigger goals even just a month into the year.
2. My Vision Board Was Actually Timothee Chalamet’s
I think social media has done its fair share of damage to our sense of what happiness looks like. In past years, my vision board hasn’t even aligned with the person that I am – at times the flashy accolades and mansions could have landed me an internship as a movie star’s personal vision board maker instead. The issue was that my vision boards felt distant from the version of me on January 1st, making the entire board feel unattainable from the start. This year, I actually added pictures of myself or related to goals that I was already in the process of completing to make it feel like the vision board was just the natural next steps instead of an impossible leap.
3. My Vision Board Required a Deus Ex Machina
Unconsciously, in previous years my vision board seemed to rely on some external happenings (acceptances, people, opportunities) for me to accomplish it – in other words, my goals were out of my control so I might as well sit back and wait. To create an idea of autonomy and power over my year, I tried to choose several solo pictures and those that focused more on the process than the outcome itself. For example, if I wanted to get into a dream school, last year I might have included a photo of an acceptance letter, while this year I would display the idea of working hard on the application itself.
4. My vision board thought it owned a crystal ball
While the idea of specificity on your vision boards has been proven to help achieve goals better, I find it to be a little allergic to the unpredictable magic of life. My previous vision boards tried to foretell my year somehow, from day-to-day routines to emotions. Keeping it a little vaguer this year has actually helped remind me to keep an open mind and not feel discouraged if an initial plan doesn’t execute the way I had hoped. This way, the vision board allows for trust rather than certainty- something no board can offer. Along with this idea, I tried to incorporate more emotionally resonating images; people I can turn to, self-affirming rituals I can fall back on, or tried and trusted activities I know can bring me joy no matter where I am in life.
5. My Vision Board Wasn’t On Chinese Astrology-Tok
If you’ve been scrolling through the new year, chances are you’ve found yourself reflecting on the inevitably difficult year of the snake that was 2025, but pleasantly surprised that this year’s animal – a horse – signals that 2026 will be characterized by diligence, creativity and forward motion. So, for a little divine sprinkle this year, I decided to choose my images with symbolic intention; ideas and goals for myself that can be bolstered by this year’s themes.
I figured after my conversation with the girls that my image selection method needed a little work- I ended up choosing symbols with personal resonance rather than markers that showcased success. Now the board sits on my laptop screen, a daily nudge of the growth and small wins I’m creating.