Written by: Mandy Nicholson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Vision boards are more than just pretty pictures. If you have created vision boards in the past and they have just formed part of the décor instead of delivering your dreams, it’s not your fault. You have probably been swept away by the constant white noise of people claiming to know the secret to creating them. You have followed their instructions, and nothing has changed.
If you are ready to step outside your comfort zone and into the realm of dreams and passion, then here are my top tips on creating vision boards that work.
1. Remove the glass ceiling.
Give yourself the permission to think big and create a vision which pushes you beyond what you currently think you are capable of in your business. What does success look like to you five years from now? What keeps you awake at night and fills you with excitement? What are people saying about you? What does it feel like when you walk on stage to accept your award or deliver your keynote speech as an expert in your field? Think bigger than you ever have and then find images (or create them yourself) of the material possessions and people that bring that vision into focus.
2. Create a mind map of the ‘how’.
This important stage requires entrepreneurial creativity. When I do this exercise, I use a 4-foot piece of lining paper and a pack of sharpies to map my income streams and how they connect. Where does your customer enter your world, what is their journey and how much value does this have? Question every income stream, e.g., how many books do I want to sell? What is the revenue value of that? Where and how will I sell this volume? Map it and get your numbers on it and calculate the potential turnover of everything on the plan.
3. Create your annual events plan.
Now you can see your vision on a mind map, and you have challenged yourself to ask how you are ready to plan your promotions and events to support the map. Choose a year to view the planner and look at each month. Use internationally and locally recognised events to weave into your plans e.g., Black Friday, Christmas, Valentine's, International women’s Day, etc. Know exactly what you will be doing in your business every month of the year and what methods you will be using for your marketing.
4. Set your quarterly goals.
Now you can get into the nitty gritty of action. What goals will you set that will link directly with your vision and map? What can you achieve in the first quarter? Push yourself to get behind the inspired action to deliver that big vision. Set no more than three quality goals in each of these areas: love (self, romantic, friends & relationships), health (physical and mental), wealth (business, job, investments) and self-expression (your passions, hobbies, your voice). Focusing on these four areas will bring balance and they all directly impact your happiness, productivity, and performance.
5. Break your quarterly goals down into monthly and weekly tasks.
Now you are ready to create monthly and weekly plans based on all the above. The process of working from your big vision, to mapping it, to planning it is such a strong one that your actions will be solid. Robust action to take you to step by step towards your big vision will motivate you daily.
Information overload can leave us unable to see the wood for the trees. It is the process and the plans we create that hold the power. Dreaming big and setting quality goals with true intent that are based on a solid strategic process, just works. I am living proof of that because I have manifested the life and business of my dreams. You can too.
Mandy Nicholson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mandy Nicholson, is a Creative Genius Consultant, Artist and Author who helps creative women to launch, grow and scale their businesses and make more money. Like a huge % of creative women, Mandy ended up in a 'proper job' after she completed her BA in Art and Design, and spent decades forging a successful career in retail. It was only after a life-altering series of unfortunate events, which saw her end up at rock bottom, that the pull of creativity called her to launch her creative business in 2019. Mandy now has multiple income streams connecting her creative business, serving and educating women. Her mission: Painting the future for creative business, one woman at a time.
