So, you’ve created your Vision Board and it has this year’s goals or your five-year plan on it and now it’s time to make some changes. Maybe you’ve already met a goal or two, or maybe your goals have changed. And now, you want to know how do you update your vision board. Or the question might even be why should you update your vision board?
If you came here looking to create a vision board, then I suggest reading What Is the Purpose of a Vision Board and Create a Portable Vision Board first. This post is a follow-up to those previous posts.
If you already have a vision board, there are a couple of reasons why you might want to update or change your vision board.
You Achieved Your Goal
Congratulations! You’ve achieved your goal. Now, what do you do? There are two different ways you can go. Both are permanent, one acknowledges that you met your goal, the other one moves you on to the next goal.
One is to use a permanent marker and check it off. Yes, that’s right. Just check it off. You might just feel better seeing that you’ve accomplished something. Go ahead and check off that item on your vision board.
This option will work best for a Visual learner. If that gives you satisfaction, seeing that you’ve accomplished something, then, by all means, check it off on your vision board. For a Kinesthetic learner, someone who likes action, the action of checking something off your to-do list will have an impact on you.
I recommend a darker permanent marker like these chisel-tip Sharpies. Because the tip will create a wider mark, it makes it easier to see that you’ve checked it off.
The second option is for those who like to move on to the next goal. If this is you, then you are the type of person who needs to see the next goal. So, it’s time to update your vision board. You can do that by finding a new picture to represent your new goal and gluing that into place.
Sometimes, your original pictures might be loose enough that you can remove the old ones first. Or you can just glue a new picture over the top of it. Works great if the pictures are the same size, but not so great if the new picture is smaller.
This is an easy fix. You can cover up the old picture first with some construction paper or old wrapping paper. Or use glitter markers to cover over the part of the old picture that will be showing or even some Washi Tape or Duct Tape. Yes, Duct Tape comes in fancy styles now.
The Washi or Duct tape becomes a frame for your new picture. Or, if you don’t have a new picture, but want to write a new goal, you’ll be able to do that right on the tape or construction paper with a permanent marker.
Your Goals Have Changed
Sometimes that happens. Maybe you had goals lined up for getting promoted at work. Then either the company closed or you left the company to pursue a different career. Or better yet, you’ve gotten that new promotion and now have something new to focus on. All of which means, your goals don’t line up with your vision board anymore.
Or you’ve decided you’re going to add in some new ones. You might even realize that you didn’t set the right goals, so you need to change some things. In this case, checking goals off that you didn’t meet or goals that aren’t appropriate right now isn’t the right way to go. It might make you feel like you’re cheating, which in turn can lead you away from using the vision board.
Better to change them out. And if enough of them need to be changed, it might be time to remake the vision board. No worries. You’ve done it once, you’ll be able to do it again.
If you’re going to remake your vision board, you have choices. You can either start over from scratch with a new portable vision board using the Moleskine Japanese Album.
Or if you want to wait until the new year to start a new Vision Board then you can try redoing it by adding in some new pictures like above. With a lot of changes, though, it might get sloppy. Another option would be to make a vision board on some cardboard. For those of you using the Portable Vision Board that we previously completed it will mean it won’t be portable anymore. But you would still be able to see your new goals every day.
And then there are those who might decide to make no changes and just wait until the end of the year. And that’s ok, too. Although, if most of your goals have completely changed because of a new job, or a move, etc. then I highly recommend making a change.
Personally, I’m in the first situation. Some of my goals have changed and some have already been met sooner than planned. Not enough to need a new vision board, but enough to make some changes in order to keep it current. What about you? Do you need to update your portable vision board?
My problem Jennifer is that I love to achieve my goals but I would also like to see that achievement on my vision board. It might get pretty crowded LOL:) Seriously though I love the idea of vision boards to keep you motivated. I also love that you mention that goals might change. We shouldn’t feel like we have failed because we have changed our plans or life has changed it for us.
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
I think checking off what you achieved will actually help. Think of that nice big check mark over the goal you accomplished.
Ooh yes I like that idea!
I’ve never got into vision boards but have a journal type system which probably does the same thing for me. Great description and ideas.
I think as long as you’re looking at it regularly, then it does the same thing. I was just reading g about someone who uses two journals for his goals. One is the long term goals and the other he tracks what he is doing each month that to get there.
I’ve never been so much of a vision board person—but give me a list and I’m all over it! Especially when I can throw it out when things are done!!!
Jodie
I love a to-do list too, but usually, that’s my daily or even weekly list of things to do. My vision board is about the bigger goals. It’s from my bigger goals that the to-do list is born. So I’m guessing somewhere, you have an idea of what your bigger goals are and your list is helping you to get there.
What a good idea! I hadn’t thought about updating my vision board. Thinking thinking thinking…
Glad you like the idea.
I havent even tried making a vision board yet!
If you’re a visual person it’s a great way to see your goals and keep you on track to them.
I LOVE keeping a vision board! I have one on an app in my phone and one in my bedroom!
A kindred spirit!
I LOVE vision boards! i may have to think about making mine more specific because my goals are all lifelong ones. It might be good to have another one with goals that can be checked off as they are accomplished.
I have layers…..lifetime, 5-year, 3-year and 1-year all in one. Let’s face it, if you’re 1 to 5-year goals don’t put you in the direction of your lifetime goals, then you’re going to go off the path.
Good tips. I’ve never done a vision board. I do love the satisfaction of seeing a ‘to do’ physically ticked off though.
Great Ideas I am a male and these things do work. You have to retrain your mind and your self so you can reach each of your goals seeing them daily helps with that.
I’ve always just created a new one when I felt the old was “done” – either accomplished or I’ve shifted my thinking. Of course, most of my vision boards are shorter term – 1-2 years or a visual of “how I want to live my life now”. Less concrete than things to check off. Interesting approach though!
I’ve never really grasped the Vision Board concept Jennifer – I’ve made one (and had fun in the process) but I don’t think I’m a visual enough person for it to inspire me. I find a list just as satisfying to tick off. I guess we all have different things that engage us and we get to share those on our blogs – win/win!
Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM 🙂
Some people like to see their goals, some people like to say their goals, and some people like to think about their goals. I’m a visual and kinesthetic learner, which means I learn by doing. So creating a Vision Board helps me with the kinesthetic side and then seeing it every day helps with the visual side.
So strange… I was sure I commented on this blog post earlier in the week. revisiting from #MLSTL. It’s an interesting idea to “update” a vision board. I tend to re-create … if I feel the board has been achieved, needs refreshing, or just I’ve decided to refine my vision. My vision board tends to be shorter term and more conceptual versus check-box – a “how do I want to live my life” concept. I love check-lists and tracking lists to get the feeling of accomplishment, but my vision board is more “fuzzy”.
A conceptual vision board is ok too! I love that you go for how you want to feel.
I made one of my vision boards online at my blog and it has a big 2018 on it. Your helpful post has motivated me to work on a new one. I’m a first time visitor to your blog Jennifer, and glad I did. Visiting you at MLSTL. Will pin this post.
I’m glad you did stop by! 2019 is half over, definitely time to update that Vision Board.
Hi Jennifer, we read so often about setting up a Vision Board but you have taken it to the next step – updating. I love ticking off what I’ve achieved but I also agree that sometimes our goals change or are no longer relevant. Explaining that we can update our Vision Board is a great way to show people that we aren’t locked into something and a good way to see our progress. Thanks for sharing at #MLSTL and enjoy the rest of your week. x
Thanks for stopping by, Sue. We always get stuck in there only being one way to do something and then we get mired down in having something that’s not relevant anymore. Since our goals change and a Vision Board is a visual representation of our goals, why not update the board to match where you are right now?
I haven’t created a vision board, Jennifer, but this post did remind me that it’s okay to change your goals. As you change and grow, the things that are important to you are likely to change as well. I do like checking things off my to-do list, so I can see the benefit of including that aspect in a vision board. #MLSTL
I’ve seen Vision Boards that are just lists of goals. And one year, I even took my Vision Board and created a second, smaller board that was a list of my goals in different categories. I used that as the list to check off.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for this – I need to read the other posts you’ve done on vision boards and will do that tomorrow when I’m back at my desk. It is a brilliant concept and I believe in the power of vision boards 100% – all the ‘New Thought’ authors of the early 1900s spoke passionately about holding the vision of what your want, steadfastly in your mind and I am a huge fan of those writers. See you Monday when I will jump into your other posts on this.
As an artist, you’re such a visual person. A Vision Board (and some people even paint theirs) would be a great way for you to see your goals. For me, it’s the practical aspect of a Vision Board that I like. Seeing your goals on a daily basis helps you to keep your goals in mind and keeps you going along the right path.
I started a vision board and then got distracted. This is motivating me to finish it up.
Funny how Instagram has become my vision board. I save pictures I love — beautiful interiors, fit bodies, lovely sayings. I feel that’s my unconscious’s way of speaking to me of what I really want.
What a great reminder….Goals change, but sometimes we don’t want to acknowledge that, because that may mean to us some form of failure. It’s important to remember to be kind to ourselves, and flexible because our circumstances change who we are from day to day. That is if we are doing life right.
I never made a vision board but I did set some goals for this year and not sure I’m achieving them now but that’s okay. However one of my goals was to slow down. So guess this quarantine is helping me to do that!
I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. Using vision boards helps me to realize my goals.