Vision Boards Actually Work!

Hello, Visual Communicators! 👋

Welcome to the January issue of Learn Visual Communication, your first-Tuesday-of-the-month reminder that visual communication is a real advantage in every profession, and a skill you can absolutely learn.

In this issue:

🧘 Mindful Design: A science-backed path to success in 2026.
💡 Insight: A genius idea
🪴 Life Unfiltered: Find your Can of Sweet Corn

Let’s dive in!

🧘 Mindful Design

Vision Boards Actually Work!

I didn’t expect this, but did you know that vision boards actually work?

Vision boards, often described as collages of images and words meant to “make your dreams come true”, are often associated with wishful thinking.

It turns out they’re science-backed visual thinking tools, and far more practical than they look.

A Frivolous Reputation.

Vision boards, while somewhat popular, have long been dismissed as unscientific and not to be taken seriously. But when used intentionally, they’re doing something very real in your brain.

Why They Work.

Your brain filters reality.
Every second, your brain is flooded with more information than it can possibly process.
So it uses a built-in filter called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) to decide what actually gets your attention.

You’ve experienced this before.

You think about buying a red car, and suddenly you see red cars everywhere.
You learn a new word, and it starts appearing in articles, podcasts, and conversations. You define your ideal client, and potential fits become easy to spot.

Those things weren’t new.
They were just invisible, until your brain was told they mattered.

Once directed, your RAS starts tagging:

• relevant ideas

• aligned opportunities

• useful resources

• subtle cues you would have skimmed past before

Not magically.
Practically.

Other reasons vision boards actually work:

Visualization reduces friction.
Imagining an experience activates many of the same neural pathways as doing it.
This creates emotional familiarity and lowers fear.

Alignment boosts follow-through.
When your goals reflect your values (not external expectations), motivation increases. This concept, called self-concordance, is strongly linked to persistence and well-being.

Repetition builds belief.
Seeing your intentions repeatedly over time helps your subconscious treat them as realistic and achievable.

Vision boards don’t change reality.
They change what we notice, and that changes what we do.
That, my friends, helps us realize our dreams.

Have you ever made a vision board, or thought they were just wishful thinking?
Hit reply. I read and respond to every message.

References

• Clark, J. M. & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, 3(3), 149-170.

• Paivio, A. (1971). Imagery and Verbal Processes. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

• Paivio, A. (1986). Mental Representations. New York: Oxford University Press.

• Baars, B. J. (1988). A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness. Cambridge University Press.