Two weeks ago I called a friend and said, “Saturday I'm going to make my annual vision board; want to come over and join again?”
“Yes!” she said enthusiastically. “It's my favorite day of the year.”
“Really? Why is that?” I asked.
“Because they work!” she said, without skipping a beat. “When I look at my boards from the last two years and the themes they represent, those are the areas where the best developments happened!”
Believe it or not, it turns out that today is “Make Your Dreams Come True” Day (yes, really — thanks, timeanddate.com).
While it’s not a federal holiday, it might be the perfect nudge to pause and ask: What ARE your dreams?
Whether they’re about career, relationships, health, money, spirituality, or anything in between — dreams are what give our lives direction. But they don’t manifest through wishful thinking.
As the saying goes: “Hope is not a strategy.”
Here’s how to get what you want.
Step One: Decide What You Want
From time to time, it’s okay to feel like you don’t know what you want, and it’s important to reevaluate your goals and priorities now and then.
Remember – a vision board doesn’t have to represent what you want for the rest of your life. Maybe it’s just for the next season. What (or who) would bring you joy, purpose and fulfillment?
The key is that if you’re at a point where you’re not sure what you want in some area or others, don’t just default to autopilot day in and day out.
Do some soul searching, and if nothing else, I’ll bet you CAN identify things you definitely do NOT want. Write those down. Then extrapolate and figure out what the opposite would be.
For instance – if you know you don’t want to be lonely anymore, consider different manifestations of what “love and belonging” might look like. Maybe it’s a romantic partner, but alternatively, it could mean being a member of a larger community, e.g:
- A tighter core friend group
- A hobby group
- A sports team
- A church/temple/mosque/other religious community
- A volunteer organization
It just needs to fulfil your definition, not someone else’s.
Vision Boards: Woo-Woo or Winner’s Strategy?
Let’s get one thing straight: I’m a Jersey Italian. We don’t do “woo-woo.”
Vision boards are exactly what they sound like: a visual representation of your goals and dreams.
Some people go digital and find online templates to make their posters, but I prefer to go “old school”: digging through magazines, cutting images, words, and symbols that capture what I want to bring into my life. Then I arrange them onto a board, and place it next to my desk where I’ll see it regularly.
This year my 9-year-old wanted to get in on the action so he made one with me. FYI, it has a lot of pictures of dogs, pizza, Spiderman, the beach, and sloths… And a lot of glue. (A LOT.)
Yes, it may sound like a kindergarten arts and craft night — but it’s also a mindset and motivation tool used by some of the world’s most successful leaders.
Consider these high-achievers who swear by vision boards:
- Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul, famously used a vision board to manifest a $100,000 check — and credits visioning as a cornerstone of his success practices.
- Oprah Winfrey has long spoken about creating her own vision boards over the years as a tool for clarifying her intentions and making her goals visible, both for career and personal aspirations.
- Jim Carrey famously tells the story of how he once wrote himself a check for $10 million for “acting services rendered,” post-dated it five years into the future, and kept it in his wallet. Five years later, he received that exact amount for Dumb and Dumber.
- Richard Branson has talked about visualizing success vividly before pursuing his bold ventures — and encourages others to do the same.
It’s not magic. It’s psychology.
The Neuroscience Behind Visioning
Here’s why vision boards work — and it has nothing to do with the universe rearranging itself for your benefit.
- Reticular Activating System (RAS) – This is your brain’s filter for information. When you create a clear picture of your goals, your RAS starts tuning your awareness to opportunities that support those goals. Ever buy a car car and suddenly see that same model everywhere? Same mechanism.
- Mirror Neurons – Vision boards help you simulate success by picturing yourself already living that dream life. This activates neural pathways that increase motivation and confidence, making it easier to take aligned action.
- Cognitive Dissonance – When your current reality doesn’t match your visualized future, your brain gets uncomfortable — and starts nudging you to close the gap. That “gap tension” can actually be a powerful catalyst for change.
- Behavioral Priming – Regular exposure to your vision board primes your subconscious with cues that subtly influence your behavior, helping you make daily decisions aligned with your larger goals.
But Wait — Don’t Skip This Part
Vision boards are only as powerful as the clarity behind them.
This isn’t just about cutting out pictures of beach houses and Lamborghinis. It’s about connecting to why those images matter. What do they represent? Freedom? Security? Adventure? Recognition?
The clearer the emotional anchor, the more motivated you’ll be to take action — not just admire the board.
From Vision to Reality: Let’s Chart the Path Forward
Creating a vision board is powerful — but it’s just the first step.
It also helps you get clear on the skills you need to grow into the person you’ll need to be to reach that future.
The person who can communicate with confidence and impact.
The leader with the strategic insight to navigate tough conversations, build trust, and lead with presence.
That kind of growth takes work and it’s rarely easy, especially if you’re trying to do it alone.
If you’re ready to go from dreaming to doing, let’s talk.
Coaching provides not just the tools and skills, but the accountability, strategy, and support you need to build real momentum — so that vision you see becomes your new reality.
Why wait for “someday” when you can take purposeful action today?
Final Thought:
Let's use “Make Your Dreams Come True” Day as the spark to start shaping your future. Make the board. Name the dream. Anchor it with intention. Then get moving.
Because you’re not just creating a vision board — you’re building a life on purpose.
