The visual thinker’s guide to creating your dream goals & the system to make them a reality.

As we enter the new year, it's tempting to make a list of ambitious goals. 

But how do we make them stick? 

The answer might lie in the simplicity of visualization.  

 

The race is won in the mind before the feet ever hit the ground. 

In another life, before kids, my husband and I were competitive ultra-marathon runners.

I wasn’t always a runner. My journey from casual running to competitive ultra-racing was more than physical; it was a mental transformation, rooted in visualization.

In preparation for a race, my husband and I would visualize how the race would go.

We imagined ourselves standing on the startline and anticipated how our bodies would feel once the race got going. On training runs we practiced the internal dialogue we wanted to have during the race.

Most importantly, we pictured how it would feel to cross the finish line.

 

 

Visualization helped prepare us for our greatest potential.

When it came to race day, we knew what to expect and what we had to do, we’d already done it a hundred times in training. 

A vision board works the same way.

By visualizing yourself achieving your goals you prepare your body and mind to live your dream life, manifesting it into reality through the choices and actions you take. 

 

Creating your vision board. 

As the new year approaches it’s natural to reflect on the year and refocus your goals on the upcoming season. 

A vision board is the first step in making your dream future a reality.

As you go through your year, your vision board acts as a guide and a reminder on your journey. 

Here’s my vision board for 2024:
 

 

Each image represents an aspect of the life I want and the steps I’ll take to get there.

1. Financial  - Continue to save a minimum of 10% of everything we earn for our dream home.
   
   
2. Family & Community - Organize and host at least 3 large family/friends gatherings next year.
   
   
3. Career - Connect with and learn from our customers & launch a *new* product.
   
   
4. Travel - Book flights to Hawaii!
   
   
5. Health - Create a habit of 3x a week Pilates, yoga or strength training (during O’s nap times).
   
   
6. Personal Growth - Train and complete 1 local or international mountain trail race.
   
   
7. Relationship - I will commit to choosing my relationship with my partner and kids over any external expectations (if it doesn’t strengthen my relationship with my family, it’s not worth worrying about).
   
   
8. Wellness - Continue 20 mins a week of decluttering our space (less things to tidy = happier mama)
   
   
9. Creative Inspiration - Take more photos of life in action (action shots from trips to Sombrio & Hawaii - surf/hike/life photography). 

 

How I create my vision board: 

1. Project - I journal my thoughts about what I want from the year in a Google doc. I project forward and imagine what I want my life to be like at the end of the year. I write everything from manifestations, financial goals, family planning, to vibe and feel for the year. Through the journaling process themes start to emerge. Some questions I like to ask: What went well this year? How do I want to feel? What brought me joy?
   
   
2. Choose - I chose one goal or intention for each category and reflect on why it’s important to me: 1) Financial 2) Family & Community 3) Career 4) Travel 5) Health 6) Personal Growth 7) Relationship 8) Wellness 9) Creative Inspiration
   
   
3. Visualize - I love Pinterest to find photos that embody these goals. I search keywords and pin anything that jumps out to me, then I go back and choose images that resonate most. Then I place the photos in a grid – I use this free grid app.
   
   
4. Manifest - I get specific on what each photo means to me. I write 1 line about each one in a note on my phone (Google doc or a journal work well too). Something simple but specific – an action or intention that I can live towards.
   
   
5. Remind - I set my vision board as my home screen on my phone for the year. Anytime I make an important decision or feel stuck, I ask what aligns with my vision for the year. It's always there to remind me.
   
   
6. Theme - I reflect on my board and I pull out ONE word that encompasses a theme for the year. In 2023 my word was DESIGN (we were creating our first product and launching our business). This year is GRATEFUL.

 

Remember these are aspirations – make them big, you may surprise yourself, and during your reflection next year you'll see how much you’ve grown!

 

With gratitude, 
Steph  

Co-founder,
Good Memories Co.

 

PS - Check back for part two – learn how building small habits in your daily routine helps your goals stick.