Looking to find your motivation? A vision board is an essential growth tool for anyone looking to be more intentional in life. Creating one can be fun and pretty straightforward, especially when it comes to adding images, postcards, stickers, and ribbons.
However, finding vision board quotes with the right message to inspire change can be a bit overwhelming, considering there are tons of those available.
Fortunately, you’re reading this.
If you’re serious about bringing positive change in your life, these inspirational quotes can help nudge you in the direction of your goals.
Still have reservations about vision boards? Let’s quickly clear that up before delving into the inspirational quotes you can add to your board.
Do Vision Boards Work?
Vision boards work! And the science behind them isn’t difficult to understand. The brain has a way of filtering out unnecessary things from the multitude of information it is exposed to. Science calls this process “value tagging,” which is a part of selective attention.
Think of a time when you conversed with a friend in a noisy, crowded place and heard everything they said despite the rowdiness. You were able to focus your attention on what your friend was saying while blocking the background noise.
That’s exactly what vision boards do.
By creating a special board that displays what you want, your brain zooms in on the information and ignores other things as unimportant background noise.
But that’s not all.
Consistently focusing on your vision board imprints what you want onto your subconscious, priming your creative mind to quickly recognize opportunities for improvement.
It’s like deciding you want a red Chevrolet Camaro, and suddenly, you start to notice the exact car model and color all over town. Psychologists call it “attentional awakening” to what you deem valuable. Your brain is simply picking out things that match the vision in your mind.
In a 2019 study, researchers acknowledge the effectiveness of using a vision board, describing it as a tool for inspiring careers, fostering self-efficacy, and identity development.
Now that we are clear on that, here are some inspirational quotes to add to your vision board.
17 Vision Board Quotes to Inspire Change
- “To begin, begin.” – William Wordsworth
- “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life because you become what you believe.” – Oprah Winfrey
Overanalyzing won’t get you anywhere. Don’t wait to get everything right to begin. Start poorly if you must, but just begin. Remember, whatever the size of your dream, life will always deliver. Why not dream big?
- “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” – Zig Ziglar
- “Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise Hay
- “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
Never let past failures define you. Stop shooting yourself in the foot with negative thinking. Get a handle on your responses, and life will be much easier.
- “The thing that separates the best from the rest is just mindset.” – Bianca Andreescu
- “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill
- “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “What we think, we become.” – Buddha
- “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
The real work is not haphazard actions but improving your mindset. No one stands in your way except you.
- “Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.” – Wayne Dyer
- “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn
- “Live out of your imagination, not your history.” – Stephen Covey
Chase your dreams and goals, but never forget to enjoy life to the fullest every day, regardless of what you achieve or not.
- “You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed.” – Misty Copeland
- “At any given moment, you have the power to say: this is not how my story will end.” – Christine Mason Miller
- “If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.” – Michele Ruiz
Success is not determined by when you start or who you are. Never let naysayers dictate what you do or don’t do. Remember not to pay attention to your inner critic, as it can get louder than external voices.
Getting the Most Out of Inspirational Quotes
Think of the quotes on your vision board like affirmations; they are effective only when used correctly.
It is one thing to read a quote from a famous author; it is yet another to internalize the message. How exactly do you assimilate the essence of a quote beyond merely repeating it?
Here are a few tips to help you truly find motivation from the quotes on your vision board.
Read the Quotes as Often as Possible
One common mistake people make after creating a vision board is not interacting with the board. The excitement of creating a vision board, adding elements, and making it special soon fades. Before long, the board becomes a relic ― a reminder of the life they once dreamt of but never dared to create.
Finding inspirational quotes is great, but paying deliberate attention to the words on a regular basis is what transforms the quotes from mere text to action.
The aim of displaying a vision board where you can easily see it is to make conscious interaction easy. While it may not be practical (or even sensible) to read the quotes each time you walk past your vision board, create time to read them daily. When you do, slowly read them out loud or silently.
It is not necessary to read all the quotes in one go. However, whenever you do, ensure to give your undivided attention to the few you read.
Contemplate the Message in the Quotes
Ever wondered why a picture is said to be worth a thousand words? It’s because complex ideas are easily conveyed by one image. Also, the brain processes images a lot faster than text, making the visual representation of a vision board powerful.
What does that mean for vision board quotes?
You must be deliberate about imprinting these inspiring words on your mind. You can’t expect your brain to register the message in a quote by merely glancing at it. That approach may work for images but not text.
Take a few minutes daily to contemplate what the inspiring quotes say, how they apply to your goal, and the emotions they call forth within you. Depending on your mental state, you may interpret the same quote differently at different times.
The bottom line is that thinking deeply about a quote can spur you to action than merely reading it on a surface level.
Own the Quotes
How do you own the inspired words of another person? How do you connect with the essence of the message and make it yours?
First, assume you are the author of the quote, but instead of writing for others, you are your audience. This way, the message and positive words are directed at you.
Next, connect with the quote’s essence as you read it. Ask yourself if there’s something you need to do (or stop doing) to move you in the direction of your goals.
Here’s an exercise I encourage you to try when vision boarding:
- Take a few minutes every couple of days to write down one or two quotes from your vision board.
- Lightly edit the text so it speaks directly to you, not someone else.
- Read the edited quote repeatedly until you feel the connection with the words.
- Pay attention to any inner nudges you may get and act on them.
I’ve edited three quotes as examples:
- Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.
- I create the highest, grandest vision possible for my life because I become what I believe.
- I am living from my imagination, not my past.
Remember, there is no right or wrong here. What you add or remove from the quotes is entirely up to you (just make sure you don’t publish them!). The most important thing is to find the feeling place of the inspirational words so that they spur you into action and toward your personal goal.
Final Thoughts
Used correctly, vision board quotes are a powerful motivational tool for realizing a personal goal and creating a fulfilling life with positive affirmations.
You can write your own quotes if you want, as long as they inspire you. Add a good number of inspirational quotes to your vision board, but don’t overdo it. The aim is not merely to cover your board with text but to add words that bring your vision to life.
So, grab your vision board supplies or vision board kit and inspiring quotes and work on creating a visual representation you can refer to.
