Maybe vision boards haven’t helped you in the past, or you’ve always assumed they’re just not your thing. That’s okay! Research shows there’s a reason to doubt vision boards.

In the eyes of science, envisioning the results of your success versus your methods to become successful are two different things. Researchers from University of California tested three groups of freshmen students about 5–7 days prior to a midterm examination. One group visualized having good grades, while another group visualized having good study habits. (The third group self-monitored as normal for a control group.)

The group that visualized having good grades had a higher risk of failure than the group that visualized good study habits. As it turns out, envisioning the process toward success can enhance your ability to perform.

So, instead of making your vision board about your goals (e.g., a dream house or car), why not create a vision board to celebrate your process? This could mean including pictures of you and your colleagues to remind you of your passion for networking or visualizing different aspects of the work you enjoy most.

We can get caught up in the things we dread about work, but a vision board focused on our process and not our end-goals may help us focus energy on the positives rather than the negatives!

If you’re an AFEUSA member, it’s even easier to put together your vision board with our partner, Office Max/Office Depot! As a member, you can get exclusive savings up to 80% off on 83,000 products. Join AFEUSA today and visualize a new path toward success!