I’ll be honest: for years, I rolled my eyes at vision boards. The idea of cutting out magazine pictures of yachts and mansions and gluing them to a poster board felt like a hollow arts-and-crafts project for adults. I thought it was just “pretty looking inspiration” and a way to daydream without actually doing any work.

It turns out, I was half right. But (most importantly) I was also wrong.

According to research from neuroscientists and psychologists, the traditional way most people make vision boards (filling them with images of a perfect, finished future) can actually hurt our chances of success. However, when you tweak the formula to match how the human brain works, these boards become powerful tools for behavior change.

Here is the science I found that changed my mind, and the three specific things your board needs to actually work.

The Trap of “Positive Fantasizing”

My skepticism was validated by research from Dr. Gabriele Oettingen. Her studies revealed a phenomenon called “positive fantasizing.” When you spend time visualizing only the perfect outcome (like holding the trophy or weighing 20 pounds less), your brain produces a relaxation response.

In one study, participants who positively fantasized about the future actually saw their systolic blood pressure drop. They didn’t get energized; they got chilled out. It seems as if their brains were “tricked” into thinking they had already achieved the goal, which drained the energy they needed to actually take action.

So, if your vision board is just a collage of “wishes,” it might be lulling you into complacency. To make it a tool for action, you need to include these three scientific elements.

1. Visualize the Struggle, Not Just the Success (Process Visualization)

The first shift is moving from “Outcome Visualization” to “Process Visualization.”

A study at UCLA tracked students studying for an exam. One group visualized getting an “A,” while the other group visualized the process of studying (rejecting distractions, turning pages, and focusing). The result? The students who visualized the process studied harder and got better grades.

How to do it: Don’t just paste a picture of a marathon finish line. Include images of running shoes by the door, a rainy morning run, or a healthy meal prep. You see, we need to prepare our brains for the work, not just the reward. Being honest, I would think that would make us less motivated to take action, but that’s not the case.

2. Add the “Obstacles” (Mental Contrasting)

I know, this one sounds weird, but your vision board needs to admit that things will go wrong. This is based on the WOOP framework (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan).

Research shows that visualizing your dream with the internal obstacles standing in your way (e.g., “I get tired after work” or “I scroll social media too much”) creates psychological tension that mobilizes energy. This is called “Mental Contrasting.”

How to do it: Somewhere on your Vision board, represent your biggest hurdle. If your goal is to save money, put a reminder of your “impulse buy” triggers. It serves as a cue to your brain that the path won’t be a straight line. I would add that putting a big red X on top of that to clearly distinguish it from the goals 🙂

3. “Value Tagging” to Prime Your Brain

Neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart explains that for a vision board to change your behavior, it must leverage the brain’s “value tagging” system.

Your brain is constantly filtering out information through a system called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). It only lets in what it deems important. By looking at images that represent your core values (not just material goods), you are physically tagging those concepts as “important” in your neural pathways. Well, at least that’s how it’s supposed to work 🙂

How to do it: Don’t just pick random pretty images. Choose abstract images that evoke the feeling of your core values, such as “Growth,” “Security,” or “Creativity.” This trains your RAS to spot real-world opportunities that align with those values.

The Verdict

I was wrong to dismiss vision boards entirely, but I was right to be skeptical of the “magic” version. A real vision board isn’t a magic wand; it’s a project management tool for your brain. If you build it with process, obstacles, and values, it stops being a decoration and starts being a dashboard for action.

References

• On the risks of positive fantasizing and blood pressure studies: Oettingen, G. (2016). Thinking positive is a surprisingly risky manoeuvre. Aeon Essays. https://aeon.co/essays/thinking-positive-is-a-surprisingly-risky-manoeuvre
• On Process vs. Outcome Visualization (UCLA Student Study): Pham, L. B., & Taylor, S. E. (1999). From Thought to Action: Effects of Process-Versus Outcome-Based Mental Simulations on Performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://taylorlab.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/2011_Envisioning-the-Future-and-Self-Regulation.pdf
• On Neuroscience, the RAS, and Value Tagging: Swart, T. (2019). The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain. https://www.penguin.co.uk/discover/articles/how-to-create-a-vision-board-online-to-design-your-future https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/real-women/202303/6-steps-to-create-your-vision-board