2020 Vision (#212)

Five years ago my family and I began a tradition of creating vision boards near the start of each year. When I first heard of the concept of a vision board, I must admit I shrugged it off as a silly idea from Oprah Winfrey somebody shared with me.

But a few years later, another friend shared what a powerful exercise it had been for his family, which made me reconsider the idea. I also considered that Oprah, who became a self-made billionaire after growing up in poverty, was probably worth listening to regarding self-actualization. Turns out she was.

For kids, the vision board adds a creative, visual aspect to goal-setting, making a positive life habit into something fun and tangible. For couples, it’s a great way to make sure you are literally “on the same page,” for the year.

The process is simple. We buy a bunch of magazines, glue sticks and foam boards and lay them all out on a table. Then each of us chooses and cuts out pictures and words that represent our goals and “dreams” for the upcoming year.  Then, each of us puts our complete board in our bedrooms as a constant reminder of what we’re pursuing.

It’s very similar to our Vivid Vision process at Acceleration Partners, a detailed outlook of what the company will achieve in the next three years, and what environment we will build for current and prospective employees. We just successfully completed our 2020 Vivid Vision and are now embarking on one for 2023.