Visual Trackers, Goal Boards & Vision Boards
Happy New Year! I can’t believe we are already into February. Where has the time gone? I hope your year has started out in a positive light, with either continued work toward your already-established goals, or new goals to begin working toward. The prospect of an improved version of yourself is always exciting and you can most certainly learn a lot about yourself in the journey toward improved health and fitness.
If you are still working on developing goals for yourself, I encourage you to read my January 2022 post on creating your goals, and setting yourself up for success. You can check it out here: https://www.jalynnlifestyle.com/blog/creating-your-goals-and-setting-yourself-up-for-success
Writing down your goals is an important first step in really solidifying what it is you truly want, and why. It is also an important step in recognizing what you will need to do in order to reach your goals. But, what do you do with your goals once you’ve got them written down? Once you have your plan? You surely don’t want to stuff them away on a piece of paper, or hide them away in a journal. You need to keep them visual! Seeing your goals on a daily basis will help you support your discipline, drive and determination. This is where visual trackers, goal boards, or vision boards become useful!
There are several benefits to using visual trackers, goal boards and vision boards:
Provides visual tracking of your progress.
Helps build confidence to see what you have accomplished. Allows you to see the “small wins”.
Allows you to plan ahead.
Keeps you accountable.
Helps you break down your goals into smaller short-term goals.
Can reinforce your “why”.
Hal Elrod, the creator of the Achieve Your Goals podcast speaks to the fact that the purpose of your goals is to become a better version of yourself, and the goals you create should be used to inform the behaviors of that better version of yourself. When evaluating your goals, ask, what are the daily behaviors you must commit to in order to reach your goals? Once you’ve identified those behaviors, you can evaluate your current habits and identify the changes you need to make in order to reach your goals. This is where “habit tracking” comes in, as James Clear discusses in his book, Atomic Habits. He states that people are more successful in reaching their goals when they have visual feedback as it provides greater awareness and makes you less likely to lie to yourself. Thus, the use of visual trackers is a good tool when it comes to tracking progress toward your goals.
It’s not hard to create a visual tracker or goal board. First you have to decide what format works best for you. Take the time to look through Pinterest, or Google ideas to see what appeals to you. There are many types of boards you can create. It can be a bulletin board that you hang up in your office, or your kitchen. Or you can create a digital version to keep with you wherever you go. If you aren’t feeling the creative vibe, a simple calendar/list will do as well. Remember, the key is to make it visual. Something you see everyday.
Once you’ve identified the format, get to creating. Be sure to incorporate both your long and short-term goals. Add photos of what you are striving for…something that is a visual representation of what your final destination looks like. Add a countdown or tracking calendar so you can tick off the days, give yourself stars…whatever motivates you! Add a visual representation of your “why”. Afterall, there is a reason you are working hard towards your specific goal. You can even incorporate motivational quotes/photos. The possibilities are endless. This is your visual tracker/goal board and it should be about you and your goals.
Another thing to consider incorporating is an affirmation of the best version of yourself. Afterall, your goal is related to your future best self and will help you articulate the best version of you. Think about what you are striving to be. Start it out with, “I am committed to be…” or “I am…”. Make it personal and reflective of your “why”. Make sure you read this to yourself every single day!
I’ve been using a visual tracker for years now when it comes to my competition goals. I am pretty basic when it comes to this in that I like using a calendar board. I have a few photos that have meaning to me and have added several pieces of memorabilia from past shows. I then have calendars I made that are colorful/fun. I use these calendars to track my progress, identify events that I will have to work around and to countdown my time before my competition. This keeps me on my toes and helps keep me excited, visualizing the progress I make each week.
Keeping your goals visible is an important component to reaching your goals. Keeping them at the forefront of your mind will help keep you focused and create a daily reminder of your “why”. I challenge you to create something to remind you of what your best self looks like. Make it personal, and most importantly, keep it fun!