Module 55 - Do Affirmations, Visualizations, and Vision Boards Actually Work?

Leadership & Personal Development Blog Series

I am a firm believer in affirmations, visualizations, and vision boards. However, just because this is something that I absolutely believe in and think that they work, it does not mean that you should believe in them as well. Practice of using affirmations, visualizations, and vision boards is completely option and is unique for each person. Additionally, I am not aware of any scientific study which proves that practice of using affirmations, visualizations, or vision boards somehow directly attributing to results achieved by people who practice them.

With I personally strongly believe in power of affirmations, visualizations, and vision boards because I use them every day to help me get closer to and eventually achieving my goals. I’ll discuss each one of these practices listed earlier in more detail a little later, but before I do so, let me share my opinion as to why some people may not see any results from using affirmations, visualizations and/or vision boards.

Why use of affirmations, visualizations, and vision boards may not yield any noticeable results?

I believe that the main reason why many people do not notice any results is due to lack of consistency and commitment. Consistent use of affirmations is a habit that must be developed and practiced daily, otherwise it makes no sense to waste your time to start such practice. Specific affirmations and visualization should be used until the goal has been reached, and once one has been achieved new visualization and affirmation should be created, and everything starts over. As long as you still have goals and dreams, use of affirmations, visualizations, and vision boards could help in your journey to reach those goals.

Other reasons why many people give up on using affirmations is the expectation of immediate results, which is not going to happen, unless you just happened to be the luckiest person in the world, and the awkward feeling while practicing them, especially affirmations, since affirmations require you to say them out loud.

The awkward feeling of affirmation use

Sure, initially when you begin practicing affirmations, you may have that awkward feeling that someone may hear you and what that person may think about you.

There are two potential solutions to this not so problem.

One, which is the one I prefer personally, is not caring about what anyone else may think of you if they happened to hear or see you practicing affirmations. Why does it matter what anyone may think, it’s your life and your future. So, what if they hear you, let them, and perhaps your affirmations may help them in some way.

The other potential solution is to practice your daily affirmations in private, such as in your car or home, where there’s no chance for you to be overheard by other people. Choice which option is completely yours, as long as you take necessary steps that get you closer to where you want to be.

Now that we’ve covered potential reasons why many people do not practice or believe in affirmations, visualizations, and/or vision boards, as well as obstacles that some may be facing at the beginning states of practicing them, let’s discuss each one in little more detail. You may see or hear different explanations/descriptions of each one in other resources available to you, but I want to share my understanding of each one based on many years of self-education.

What are Affirmations?

Affirmations are one sentence-long statements created by you verbalizing you reaching a specific goal or set of goals. They could consist of anywhere from two to multiple words in length. Affirmations must be specific to your goal. Here are some examples of affirmation statements: “I have one million dollars in my checking account right now,” or “I am my own boss and successfully run my own business in the field of (specific field of business).” There are just some examples of affirmations that can be used, depending on your goals in life. You may have multiple affirmation statements that you use and verbalize, you are not limited to one specific number. Lastly, affirmations must be repeated verbally out loud daily until you have successfully achieved the goal in mind.

Now, it’s important to remember that affirmations, visualizations, and vision boards are just an additional tool that you may use in addition to other steps that you are taking while working to get closer and eventually reaching your goals.

What are Visualizations?

Essentially, visualizations are affirmations but in the visual form, mental images of you achieving a specific goal that you create in your mind. Just like affirmations, visualizations must be utilized daily. Good thing is you can practice visualizations without saying a single word, since everything is taking place in your head. One example of visualization may be you visualizing yourself reviewing your checking account balance, and the available balance is showing $1.000.000.00. This specific example ties in with one of the affirmation examples shared earlier.

When is the best time to practice visualizations and affirmations?

You would have to find the time(s) of the day that works best for you. I personally practice affirmations and visualizations at the same time each morning. You may choose to practice them when you wake up, before going to bed, or at another time more convenient for you.

How frequently should I practice visualizations and affirmations?

There’s no specific number that you must hit every day, as long as you practice at least once per day. If you want to visualize several times during the day, you may absolutely do that, the choice is yours. The key is consistency, not frequency.

What is a vision board?

Vision board is an actual physical board that you create where you add images and/or small physical items that represent your goals which you want to achieve. This could be as simple as an image of the car that you wish to own and drive one day, or an image of $1M that you want to have in your checking account.

Vision board is representation of your goals in the physical form. It also does not have to be in the form of an actual board. For example, I created a small clip binder where I inserted clear plastic sleeves with pictures of my goals, things that I want to have. Therefore, instead of looking at the board, I flip through many images in my ‘vision binder.’ This technique also helps to visualize myself achieving those goals a little easier. I’ve seen some very creative vision boards, but since I am not very creative I chose to create something simple and different that works for me, the choice is always yours.

Do I have to use all three – Affirmations, Visualizations, and Vision Boards?

​Not necessarily. You should use what works best for you in your specific situation. So, if right this moment you don’t have vision board created yet, that’s ok, because, you can still practice affirmations and visualizations, or one of the two if you are pressed on time. The important part is taking the first step and use what you have and can do now, everything else can be added when it is possible. Remember, it is not quantity but consistency that matters. Of course, once you have all three, I believe, the energy that you can potentially create multiplies and expands, and you begin attract more positive energy to yourself to help you achieve the goal(s) in mind.

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