3 Critical Elements of Effective Vision Boards: How Achievement-Oriented People Can Transform Empty Success into Authentic Living

Hey there my friend,

I'm sitting here in Germany, thinking about my journey and the things that have kept me sane while swimming against the powerful current of conventional ways of living life.

Truth is, I haven't achieved everything I envisioned for myself yet. Not even close. And that's precisely the point.

But my life’s vision has been my anchor in the storm, my compass in the fog, my reminder that following your heart is worth it – even when (especially when) it scares the hell out of you.

What I'm about to share today isn't some polished success story where everything magically fell into place. It's messier than that. More real. More like your life, probably.

If you're feeling that gnawing emptiness of living someone else's definition of success – that Sunday night dread, that "is this really it?" question that keeps you up at 2 AM – then let's talk about the neurological revolution disguised as arts and crafts that might just save your soul.

Let’s dive in.

When Swimming Downstream Felt Like Drowning

Five years ago, I was doing everything "right."

Impressive salary. Singapore skyline view that made for great LinkedIn backdrops.

I was swimming downstream, going with the flow, riding the current of conventional success.

And I was dying inside.

Each morning, my first thought wasn't excitement – it was dread. Each Sunday evening wasn't peaceful – it was anxious.

That night, Oprah's words echoed in my head: "Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe."

And I realized – I hadn't been believing in anything of my own.

The Birth of My Anti-Mainstream Manifesto

What's wild is that before I ever set foot in Tenerife, I had visualized sitting on a balcony overlooking the ocean there. I had imagined the feel of the sun, the sound of the waves, the sense of freedom that would come with breaking away from the corporate machine.

I hadn't even been there yet. But I could see it, feel it, taste it.

So one weekend, I did something that felt simultaneously childish and rebellious:

I created a vision board.

Not because some guru told me to. Not because I thought it would magically manifest my dreams. But because I desperately needed a visual reminder of what my heart wanted when everyone around me was shouting their opinions about what I should want.

I did mine using Canva and pictures from google search…

What emerged wasn't just a collection of pretty pictures. It was a declaration of independence. A visual middle finger to the life I was supposed to want and a love letter to the life that made my soul sing.

Why This Isn't Magical Thinking (It's Neuroscience)

Let me be crystal clear about something that gets lost in most conversations about visualization and vision boards:

This isn't about sitting on your ass thinking positive thoughts while the universe delivers your dreams on a silver platter.

That's toxic magical thinking, and it's hurt more people than it's helped.

What vision boards actually do is far more fascinating – they hack your neurological wiring in ways that modern science is only beginning to understand:

1. They Hijack Your Brain's Filtering System

Your brain's Reticular Activating System (RAS) is constantly deciding what information makes it to your conscious awareness out of the millions of data points bombarding you every second.

By repeatedly exposing yourself to visual representations of your goals, you're essentially programming your RAS to notice opportunities, connections, and resources related to those goals that were always there but previously filtered out.

It's like teaching your brain a new search algorithm – "Hey, start flagging anything related to location independence/creative freedom/authentic living."

2. They Create "Future Memories" in Your Neural Network

Cognitive neuroscience has confirmed something wild: your brain processes vivid mental imagery through many of the same neural pathways as actual experiences.

When you regularly engage with images that represent your desired future, your brain begins forming neural connections as if you've already experienced aspects of that reality.

These "future memories" become reference points that make your goals feel increasingly achievable and familiar rather than distant and abstract.

3. They Bridge the Gap Between Knowing and Doing

Information alone rarely changes behavior. (Trust me, I've read dozens of self-help books that left me exactly where I started).

Vision boards create what psychologists call "implementation intentions" – visual triggers that connect desired outcomes with specific actions.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Following Your Heart

Here's what nobody tells you about swimming against the stream and following your authentic path:

It's terrifying.

When I started making decisions that aligned with my vision board rather than my socially-approved career trajectory, I faced:

• Confusion from family ("You're doing what?!")

• Judgment from colleagues ("That's... interesting.")

• My own paralyzing fear of failure ("What if this is a massive mistake?")

Vision boards don't eliminate these challenges. What they do is give you an anchor point – a visual reminder of why you're voluntarily making your life harder in the short term.

On the days when I questioned everything, when the fear was overwhelming, when the easy path beckoned, my vision board was there – not as a magical solution, but as a reminder that I wasn't crazy for wanting something different.

It was proof that at least one version of me – the me who created that board – believed this path was worth it.

The Three Elements That Make Vision Boards Actually Work

I've discovered that effective vision boards share three critical elements:

1. Emotional Resonance Beyond Logic

A vision board filled with conventional symbols of success (sports cars, mansions, private jets) might look impressive, but if those images don't trigger a genuine emotional response in YOU, they won't engage the limbic system – the emotional center of your brain that actually drives motivation and decision-making.

Every image on your board should create a physical response – a quickening heartbeat, a flutter in your stomach, maybe even tears. Without that emotional activation, it's just decoration.

For me, an image of someone reading by the ocean created a stronger emotional response than any luxury item ever could. That visceral reaction is what makes it powerful.

2. Identity Over Acquisition

The most overlooked aspect of effective vision boards is identity representation. Images of what you want to HAVE or DO are vastly less powerful than representations of who you want to BE.

When I included words and images representing my core values and desired identity I created a deeper level of neurological engagement than any picture of material success could generate.

This activates what psychologists call "identity-based motivation" – one of the most powerful drivers of sustained behavior change.

3. The Journey, Not Just The Destination

Most vision boards focus exclusively on end results, completely ignoring the path to get there. But research on elite performers reveals something fascinating: effective visualization includes not just the victory, but the process – including the obstacles and how you'll overcome them.

My vision board includes images representing both the destination AND the journey – reminders of the daily disciplines, the inevitable challenges, and the mindset required to overcome them.

This complete visualization creates neurological pathways for resilience, not just desire.

My Work-in-Progress Reality

Let's get brutally honest: I haven't "arrived" at the perfect life depicted on my vision board. Not even close.

Some goals have manifested beautifully. Others remain works in progress. Some might never fully materialize exactly as I've pictured them.

And that's not a failure of visualization – it's the nature of a life lived authentically, where the journey shapes the destination in ways we can't always predict.

What matters is that each step brings me closer to my vision, even if that vision evolves. Each day lived in alignment with my authentic desires is a day I won't regret on my deathbed, regardless of outcomes.

As Jim Carrey wisely noted: "Visualization works if you work hard." That last part is crucial.

My vision board isn't a substitute for action; it is the compass ensuring my actions point in a direction that actually matters to ME.

How to Create Your Rebellion Roadmap

If you're inspired to create your own neurologically-optimized vision board, here's my approach:

Step 1: The Courage Excavation

Before touching scissors or opening Canva, dig deep into what YOU truly want – not what would impress others or check society's boxes.

Ask yourself:

• What activities make time disappear for me?

• When do I feel most alive, most myself?

• What did I love before the world told me to be "realistic"?

• What would make me excited to get out of bed even on dark, cold mornings?

Be brutally honest. This isn't about practicality yet – it's about truth.

Step 2: Gather Your Revolution Materials

You'll need:

Either:

• A board (cork, poster, digital – whatever works)

• Magazines spanning diverse topics

• Scissors, glue, markers

• Printed images and words that resonate

• 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time

• Music that ignites your authentic self

Or:

• Open canva.com

• create a new project

• collect pictures within canva or search them on the web

• 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time

• Music that ignites your authentic self

Step 3: The Three-Category Framework

As you select images, organize them into three categories:

BEING: Images and words representing who you want to become – your character, values, internal experience. For me it was most about: "freedom"

DOING: Images representing the actions and experiences that will fill your days – both work (work-out, speaking, creating) and play (reading, swimming, connecting).

HAVING: The tangible results of your being and doing – the home, relationships, impact. Most ineffective vision boards are almost entirely in this category.

Aim for a ratio of roughly 3:3:1 (Being:Doing:Having).

Step 4: The Daily Neural Programming

This is where most people fail – they create the board and then ignore it. For maximum neurological impact:

• Place it where you'll see it first thing morning and last thing before bed

• Spend at least 60 seconds daily actively engaging with it – don't just glance, but truly see it

• Weekly, journal about the actions you've taken that align with your vision

• Monthly, notice the subtle shifts – both internal and external

Your AI Vision Guide

To help you create a vision board that works with your brain instead of against it, I've developed a custom prompt that turns ChatGPT into your personal Vision Board Coach. This has been incredibly helpful for clarifying authentic desires versus socially programmed "shoulds."

Here's your vision board creation assistant:

1. Visit ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/)

2. Copy and paste the following prompt

3. Fill in your specific thoughts and feelings

4. Receive guidance tailored to your unique vision

You are a Vision Board Creation Coach who helps people design neurologically effective vision boards that drive real behavior change. Your expertise combines neuroscience, psychology, and practical creative direction.

Here's what I'm currently feeling and wanting:
[Describe your current situation, what you're dissatisfied with, what you're drawn to, and any visions or goals you already have, even if they're vague or seemingly contradictory]

Please help me:
1. Identify the core emotional states and experiences I seem to be seeking
2. Suggest 3-5 powerful "BEING" elements (values, traits, feelings) to include
3. Recommend 3-5 meaningful "DOING" elements (activities, experiences, practices)
4. Offer 2-3 "HAVING" elements that genuinely reflect my deeper desires
5. Provide guidance on specific types of images that might evoke strong emotional responses for me
6. Suggest a powerful placement strategy for these elements

Your advice should be introspective, intuitive, and focused on helping me create a vision board that resonates deeply with my authentic desires rather than societal expectations. Use a warm, encouraging tone while still being willing to gently challenge any contradictions or surface-level desires you notice in my description.

HOW TO USE THE PROMPT

Example:

I'm currently in a stable but unfulfilling corporate marketing role. I make good money but feel creatively stifled. I dream about having more freedom in my schedule and doing more creative work, perhaps writing or design, but I'm afraid of financial instability. I love being in nature and feel most alive when hiking or near water. I also value deep connections but find myself too busy for meaningful relationships. Sometimes I think about moving somewhere with more access to nature, but I worry about leaving my support network. I'd like to feel more peaceful and present daily, rather than constantly anxious about the future or dissatisfied with the present.

This reflection gives the AI enough information to help you create a vision board that addresses your authentic desires while acknowledging your very real fears.

The Courage to Be Authentic in a Mainstream World

Being authentic is terrifying when authenticity means swimming against the powerful current of mainstream expectations.

That's precisely why visual anchors matter so much.

My vision board doesn't just remind me of what I want – it reminds me of who I am when I'm not afraid. Who I am beneath the social conditioning and practical concerns. Who I am at my core.

As Arnold Schwarzenegger said: "The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent."

That 100% belief doesn't come from ignoring challenges or fears. It comes from having a visual reminder powerful enough to make your authentic path feel more real than your fears.

The Truth About My Journey (And Yours)

Here's what keeps me going on the days when my vision seems impossibly distant:

I'm not there yet – and maybe I never will fully arrive at the idealized version of life depicted on my board. It represents the best of the best, the highest vision I have for myself, which may always remain somewhat aspirational.

But I'll die trying. And more importantly, I'll live happily in the attempt.

Because each step toward that vision – each choice to be authentic rather than approved of, each risk taken in service of my true desires – brings me closer to a life that's genuinely mine.

Not a perfect life. Not a finished life. But a life I won't regret when the final chapter closes.

As I prepare to return to my sun-soaked balcony in Tenerife – a place I visualized long before I ever set foot there – I have something special to share with you...

The Book That Found Me When I Needed It Most

For the past year, I've been pouring my heart and soul into something that started as a personal journal and evolved into what might be the most important work I've ever created.

"Unfulfilled Success: Reclaiming Your Life Beyond the Paycheck" isn't just another self-help book. It's the raw, unfiltered blueprint I wish I'd had five years ago while sitting in that Singapore office, feeling successful on paper but empty inside.

In just three weeks, I'll be sharing the complete details about how you can get early access – including some special bonuses I've never offered before that are exclusively for my newsletter family.

This book goes deeper than anything I've shared publicly:

• The exact mindset shifts that allowed me to break free from golden handcuffs

• The counterintuitive "identity excavation" process that reveals who you really are beneath years of conditioning

• The four-pillar framework for building a life of alignment rather than achievement

• The courage practices that transform paralyzing fear into purposeful action

But here's why I'm telling you now instead of waiting until launch day...

I want this book to address YOUR specific challenges, not just mine. So here's what I'm proposing:

Reply to this email with the single biggest obstacle keeping you from living authentically right now. 

What's the core fear, belief, or practical reality that feels like an unmovable roadblock?

I'll personally read every response, and your insights might just shape the final sections of the book – my way of ensuring this isn't just my story, but a genuine resource for our shared journey toward authentic living.

Because if there's one thing I've learned from my vision board journey, it's that the path to freedom isn't walked alone. It's traveled together, with each of us holding up lanterns to illuminate the way forward.

Your future self is waiting. And so is mine.

With all my heart,

Stephan

P.S. If you do create a vision board using these principles, I'd love to hear about your experience. What surprised you? What emotions came up during the process? And don't forget to share your biggest authentic living obstacle if you want it addressed in "Unfulfilled Success" before it launches. I read and respond to every message personally, and nothing helps me create more valuable content than understanding your specific journey.

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