Manifesting Works-It's How You're Wired

At the beginning of the year, a lot of people create Pinterest inspiration boards or vision boards for abstracting their dreams and making them concrete. These vision boards can include dream colleges, an inspiring mentor, or a travel location. Like a lot of people, I have one too! But do these boards offer more than a visual collection of your goals in one place? The answer is YES!

There is a group of nerves in our brain stem called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) that filters information to our conscious awareness. By having a vision board in an area you constantly look at (your desk, wall, or door), your brain is recognizing the vision board and sending a message that these goals should be prioritized. After acknowledging your goals, your brain will start to pick up on relevant items through filtering distractions without us having to actively do something. The RAS can filter through parameters (the vision board) and what I seek, ultimately helping you pursue those goals. 

Where you place the vision board matters, as visibility creates repetition to build mental pathways. The more you are exposed to your vision board, the more your brain begins to integrate those images and values into your sense of identity. Over time, this repetition reinforces the idea that your vision is not just what you want, it's what you believe you are becoming. 

One of the most overlooked aspects of a vision board is the emotional response it creates. Even if it is just the aesthetics, we often create a vision board that makes us feel good and something we can connect to our dreams. Slowly, this emotional reaction of excitement or curiosity triggers a reward system by releasing dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter tied to motivation, pleasure, and goal-directed behavior. The small bursts of dopamine we get from looking at the vision board can reinforce the desire to keep moving forward. This turns into a behavior through a powerful feedback loop of seeing the goal, feeling good about it, and taking action. 

If you find yourself losing motivation, try making a VISION BOARD!

References

Ardito, Stephanie. “Neuroplasticity: How Rewiring Your Brain Can Help You Reach Your Goals.” Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials, 20 Jan. 2022, health.clevelandclinic.org/neuroplasticity.

Cherry, Kendra. “What Is the Reticular Activating System?” Verywell Mind, 6 Oct. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/reticular-activating-system-5188634.

Gregory, Sarah. “Visualization: The Mental Tool of Champions.” Psychology Today, 23 June 2020, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202006/visualization-the-mental-tool-champions.