Entering 2026, many must have encountered people posting about vision boards – with feeds filled with visual collages of images, words, and symbols. But what are they? Simply put, they are dream boards of personal goals, that have moved from self-help circles to becoming a mainstream trend. Rooted in ideas of manifestation and mindfulness, they help people clarify what they want, stay focused and feel motivated, turning even abstract dreams into a practical and emotionally engaging reality.
Bengaluru-based corporate employee and content creator Shoeb Ansar, recalls how this shift came after years of forgotten New Year resolutions. “A vision board felt different because it’s not something you think about once and forget, you see it every single day,” he says. The constant visual presence, gently guides daily decisions rather than offering loud bursts of motivation, he points out.
For popular content creator Rida Tharana what began as a casual group activity with friends became an annual ritual. She traces her vision-boarding journey to social media reels in 2024. She breaks her board into three layers – achievable goals, stretch goals, and what she calls her ‘delusional’ dreams – big-ticket aspirations like buying a house.
Yet there is no single correct way to create a vision board. “The effectiveness depends entirely on your vision, your goals, and how well the board reflects what you want to achieve,” says Ansar while Tharana adds, “When you visualise, print things out, and physically stick them on a board, you’re putting in effort to imprint those thoughts in your mind. That’s why it works for me.”
For anyone doubtful, manifestation coach Bhavya Vignesh cuts through the scepticism. “Our mind thinks in images and a vision board is a visual way of putting your goals together. They work only when combined with belief and consistent action,” she explains.
In her workshops, reflection comes before creativity. Participants journal, visualise, and only then create their boards – keeping expectations realistic and grounded. “The Law of Attraction says that what you focus on, you attract. So when you focus on your goals again and again, your thoughts, feelings, and actions slowly come into alignment,” she notes.
Reel to Real
For dancer and theatre actor Tapaswini Varshneya, vision boarding became a tool for clarity after the uncertainty of the pandemic. “I could never answer where I see myself in five years,” she sighs, adding, “The more I see my vision board, the more I know – consciously and subconsciously, where I’m headed.”
Similarly, copywriter Pavithra Prabhu uses them as an emotional anchor. “My board has all aspects of my life. I used it as the starting point for all my goals. I pinned only the images that spoke to me or evoked an emotion,” she says.
Digital vs physical
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Digital boards as phone wallpapers, Canva collages, or Pinterest boards work well for screen-heavy routines and physical boards, placed near beds or desks, offer a tactile, screen-free reminder. As many users notes, the key is visibility - If you see it every day, it works!
Manifestation or magic?
Vision boards don’t work unless you work, points out Tharana. “I can’t sit here and say I manifest my dreams just by putting them out into the universe. It is more about intention…putting yourself out there and hoping things work out while trusting whatever higher power or belief you hold. You have to show up, put in the effort, and move in that direction,” she strongly believes.