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Here's a business tip for the future. A few years ago, my friend Cheryl Martin mentioned that we should do "future boards" as a team-building activity.
The idea is to create a present reminder of what you would like to unfold in your future, using pictures, words, or whatever best represents the idea. Some call it a vision or goal board. It is simply a visual representation of the things that inspire you and that you want to manifest in your life. You hang it where you will see it daily.
The good thing about doing this activity as a team is you learn what's most important for people. Sometimes you can help them with their goals or, at the very least, encourage them to keep working on them. It could be a work-related goal, such as selling a particular account or earning a promotion. It could be a picture of a car/dream house. It could be a life adventure, such as a trip to visit Tibet. It might even be all of the above.
I thought it was a great idea, so I asked the team to bring pictures, favorite quotes, magazines, and their imaginations to our meeting. I wasn't sure what would surface, but future boarding turned out to be fun. The boards were all very different, which was a great way to connect. We put them on our desks as reminders, and it helped other people in the organization know what we were interested in as well.
How to create a future board for yourself, your team, or your organization:
Start collecting pictures, papers, and things to represent the people, places, and activities you desire in your life. Cut out quotes or words that represent inspiration for you. My team allowed a week or so before the actual assembly to gather and think about materials we might utilize.
Some questions to ask yourself if you're stuck:
Use more paper, sticky notes, or markers to attach visible meaning to the items. [NOTE: There is, of course, an app for this...but I prefer the allure of a fixture at my workstation!]
Or change as needed to keep yourself energized!. There are many interesting articles and testimonials about vision boards, mindful attention, the law of attraction, and your brain's functioning. Future boarding allows you to crystallize your thoughts about your future, inspire yourself, AND at the same time, teach others about you. Since creating my future board, I have had more positive thoughts about my future and more ideas for reaching my goals. So give it a try!
Would love to see pictures of your future boards if anyone wants to share!
