The Vision Board by Joyce Schwarz- A Review

January is the perfect time to think about fine-tuning vision and life goals, so I thought I’d share a review of a book I recently enjoyed.

I’ve been reading about vision boards for years, but never got around to making one. Never, that is, until I read Joyce Schwarz’s authoritative book, The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life. Schwarz covers the entire process in a way that makes vision boards a logical step in the process of creating a life with purposeful forward momentum. She provides ample evidence that a vision board is far more than just a collage, and does so in a way that is applicable to both personal and career goals.

The book itself is an inspiring treat for the senses, with over 100 full-color illustrations. Schwarz begins by introducing the concept of visioning, including its historic context, offers a structured process for creating a Personal Vision Statement, and discusses the practical details of creating a vision board. She teaches the reader how to activate the vision board and use a proprietary “success realization system” she calls GRABS.

After the basics have been thoroughly covered, Schwarz focuses on creating different types of vision boards for relationships, gratitude, wealth and well-being. Each chapter contains a variety of deeply personal vision boards in various styles. Many are beautiful, while others are so detailed that they reward extended study. A Foreward by Bob Proctor of The Secret and an Afterword by Jack Canfield of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series rounds out the content of the book.

I tend to be a fairly structured goal-setter, so I was inspired by the orderly and detailed process that Schwarz presents. The book strikes a balance between practical and “woo-woo” that I think most people will find acceptable. Creating a visual representation of desired outcomes seems to be a logical way to keep goals in view, and I know my new vision board is going to be harder to ignore than the neat list of goals in my planner!

The Vision Board is a very attractive book, and I’m happy to have it as an addition to my life-purpose library.

You can visit the Vision Board website at http://ihaveavision.org.  The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life is published by the Collins Design imprint of Harper Collins and is available through major book stores. I received my copy of the book from the publisher.