How to Create a Vision Board for 2026 (That Actually Moves Your Business Forward)
For creative small business owners who want clarity, momentum, and a year that finally feels aligned.
Let me guess.
You’ve got approximately 47 ideas for your business right now.
Some of them are brilliant. Some of them are half-baked. Some of them woke you up at 2am for no reason at all.
And while you love that creative brain of yours, it also means you can end every year feeling a little like:
“I was busy… but what did I actually build?”
That’s where a vision board comes in.
Not the glue-and-glitter kind (unless that’s your thing). Not the “manifest a yacht” kind either. I’m talking about a strategic, aligned, actually-useful vision board that helps you:
Make clearer decisions
Stop chasing every shiny idea
Build a business that feels good and pays you
And keep your eyes on what you’re really trying to create in 2026
And yes - we’re going to make it pretty. But more importantly, we’re going to make it work.
What a Vision Board Is (And What It’s Definitely Not)
A vision board is not:
A random Pinterest collage
A wish list you never look at again
A substitute for actual planning
A good vision board is:
A visual anchor for your goals
A filter for your decisions
A reminder of what matters when you’re tempted to overcomplicate everything
Your brain is wildly responsive to visuals. When you see your priorities every day, you naturally start making choices that line up with them.
Which is exactly what we want.
AIRLIE theme in the shop
Why Creative Business Owners Need a Different Kind of Vision Board
You’re not just building:
A revenue number
A content calendar
A list of offers
You’re building:
A style
A reputation
A way of working
A life you actually get to enjoy
So your 2026 vision board should include:
Business goals (growth, offers, money, visibility)
Creative goals (what you want to make, explore, refine)
Lifestyle goals (pace, boundaries, freedom, rest)
Identity goals (who you’re becoming as a business owner)
Step 1: Do a Gentle 2025 Debrief
Before we sprint into 2026 energy, let’s look in the rearview mirror for a second.
Ask yourself:
What actually worked this year?
What quietly drained the life out of you?
Which projects felt aligned?
Which ones felt like you were pushing a boulder uphill in flip-flops?
You can journal this, brain dump it, or talk it out in your Notes app. The goal isn’t to judge - just to notice.
Because your 2026 vision should be built on what you’ve learned, not just what you wish were different.
UNEARTH Squarespace theme available in the shop
Step 2: Choose Your 2026 Focus Areas
Instead of trying to visualize everything, pick 4–6 themes for your year.
For example:
Business growth
Creative direction
Marketing & visibility
Money & sustainability
Lifestyle & boundaries
For each one, ask:
What do I want more of?
What do I want less of?
What do I want to protect?
These themes will become the bones of your vision board.
Step 3: Decide What “Success” Actually Looks Like
Let’s keep this grounded and inspiring at the same time.
Try this:
3–5 big goals for the year
5–10 supporting intentions
Examples:
“Finally redesign my website using a Showit or Squarespace template that looks like my brand grew up”
“Simplify my offers”
“Work four days a week”
“Be known for a cohesive, recognizable brand”
Some of these will show up as words. Some will show up as images. All of them should feel specific enough to guide you and open enough to evolve.
PENNY Squarespace template by GoLive available in the shop
Step 4: Collect Your Visuals (With Intention)
You can pull images from:
Pinterest
Brand photos
Website inspiration
Product mockups
Quotes or words
But here’s the filter:
Don’t choose images because they’re pretty. Choose them because they mean something.
Look for visuals that represent:
The result you want
The process you want
The feeling you want your business to have
Step 5: Go Digital (Trust Me on This One)
You can make a physical vision board.
But as a business owner? A digital vision board will actually get used.
You can:
Set it as your desktop background
Put it inside Notion
Add it to your iPad planner
Make it the first thing you see when you open your computer
And if you’re already planning to:
Refresh your website in 2026
Or finally upgrade your brand’s online home
This is the perfect time to start surrounding yourself with visuals that match where you’re going.
This is also where using a good website template (for Squarespace or Showit) comes in - because your site is part of your vision, not an afterthought.
Check out some of my fave ones here Squarespace & Showit templates.
Step 6: Design Your Vision Board Like a Calm, Focused Human
Think in sections:
Business
Creativity
Lifestyle
Future You Energy
Design rules:
Less clutter, more clarity
One or two fonts max
A color palette that feels like you
Your board should feel:
Grounding
Encouraging
A little bit exciting
Not like it’s yelling at you
Step 7: Add Words That Keep You Honest
Consider including:
A word for the year
3–5 guiding words
One short phrase
Examples:
“Sustainable, not scrambled.”
“Build slowly. Build well.”
“Simple, profitable, aligned.”
These become your decision filters.
Step 8: Put It Where You’ll Actually See It
A vision board that lives in a folder = decorative regret.
Put it:
On your desktop
Inside your planning system
On your Notion dashboard
On your iPad
If you see it every day, it starts quietly shaping your choices.
Step 9: Connect the Vision to Real Plans
This is the part where the magic becomes… logistics.
Every quarter, ask:
“What does this vision need right now?”
And then plan accordingly:
Projects
Offers
Content
Systems
Your website is a big one here.
If your vision board says “more polished, more professional, more me”—and your site says “I built this at 1am in 2021 and never looked back”… it might be time.
(Again: perfect moment to link to your favorite Squarespace & Showit templates.)
Step 10: Let It Evolve
You’re allowed to change.
Check in quarterly:
Does this still feel right?
Do any images need updating?
Has your direction shifted?
A flexible vision is a strong vision.
Common Vision Board Mistakes
Making it vague
Making it chaotic
Never looking at it
Never using it to plan
We’re aiming for inspiring and useful.
How Website Templates Fit Into Your 2026 Vision
Your website isn’t just a marketing tool.
It’s:
Your digital home
Your first impression
A huge part of how your business feels to run
If 2026 is the year you want to:
Look more professional
Attract better-fit clients
Feel proud to send people your link
Then starting with a beautiful, strategic Squarespace or Showit template is one of the easiest wins you can give yourself.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need More Ideas. You Need Direction.
You already have the creativity.
A vision board just helps you aim it.
Make one for 2026. Put it somewhere you’ll see it. Let it quietly guide your decisions.
And then build the year—one good, intentional choice at a time. ✨
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Hey, I’m Stine
I’m a photographer, designer and (scrappy) content creator creating resources to help creatives and small business owners build the business of your dreams and a life on your own terms.
Thanks for stopping by! Sx
