The pros and cons of mood boards for career planning and goal setting (2024)

In the corner of my office is a large piece of cardboard covered in pictures and words cut out of magazines and newspapers. My mood board for 2024.

It’s hidden away as my mood board method is to create then leave it be. Now I know this already sounds a bit woo woo.

And perhaps it is! For me, mood boards are a great tool to help us with our careers, so I’m going to delve into that this week (while my mood board does its work…)

What is a mood board?

Mood or vision boards are visual tools that aim to inspire and motivate people by picturing their goals, dreams, and desired feelings. They can be physical, created with magazine cutouts, photographs, and other materials, or digital (think drafting pics onto a word doc, or using Canva).

For some, they invoke the power of the universe. For others, they are merely a practical tool to help focus on goals.

I guess I have to admit for me they’re a bit of both!

The pros of mood boards

The last time I really seriously focused on making a mood board was back in 2015. One side was about books, one was about boyfriends. Some of you may already know I went on to write a book called Boyfriend by Christmas. So, did I manifest it? Or was this just a coincidence?

There is an element of belief with a mood board whether you are into ‘universe’ stuff or not. An element of adding something to it, which takes you from ‘maybe…’ to ‘yes, I want this’.

As a coach, I know mood boards tie in neatly with goal setting. By selecting images or words that represent your aspirations, you’re forced to clarify and prioritise what you truly want. This process can help in defining more concrete and achievable goals.

Seeing your goals and dreams laid out visually can also boost your motivation to take action. It’s about accountability.

Creating a mood or vision board is an inherently creative process. It allows you to express your hopes and dreams in a unique and personalised way, which can be a fun and therapeutic activity. It’s childlike, in many ways, a ‘back to school’ feeling where you’re getting the glue on your fingertips, you’re ripping up pages, it’s cathartic and creative all at the same time.

Mood boards can act as a source of positive reinforcement and inspiration. They help keep your mind focused on positive outcomes and can elevate your mood by reminding you of the good that could be yet to come in your career.

There’s a ‘moment in time’ element to a mood board that I love, too. Capturing what you hope to achieve in that stage of your career and work. There’s also a ‘let’s see what happens’ vibe to it, that is to say, you might put one thing on there but the ‘universe’ might have other plans. A bit like me and my boyfriend/book mood board.

However.

There are also some cons.

Number one is a risk of unrealistic expectations. When you’re playing cut and stick there is a risk of going off on a tangent (although that can be quite revealing when it comes to what you’re drawn to).

There’s also the potential for procrastination. While vision boards are meant to inspire action, for people they can become a distraction, or even something you are relying on to do the work, while you sit back with a cuppa. (come on universe already, right?)

If you put all your goal-setting eggs in one moodboard basket, you are risking stagnation in your actions and the way you do things. There is also, of course, an element of disappointment. There are no guarantees because you’ve added something to your board that it will happen, or that you will be able to make it happen. We can put a lot of store in the words and pictures we gather, and then wonder what we did ‘wrong’ when they don’t appear.

Personally, I do think sometimes things take a long time to materialise and it’s important to see the long-game with a mood board. For example, on my current board I have women I admire for being true to their values and themselves. Some of them are also dream podcast guests for a pod I’m planning about menopause. I wonder if I should do a separate board for that! But the point is, they are aspirational women not the line up I expect at my next dinner party without fail.

And finally, there’s privilege. I know people like myself are lucky to be able to sit and cut up mags and papers and make mood boards about things like career goals and publishing agents. I’m aware as I write this I am fortunate to be able to make a board and set goals in the way that I do.

While the board sits in the corner of the room, peeking out at me from behind a cabinet, I wonder what work it is ‘doing’. Whether there are forces at work that are bringing the things to me that I crave and dream of. Whether some of it won’t ‘come true’. But I do know that when I spy it, I am reminded of what I’m working towards, my priorities and also the things I dream of. And having some dreams is never a bad thing, right?

xJenny

p.s. come follow me on Instagram for daily reels and a peek at my moodboard!