Inspiration and motivation... they come to us in all forms, often at the most inopportune and inconvenient of times, yet when they do come to us, we often find ourselves more driven and more inspired, than ever before.
When it comes to tough challenges and accomplishing goals, people often tend to find themselves focussing on, and subsequently worrying about, the physical side of things, when in reality, it is the mental side of things that really proves testing. You can be as able-bodied as you would like, yet the fact remains that if you aren’t in the right mindset, you simply aren’t going to get anywhere fast. This is where inspiration boards prove especially useful and beneficial. Here’s a look at virtually everything you need to know about inspiration boards.
What is an inspiration board? – An inspiration board, also known as a mood board, a vision board, or an idea board, is basically a board featuring a collage and collection of various images which are designed to motivate you and inspire you, helping to spur you on and inspire you to help you reach your goals. These boards can consist of virtually anything you like, so some people will simply have small scribbles and clippings on theirs, whilst others may have HD photographs and neatly trimmed magazine articles. Many people create themed boards, with particularly creative individuals choosing themes such as painting, arts, and crafts etc.
What do they mean and what functions do they serve? – As mentioned, the main idea behind an inspiration board is to inspire you to greatness and to help you to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be. On top of that, they serve a number of other benefits. Some of their main functions include: To inspire – First and foremost, they are designed to inspire individuals.
By adorning your inspiration board with images that inspire you, you will be reminded daily of why you’re doing what you’re doing, and what you could achieve if you set your mind to it.
To get your creative juices flowing – Although some could argue that inspiration and motivation are the same thing, or at least, are very similar, motivation and inspiration do still differ slightly.
All artists and creative individuals will experiences times where they just can’t quite bring an idea to life, and that will obviously impact them greatly, as it will be how they earn a living.
A painter or sculptor for example, will take paints and/or everyday materials, and use them to create works of art. An inspiration board could perhaps incorporate patterns, colours, styles, and designs that help inspire the artist or sculptor and help to really get their creative juices flowing so that they can create new works of art.
To focus attention – If you are looking to achieve certain goals, it is often best to narrow them down and focus on one at a time. For example, if you consider yourself a ‘Jack of all trades’ as it were, and try your hand at painting, crafting, up-cycling, and restoring furniture and household items for example, as you have so much going on at once, you may find yourself struggling to think straight and overwhelming yourself. An inspiration board however, will focus your attention on one goal at a time, so if you’re looking to really take your painting to the next level, adorning your board with works of art from other amazing painters, past or present, your attentions will be firmly focussed on painting.
To spur you on – Life isn’t always easy, and there will be tough times ahead, and it is often these times to make or break us. As the saying goes “when you feel like quitting, remind yourself why you started”. With an inspiration board, when you do feel like quitting, that board will serve as a constant reminder of why you started, and it will help to spur you on and inspire and motivate you to get back on track and meet these goals and targets...
