Create a Vision Board on Your Desktop

The Power of Visualizing Goals: Creating a Digital Vision Board

Considerable thought was given to the concept of aligning pragmatic thinking with the practice of visualizing life aspirations.

A Vision Board, sometimes referred to as a Dream Board, is rooted in the principles of the "˜Law of Attraction'. This principle suggests that focused and intentional thought patterns can ultimately manifest into reality.

Essentially, a vision board functions as a collage comprised of images, arranged as a poster or within a scrapbook. Each image incorporated into the board represents a desired outcome or aspiration.

For example, this could include a depiction of a future home or a longed-for vacation destination. The underlying premise is that increased specificity in visualizing goals enhances the likelihood of their eventual achievement.

Vision Boards: Beyond Pseudo-Psychology

The concept of a vision board might initially appear as unsubstantiated psychological theory. However, the act of creating collages or assembling images to represent ideas has long been recognized as a valuable learning tool.

This practice was common during childhood, and as adults, we may have overlooked the potent goal-setting capabilities inherent in visual representation.

How can we translate this concept into a digital format, moving beyond traditional scissors and glue? Let's explore creating a vision board using the free software, Ript.

Introducing Ript: A Digital Scrapbooking Tool

Ript is a freeware application primarily designed for effortlessly capturing images and text from the web and your computer, mirroring the ease of cutting from magazines.

It's a robust tool for collecting and organizing information within the digital landscape. As the developer’s website states, Ript combines the functionality of a scrapbook with that of a to-do list.

This combination makes it ideally suited for utilizing Ript as a visual tool for goal setting. First, let's review some fundamental aspects of Ript:

Ript is capable of extracting any image from a webpage or file, text from various file types, and even individual frames from Flash movies. This allows for screen capturing of most visual content, excluding full-length videos.

The primary interface of Ript is known as the Tabletop.

The Pile serves as the tool for content capture. To add an image (referred to as a scrap), simply click and drag it to the Pile. Text can be captured from webpages or files by highlighting it and dragging it to the Pile. Alternatively, new text scraps can be directly inserted anywhere without needing to be ripped from a source.

These image and text scraps can then be arranged into multiple Pages, which can be printed or shared with others as JPG files or RIPT files via email. Pages are also previewed in The Light Box, located at the bottom of the interface.

Creating My First Digital Vision Board

My aspiration is to travel the world. Therefore, I will begin by virtually exploring and collecting images of destinations I wish to visit. My initial destination: Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand. I can add the image to my vision board by dragging it from Flickr into the Pile tool.

Once the scrap is on my page, I can adjust its size, rotation, position, and arrangement. I can also add information about the location by clicking the Info icon, which flips the image over.

I can rename the image and add descriptive notes in the Notes box. Ript also automatically saves the link to the original source.

Adding several images provides a visual representation of a potential vacation in New Zealand. Incorporating descriptive text can further enhance the vision. The zoom slider allows for closer inspection of the images on the page. Thus, my first vision board is complete.

Using Ript as a vision board is a novel application of the software. Originally intended as a tool for gathering and organizing information, Ript’s simple drag-and-drop interface makes it a rapid tool for assembling content.

Ript: Current Limitations and Future Potential

Ript is currently in beta, meaning user feedback will contribute to its ongoing development.

The addition of text formatting options would provide greater user control. I also found myself wishing for the ability to capture screenshots of entire webpages. Alternatively, a slideshow feature, given the software’s strength in image collection, would be a valuable addition.

These are some of the potential improvements that could be made to the software. Currently, Ript has some limitations.

Ript functions optimally with Internet Explorer. Issues may arise when ripping frames from Flash movies in Firefox. However, as Ript is in Public Beta, these issues are likely to be addressed over time.

We encourage you to experiment with creating your own vision board and share your experiences with Ript.

Ript (Beta) is an 8.7MB download compatible with Windows XP and Vista.

Image Credits: geoftheref, gak, jorgazmo