“Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose” – Bo Bennett, American Author

I remember the first time I ever heard of a “vision board“. I was exposed to the global phenomenon that was The Secret. Yes, that book/dvd was all the rage back in 2008 when I heard about it. I was not convinced. I was the one calling it snake oil.

I tried to go along with my cousins that were really into it and created vision boards on my laptop. I was too shy to create a true representation of my wants at the time, so I didn’t include some of the things I wanted to manifest into my life such as; a girlfriend, money to support myself, a better body etc.

The one thing I did include was a mock Billboard chart that showed my song “You’re Like Drinkin’” at the number one spot on the Hot Country Songs chart. In 2013. A whole five years in the future.

The intention was there, but the belief was not there whatsoever. The wood was in the fireplace, but there was no match to be seen to create fire.

After my divorce, I started to understand how important visualization is. I’ve always been a day dreamer, but without the intention, I wasn’t doing all I could do to bring my dreams in my mind to reality.

This time, I didn’t leave anything off my vision board that I truly desired. I didn’t put boundaries and barriers on my future accomplishments. Family. House. Lover. Success as a country music creator. Money. Success as a motivational speaker. Fit body.

I used to look at things I wanted to accomplish and set limits on what I could accomplish. No way I could be a country music artist AND be a motivational speaker. No way I could be successful AND still have a family.

It took a lot of work but I finally found the words “Why Not Me?”

Somebody is going to accomplish all these goals…why not me?

The people we look up to the most never let those boundaries and limits contain them. My musical hero Dierks Bentley tells a famous story about how he would be playing live band shows without an audience. One time, they were just playing for the bartender, and he left at one point to make a phone call. Four years later, he had a number one song.

This is the vision board I created when I decided to believe in myself and use visualization to bring these dreams to life. It’s amazing because I have half of these goals in my life currently.

Picture 1 represents financial freedom. One of my affirmations is “money is energy, the more positive energy I have, the more wealth I will create.” I’ve taken words that attract lack of money out of my vocabulary. It’s already mine. It’s just on its way.

Picture 2 represents an audience at a music show. I’ve already seen this picture. My band Great Northern Railway played at the Energetic County Fair in Fort St John, two acts before the headliner Tanya Tucker. We were singing “Wave On Wave” by Pat Green and the crowd had their arms up in the air. My dad took video of this, but didn’t think to pan over to the crowd. Still an amazing experience.

Picture 3 represents physical health. I would normally be shy about wanting my body to look like the picture, but that’s the body type I wanted. I started working out consistently and got my body to that physical shape. Have I maintained? Not quite as much as the picture represents, but I’m in the ballpark.

Picture 4 represents my spouse. I did an exercise where I wrote out very specific details of the spouse I wanted in my life. I wrote attributes like; quirky, sex positive, goofy, beautiful, type A personality, animal lover. I summed it up by saying “Basically my own Jessica Day from New Girl.” I’ve always been attracted to brunettes, and well let’s just say, I found her. My fiancee Tori is all the things I’ve ever wanted in a spouse and more. I love her more than I ever believed was possible.

Picture 5 represents my home. I never had the desire for an enormous house. I’ve always just wanted a few simple things; Spacious enough to fit a family, a back yard for the dogs and maybe a fire pit, a garage to play hockey in and work on wood projects. That’s it. Really the only thing our current house doesn’t really have is a little more space and a garage. It’s next on the list.

Picture 6 represents family. I had kind of given up on having children of my own when I made this vision board. I still wanted to be a Dad, but I thought it had passed me by. I still put it on my board to attract it. It’s amazing because the picture shows a family with an older daughter and a younger son. While my stepdaughter is much older than the girl in the picture, it’s the exact same family I have now. I knew dating in my 30’s meant there was a good chance I’d end up dating somebody who already had children, and I could not be happier to have my stepdaughter Ava in my life. We have an amazing relationship, and I am so grateful that she is an incredible big sister to Theo.

Picture 7 represents giving a speech on the Ted Talk stage. I love Ted Talks. I believe Ted Talks have made me the man I am today. Writing a book and inspiring others through a blog and motiational speaking has been a dream of mine forever. If you’re reading this, you know I’m putting in the work to make it reality. I went a step forward with this particular visualization by asking ChatGPT to make a caricature of me promoting Nobody Is Gonna Save You and I could not be more pleased with the result.

Picture 8 represents winning a CMA (Country Music Association) Award. I’ve played and created music since I was 12 years old. Becoming a country music star was always a dream of mine. I am so proud of how much I have grown as an artist. I have written songs that I believe are worthy of accolades. While it hasn’t always been a focus of mine, I keep attracting musical opportunities into my life.

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” -Bill Gates, founder of Windows.

Despite the timing of this reference (ahem Bill Gates is in the Epstein files, likely is contributing to the NWO and despite being super rich hasn’t solved poverty.) this quote is straight fire.

I made this vision board in 2021, and I have already seen half of the pictures come to life. It didn’t happen in a year. It took time. I have full faith that by 2031, I’ll need to make a new vision board because this one will be complete.

I love optimists and despise pessimists, but I do understand realists. It’s unfathomable to believe that in two weeks I can make a million dollars by just visualization practices. I do know, however, that I can make a million dollars in the next five years by blogging and writing my book that will become a bestseller.

Nobody is gonna save you. You have the wood. You have the match. Now go make fire baby!