It’s that time of year again! The time when you think ahead to the next 12 months and everything you want to do, see, and accomplish. To keep all of your goals organized — and maybe even manifest a few big dreams — you could go the traditional route and make a cute vision board. Another option? Making a bingo card.
Bingo vision boards are currently going viral as an exciting alternative to your traditional photo collage. On TikTok, @mattimensink got together with friends for a craft night where they made bingo boards together. In her comments, someone said, “This is BRILLIANT. omg.” Another wrote, “I’m going to do this with my friends on Wednesday.”
The idea is simple: Grab a thick piece of paper, draw a grid on it that looks like a bingo card, and then fill in all the squares with goals, plans, and things you’d like to accomplish in the new year. (Don’t forget your free space in the middle!) It can be New Year’s resolutions, habits you’d like to form, trips you’d like to take, etc.
Matti and her friends wrote things like: run a race, go on a girls’ trip, save more money, graduate with highest honors, go on more walks, clean out camera roll, spa day, read more books, and find a hobby. As you complete each goal throughout the year, you cross it off — just like in a game of bingo — and the aim is to complete them all and get as many bingos as possible.
Tired of your usual vision board? Here’s why the bingo vision board feels more inspiring.
A Bingo Vision Board For 2026
According to Keisha Saunders Waldron, LCMHCS, a counselor, speaker, and founder of Confidential Confessions Counseling Services, people love the idea of mapping out their goals, but it’s not uncommon to make a vision board, get excited, and then completely forget about it.
“The problem isn’t the concept,” she tells Bustle. “It’s that traditional vision boards are passive. You look at them, you feel inspired for five minutes, and then you go back to your regular life. There’s no built-in accountability or momentum.”
With the bingo board, you have to go back to it multiple times throughout the year, which keeps you invested. In fact, “research on goal-setting shows that when people can see tangible evidence of their progress, they’re significantly more likely to stick with their goals,” Saunders Waldron says. “Crossing off a square gives you that immediate dopamine hit that says ‘I’m making progress,’ which fuels the next action.”
That seemed to be the draw for @jenlourdes_, who said, “Every year I’ve done vision boards, but for 2026 I decided to switch it up. Making a bingo card was so much fun! The fact I can cross it off is so satisfying.” Putting a giant X through a goal once it’s been achieved? Pure magic.
Since bingo boards are interactive, they’re also automatically more fun. On TikTok, @erinljones95 said, “I’m turning my New Year’s resolutions into a bingo card, and now that it is a game, I’m going to win. I’m going to get multiple bingos.” By game-ifying your goals, you stay inspired, instead of forgetting about your resolutions within the week.
The setup even inspired Erin to think bigger than usual. ‘Because I know I’m going to get multiple bingos, I’m going to put some delusional sh*t on there,” she added. Forget reading five books or walking every day. Put a trip to Europe on there.
Another important difference is that bingo vision boards seem more flexible. “Instead of ‘I have to achieve all these massive life changes,’ it’s ‘Can I get a bingo?’ That reframe makes it playful and less intimidating. Plus, bingo naturally builds in flexibility. You don’t have to complete every single square to ‘win,’ which takes the pressure off perfectionism.”
How To Make A Bingo Vision Board
Gather Your Supplies
To kick off 2026 with a bingo vision board, gather all your supplies — thick poster paper, stickers, markers, ruler, etc. — and divide the board into a 5×5 grid. For extra encouragement, invite some friends over for a get-together, like creator @the.orange.home, who laid out snacks and supplies. Vision boarding always makes for the perfect craft night.
Fill 25 Squares
With a bingo card, you have room for 25 goals, habits, and plans. Saunders Waldron recommends keeping most of them lighthearted and energizing, like going to a concert or trying a new restaurant.
The rest can be bigger or more meaningful, like decluttering a room in your house, going on vacation, or saving $5,000. “The key is that every square should be something you can realistically complete within the year and that you’ll actually feel good about doing,” she says.
Break It Down
Miranda Malone, a clinical therapist who just made a bingo vision board of her own, also suggests breaking some of your larger goals down into smaller chunks and giving each part its own square.
“For instance, I have a grander goal of reaching 100k on social media this year,” she tells Bustle. “I broke that into things like ‘hit 50k,’ ‘speak on five podcasts,’ and ‘start writing my book.’ It also honors the process, not just the end result.”
Think Categories
Want a well-rounded card? “Start by brainstorming across different life categories: social (friendships, dating, family), personal growth (skills, hobbies, habits), physical (movement, health, rest), professional (career wins, learning), and fun (travel, experiences, creativity),” says Saunders Waldron. “If you’re stuck, ask yourself: What have I been saying I want to do but keep putting off? What would make this year feel good even if nothing else big happens?”
Use The Free Space Strategically
Bingo cards always have one free space in the middle that you automatically get to X off. On TikTok, many people put their birthday, like “Celebrate Turning 31.” Saunders Waldron says you can also put something you’ve already accomplished as a way to get the ball rolling. “It’s basically a reminder that this is supposed to be fun,” she says.
Bingo!
When your board is finished, hang it up somewhere visible and as you complete your goals, cross off your squares. It’ll be fun to see which ones you’re able to do first, and how many bingos you have by the end of the year.
Sources:
Keisha Saunders Waldron, LCMHCS, counselor, speaker, and founder of Confidential Confessions Counseling Services
Miranda Malone, clinical therapist, grief guide, founder of The Dead Mom Club
Studies referenced:
Locke, E. A. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year Odyssey. American Psychologist. doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.57.9.705
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