Ever wondered how to navigate career transitions or design a life that truly resonates with you? Do you want to know how Clara, Elise, and Donald reinvented their careers and found fulfillment in unexpected places? Intrigued by the idea of prototyping your next career move, building a life design community, and utilizing design thinking in life planning? Curious about the concept of failure immunity and how it can enrich your life? Dive in and discover how to design a life you'll love, drawing lessons from the Stanford Design Program and real-life stories.

Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You

Meet Ellen. She loved rocks, which naturally led her to study geology. But after graduating, she realized she didn’t want to be a geologist. Lost and back at home, she found herself babysitting again. Ellen’s story is far from unique. Only 27% of U.S. college grads work in fields related to their majors. The belief that your degree defines your career is a myth. Three-quarters don’t follow that path, revealing that life is more about designing your journey than fitting into a predetermined mold.

Take Janine, for instance. She had it all—an impressive law career, a perfect plan—but felt profoundly unhappy. She believed success equated to happiness, yet she found herself crying on her deck, surrounded by Silicon Valley’s lights. In reality, true happiness stems from designing a life that resonates with you.

Then there’s Donald, who had a solid career and a stable life but woke up each night asking, “Why am I doing this?” He felt trapped by the belief that it was too late to change. However, 31 million Americans aged 44-70 are seeking encore careers that blend meaning, income, and social impact, proving it’s never too late to design a life you love.

Designers thrive on problems. Every creative solution around us, from portable music devices to ergonomic chairs, started with a problem. Unlike engineering, which seeks a single best solution, design embraces multiple potential solutions. Apple’s journey to integrate a trackball in their first laptop exemplifies this—an innovative breakthrough born from collaboration and tinkering.

Bill and Dave, the authors, both with roots at Stanford, brought design thinking to life planning. Bill discovered product design early, while Dave stumbled through various paths before finding his way in high-tech leadership. Together, they transformed this experience into a Stanford course, helping students apply design principles to life.

Design thinking means building your way forward. It’s about curiosity, trying new things, reframing problems, being aware of the process, and seeking radical collaboration. It’s not about finding a passion first but developing it through exploration and mastery. Passion often follows action.

A well-designed life aligns who you are, what you believe, and what you do. It's a blend of adventures, lessons from failures, and achievements. By engaging in life design, unexpected opportunities appear, seemingly by luck but actually through deliberate, curious, and collaborative effort.

So, embrace the process. Use design thinking to craft a life that’s ever-evolving, meaningful, and uniquely yours. The journey might surprise you, but it promises to be fulfilling and fun.

Can Design Thinking Help You Craft a Life You Love?

At Stanford’s design studio, there's a sign that reads "You Are Here." This simple statement is a powerful reminder that no matter your background or current situation, you can start designing your life from where you are right now. Design thinking thrives on solving "wicked problems"—those tricky, resistant-to-resolution issues that we all face at some point.

Dave’s story is a perfect example. He began college convinced he was destined to be a marine biologist, inspired by Jacques Cousteau and his high school teacher, Mrs. Strauss. Despite his passion, Dave hated his biology classes and struggled academically. His TAs repeatedly advised him to quit, but he persisted, fixated on his dream. It took Dave two and a half years to realize he was working on the wrong problem. Once he switched to mechanical engineering, he found success and happiness.

This story highlights a key aspect of design thinking: the importance of problem finding. Often, we misidentify our problems, like thinking we need a new job when the real issue is a desire to spend more time at home. Misguided efforts can lead to wasted years or even a lifetime of dissatisfaction.

Understanding where you are involves assessing different areas of your life: health, work, play, and love. Dave’s misadventure in biology and eventual switch to engineering underscores the importance of reassessing and realigning your goals. 

Another crucial lesson is recognizing "gravity problems"—issues that are unchangeable, like gravity itself. Fighting these is futile and only leads to frustration. Instead, accept them and focus on actionable problems.

For instance, an entrepreneur named Fred realized his health was suffering due to his intense focus on work. By hiring a personal trainer and dedicating time to intellectual and spiritual growth, he improved his efficiency and satisfaction. Similarly, Debbie, who left her job to raise twins, found validation in her work at home when she reassessed her life.

To start designing your life, create a health-work-play-love dashboard. Assess each area honestly and look for imbalances. For example, Bill noticed his play gauge was low, prompting him to make changes. This dashboard helps you identify where to focus your design efforts and ensures you’re working on the right problems.

Remember, designing your life is an iterative process. It’s not about achieving a perfect balance but about making continuous adjustments to improve your overall well-being. So, start where you are, assess your life, and begin designing a future that aligns with your true needs and aspirations.

Designing Your Life: Stanford's Lessons on Problem Finding and Balancing Your Life's Dashboard

Many of us spend countless hours worrying, analyzing, and speculating about life instead of truly living it. But what if you could build a compass to guide you?

To design your life, you need to address age-old questions: What is the good life? Why am I here? What is my purpose? The key steps are building your Workview and Lifeview. A Workview defines what work means to you. Why do you work? What makes work valuable? On the other hand, a Lifeview is your understanding of the world and your place in it. What gives life meaning? How does your life relate to others?

Consider Parker Palmer, who realized he was living someone else’s life, emulating heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. He redirected his path to become a thought leader and writer, aligning his work with his authentic self. This authenticity created a coherent life where who he was, what he believed, and what he did were in harmony.

Take Michael, for example. He followed a predetermined path, becoming a civil engineer, but felt miserable. After logging his daily activities and reflecting on what engaged and energized him, he discovered he loved solving complex engineering problems but hated the administrative tasks. This insight led him to pursue a Ph.D. and focus on what truly made him happy.

To find your way, engage in activities that bring you joy and energy. Flow, where time stands still and you’re fully immersed, is a key indicator. Track your daily activities and reflect on what engages and energizes you. Use the AEIOU method—considering Activities, Environments, Interactions, Objects, and Users—to deepen your understanding.

By aligning your Workview and Lifeview, you create a compass that guides you towards a coherent, meaningful life. Remember, it’s not about knowing the exact destination but ensuring you’re heading in the right direction. So, start your quest to design your life. Write down your reflections, integrate your views, and follow your true north.

Can Designing Your Life Lead You to Your True North?

Meet Grant. He was stuck in a monotonous job at a car rental agency. He felt like an unimportant cog, dealing with irate customers and repetitive tasks. The only joy he found was in activities like hiking and playing basketball, none of which paid the bills. His impending promotion made him feel even more trapped. Grant's dilemma is common; many people feel stuck because they don’t think like designers. They latch onto their first idea, convinced it’s their only option.

Similarly, Sharon, a paralegal laid off from a prestigious law firm, spent over a year searching for a job online without success. She, too, was stuck, having pursued a career that wasn’t her true passion. Both Grant and Sharon needed to generate multiple ideas for their futures.

Design thinking encourages generating numerous ideas before choosing one. This approach can transform being “stuck” into a launching pad for creativity. Mind mapping is a useful tool in this process. For Grant, a mind map centered on "being outdoors" led to ideas like working at an Explorer Camp or relocating to a company office near a beach.

Similarly, John had a dream of a Grand Canyon mule ride but was anchored by his weight limit. Reframing his dream to “See the Grand Canyon Top to Bottom” opened up new possibilities like hiking or a helicopter ride.

Design thinking also involves creating Odyssey Plans - three different versions of the next five years of your life. These plans should be diverse, not just variations on a theme. For instance, Martha, a tech executive, envisioned becoming a startup founder, a nonprofit CEO, or opening a community bar, each plan asking different questions about her future.

In essence, to get unstuck, think like a designer: generate lots of ideas, reframe problems, and create multiple future scenarios. This approach can lead to unexpected and fulfilling paths.

Escape the Rut: Unleashing Creativity through Design Thinking

Clara, a seasoned sales executive, was ready for a change after 35 years. Unlike her friends who had ventured into hobbies and volunteer work, Clara didn't have a clear next step. She knew she wanted to avoid sales quotas but didn't know where to begin. Instead of jumping into a new commitment, Clara decided to "prototype" her next career by exploring her interests without overcommitting.

Starting with her passion for helping women, Clara attended a mediation training at her local church. This led to a part-time job in the juvenile justice system, where her sales negotiation skills proved invaluable. She then joined the Women's Foundation of California, where she learned about nonprofits and discovered a strong interest in combating homelessness.

Clara’s journey illustrates the power of prototyping—testing ideas through small, low-risk experiments to find a fulfilling path. Prototyping, a core concept from the Stanford Design Program, involves asking questions, challenging assumptions, and iterating quickly. It’s about creating hands-on experiences to explore potential futures.

Just like Clara, Elise, another professional, also sought change but took a different approach. She jumped straight into opening an Italian deli without prototyping. Despite initial success, she soon realized she disliked the daily grind of running a deli. A painful experience led her to a fulfilling career in restaurant interior design.

The lesson here is clear: prototyping allows you to gather real-world data about potential career paths, reducing the risk of committing to something unsuitable. Whether through conversations, shadowing professionals, or short-term projects, prototyping helps you make informed decisions.

In job hunting, understanding the hiring process and using the language of job descriptions can increase your chances. Prototyping conversations—interviews with people in roles you're interested in—can provide valuable insights and connections.

Clara’s thoughtful, step-by-step approach to redesigning her life demonstrates how prototyping can reveal unexpected opportunities and lead to a meaningful encore career. It’s a strategy that anyone can use to navigate career transitions and find fulfilling work.

Can Prototyping Be Your Secret Weapon to a Successful Career Transition?

Many believe that their dream job is waiting for them to discover it. The truth? You design your dream job through active seeking and co-creating. There’s no fairy-tale job out there; instead, there are many good jobs in great places with dedicated co-workers. Often, these jobs are part of the hidden job market, not found online.

Take Kurt, who had master’s degrees from Yale and Stanford but zero job offers after sending 38 meticulously crafted applications. Realizing the need for a change, he stopped applying for jobs and started conducting Life Design Interviews. Through 56 genuine conversations, Kurt received seven job offers and secured his dream job in environmentally sustainable design. He achieved this not by asking for jobs but by asking for people’s life stories.

Networking, often seen as slimy, can be reimagined as simply asking for directions. Kurt’s success came from reaching out and connecting with people in his field. This approach is essential for navigating the hidden job market. Bella, another success story, landed a job in impact investing after 200 conversations in six months, leveraging tools like LinkedIn and Google.

When job hunting, don’t focus solely on finding the perfect job. Instead, aim for multiple job offers. This shift in mindset can lead to genuine curiosity and better opportunities. People hire those they like and find interesting, so being authentically curious about potential roles is crucial.

Designing a fulfilling life and career involves making good choices and living into them confidently. Happiness isn’t about making the right choice but about choosing well. Agonizing over decisions can undermine your happiness. Instead, follow a four-step choosing process: gather options, narrow them down, choose discerningly, and let go of unnecessary options.

Research shows too many options can overwhelm us, like in Sheena Iyengar’s jam study. People performed best when choosing between three to five options. If you have too many, narrow them down by crossing some off your list. Trust yourself; if you cross off the wrong ones, you’ll realize it quickly.

When choosing, use more than just cognitive judgment. Incorporate emotional, intuitive, and social ways of knowing. Techniques like “grokking” (immersing yourself in the decision) can help. Once you’ve made a choice, let go of the other options and move on.

Andy, a student torn between becoming a policy adviser or a med-tech entrepreneur, chose med school to gain credibility. By fully embracing this path and focusing on how it aligned with his goals, he let go of his doubts and moved forward.

Designers don’t agonize over past decisions. They see every path as an adventure and embrace their choices. This mindset leads to happiness and fulfillment in the life they design.

Designing Happiness: Unearth Your Dream Job Through Active Seeking and Intuitive Decision Making

Imagine a vaccine that could prevent failure—just one shot, and your life would be a series of unbroken successes. Sounds tempting, right? But here’s the twist: while you can’t avoid failure, you can build immunity to its negativity.

When you engage with life using curiosity, collaboration, and action, you develop what psychologist Angela Duckworth calls "grit"—a better predictor of success than IQ. As life designers, we prototype and experiment, inevitably facing failures. But these failures are not setbacks; they're learning opportunities.

Consider Dave and Bill, who teach a life design class. One day, Dave spontaneously changed a class exercise, risking failure in front of 80 students. Bill’s response? He admired Dave's willingness to fail and learn. Their approach illustrates failure immunity: using a bias to action and failing fast to learn quickly and improve.

Life isn’t a finite game with winners and losers; it’s an infinite game—like a dance, where the goal is to keep moving and enjoying the process. Philosopher James Carse describes finite games as those with clear winners (like getting an A in chemistry), while infinite games are about ongoing engagement (like understanding how the world works). In life design, we play the infinite game of becoming more ourselves.

Take Reed, who lost every school election from fifth grade through junior year—13 times in a row. He ran for senior class president one last time and won. His perseverance paid off again at 25 when he faced cancer. Reed’s failure immunity, built over years of setbacks, helped him focus on recovery instead of despair. He even took a year off to be a ski bum, an audacious move that ultimately enriched his life.

Reed’s story didn't end there. He pursued a dream job in the NFL, faced rejection, but kept innovating and networking until he landed a better role than he initially sought. His resilience, built through repeated failures, made him immune to the fear of losing.

To build your own failure immunity, try the failure reframe exercise:
1. Log your failures.
2. Categorize them as screwups, weaknesses, or growth opportunities.
3. Identify growth insights.

Dave, for example, missed his daughter’s birthday by a week—a screwup he learned not to repeat. He also dealt with a house robbery during fumigation—an unusual but preventable screwup. More enlightening was a phone call where he upset a client by skipping a check-in—an unexpected failure that taught him to always start conversations by gauging the other person's situation.

Life design teaches us not to fight reality. When setbacks occur, they become new starting points filled with valuable information. Embrace the infinite game of learning and growing, knowing that every failure is a step forward.

Can You Immunize Yourself Against the Fear of Failure?

Every great design is a product of radical collaboration. The myth of the lone genius is deeply flawed. Life design isn't just about you; it's about us. It's a communal effort, requiring contributions and participation from others.

Consider Ellen, Janine, and Donald. They had goals and achieved many, yet found themselves lost, wondering why their choices didn’t bring happiness. They believed they had to figure it out alone, a misconception that left them stranded. If you’re trying to solve your life in isolation, you’ll be waiting a long time. Look around you; your team is already there.

When you're designing your life, everyone you engage with becomes part of your design community—supporters, players, intimates, and mentors. Each has a unique role. Supporters are your go-to people for encouragement and feedback. Players actively participate in your projects. Intimates, like family and close friends, are deeply invested in your life design, even if their involvement is tricky. And mentors, who provide counsel rather than advice, can help you discern your own best path.

Mentors are invaluable—they listen, ask probing questions, and help you see your reality in new ways. They help turn the noise in your head into clarity. Finding good mentors isn't always easy, but many people have the potential to mentor if you take the initiative to ask for their counsel.

Community is essential for a well-designed life. Whether it’s a group with a kindred purpose, shared values, or regular meetings, being part of a community means investing in the ongoing creation of one another’s lives. It’s about knowing and being known, engaging honestly with one another’s hopes and struggles.

Life design is a journey best traveled with others. Build your team with three to five people who are also actively designing their lives. Share this book with them, meet regularly, and co-create a well-designed life together.

Designing Life Through Radical Collaboration: Ditching the Lone Wolf Approach for a Thriving Community

Your degree doesn't have to dictate your career. Many people end up in fields unrelated to their studies, showing that life is more about crafting a unique journey than fitting into a set path.

True happiness comes from designing a life that resonates with you, not necessarily from traditional markers of success. It's never too late to start anew and find a career that blends meaning, income, and social impact.

Design thinking can be applied to life planning. It's about being curious, experimenting, reframing problems, and collaborating. Passion often follows action, not the other way around.

A well-designed life aligns with who you are, what you believe, and what you do. By engaging in life design, you open up to unexpected opportunities through deliberate effort.

You can start designing your life from wherever you are now, addressing "wicked problems" through problem finding and reframing. Assessing areas like health, work, play, and love can help realign your goals and focus on actionable problems.

Prototyping is a powerful tool for exploring potential career paths through small, low-risk experiments. This helps make informed decisions and reduces the risk of committing to unsuitable paths.

When job hunting, aim for multiple offers rather than the perfect job. Networking should be about genuine curiosity and connecting with people in your field.

Good choices lead to a fulfilling life. It’s more about choosing well and moving forward confidently rather than agonizing over the perfect decision.

Failure is part of the process. Building "failure immunity" means viewing setbacks as learning opportunities and continuing to grow.

Lastly, designing your life is a collaborative effort. Building a support network of mentors, friends, and peers can provide invaluable guidance and feedback. Engaging with others enriches the design journey, making it a communal and fulfilling experience.

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Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You

Bill Burnett

Ever wondered how to navigate career transitions or design a life that truly resonates with you?

Do you want to know how Clara, Elise, and Donald reinvented their careers and found fulfillment in unexpected places?

Intrigued by the idea of prototyping your next career move, building a life design community, and utilizing design thinking in life planning?

Curious about the concept of failure immunity and how it can enrich your life?

Dive in and discover how to design a life you'll love, drawing lessons from the Stanford Design Program and real-life stories.

Key Ideas

#1