Life Design Unlocked

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans is a must-read book for anyone looking to improve their life. The authors, both professors at Stanford University, apply the principles of design thinking to help readers create fulfilling, meaningful lives. The result is a book that is both practical and inspiring.

The authors walk you through tactical practices to ensure that you are focusing your efforts on the parts of your life that really need the most attention. When I picked up the book, I was focused primarily on thinking about my next career move, but as a result, I found that health was an area of my life that I really needed to prioritize better. It covers a wide range of topics, from career development to relationships to health and wellness. The authors provide detailed guidance and exercises on each topic, helping readers to identify their goals and take concrete steps to achieve them.

Although I have often used design thinking principles in my career and with clients to define their goals, I have never applied those same concepts to my personal or professional goals. The key concept of prototyping was an enlightening way to think about what might be next for your career. The authors argue that instead of simply planning and analyzing, we should be actively testing and iterating our ideas to see what works best. This approach can help us avoid getting stuck in overthinking or perfectionism, and instead move quickly towards actual progress and growth. The authors use real-life examples, personal anecdotes, and humor to make their points. They also use a variety of tools, including diagrams and charts, to help readers visualize their ideas and progress. Overall, it's an incredibly engaging and accessible approach to redefining positive goals for your future. The authors encourage readers to take small, incremental steps towards their goals, focusing on progress rather than perfection.

Overall, I really liked this book. In retrospect, a lot of what they were saying about the effectiveness of these approaches was largely known information based on my background in design and development, but the application of how to really apply them to life design was revolutionary. Its accessible style, powerful concepts, and emphasis on action make it an essential read for anyone seeking to create a better, more fulfilling life.