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Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • At last, a book that shows you how to build—design—a life you can thrive in, at any age or stage • “Life has questions. They have answers.” —The New York Times
Designers create worlds and solve problems using design thinking. Look around your office or home—at the tablet or smartphone you may be holding or the chair you are sitting in. Everything in our lives was designed by someone. And every design starts with a problem that a designer or team of designers seeks to solve.
In this book, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans show us how design thinking can help us create a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling, regardless of who or where we are, what we do or have done for a living, or how young or old we are. The same design thinking responsible for amazing technology, products, and spaces can be used to design and build your career and your life, a life of fulfillment and joy, constantly creative and productive, one that always holds the possibility of surprise.
Designers create worlds and solve problems using design thinking. Look around your office or home—at the tablet or smartphone you may be holding or the chair you are sitting in. Everything in our lives was designed by someone. And every design starts with a problem that a designer or team of designers seeks to solve.
In this book, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans show us how design thinking can help us create a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling, regardless of who or where we are, what we do or have done for a living, or how young or old we are. The same design thinking responsible for amazing technology, products, and spaces can be used to design and build your career and your life, a life of fulfillment and joy, constantly creative and productive, one that always holds the possibility of surprise.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2016
1425 people are currently reading
7164 people want to read
About the author
Bill Burnett
17 books248 followersBill Burnett is an award-winning Silicon Valley designer and the Executive Director of the renowned Design Program at Stanford University.
Bill Burnett is the Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford. He directs the undergraduate and graduate program in design at Stanford, both interdepartmental programs between the Mechanical Engineering department and the Art department. He got his BS and MS in Product Design at Stanford and has worked professionally on a wide variety of projects ranging from award-winning Apple PowerBooks to the original Hasbro Star Wars action figures. He holds a number of mechanical and design patents, and design awards for a variety of products including the first “slate” computer. In addition to his duties at Stanford, he is a on the Board of VOZ (pronounced “VAWS – it means voice in Spanish) a social responsible high fashion startup and advises several Internet start-up companies.
Bill Burnett is the Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford. He directs the undergraduate and graduate program in design at Stanford, both interdepartmental programs between the Mechanical Engineering department and the Art department. He got his BS and MS in Product Design at Stanford and has worked professionally on a wide variety of projects ranging from award-winning Apple PowerBooks to the original Hasbro Star Wars action figures. He holds a number of mechanical and design patents, and design awards for a variety of products including the first “slate” computer. In addition to his duties at Stanford, he is a on the Board of VOZ (pronounced “VAWS – it means voice in Spanish) a social responsible high fashion startup and advises several Internet start-up companies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
February 15, 2023
Only made it about 50% of the way through the book before I just skimmed it. Long winded examples, the straight up disregard of anyone in an artistic field, and the endless examples of people in abundantly better financial situations... not to mention the classic "that's just how things are" mentality that smacks of privilege...
Suggesting people who've been out of the work field for prolonged periods just go do volunteer work or accept a very low paying job (regardless of their situation) really drove it home that these people have never been in a dire situation financially.
It's easy to say that these kind of books are not meant for people like me; but that's exactly the issue.
I understand their vague gesture at the point that you can work within the system and try to change it. However, that doesn't work for people who have to grasp the lower rung. Furthermore, the book dismisses anyone in creative fields so how does that work to help fix the system working against them?
I felt more like giving up on life after reading this. I feel more hopeless than before...
Suggesting people who've been out of the work field for prolonged periods just go do volunteer work or accept a very low paying job (regardless of their situation) really drove it home that these people have never been in a dire situation financially.
It's easy to say that these kind of books are not meant for people like me; but that's exactly the issue.
I understand their vague gesture at the point that you can work within the system and try to change it. However, that doesn't work for people who have to grasp the lower rung. Furthermore, the book dismisses anyone in creative fields so how does that work to help fix the system working against them?
I felt more like giving up on life after reading this. I feel more hopeless than before...
December 9, 2022
4.5 stars. This book gives extremely clear, practical advice for "designing your life"; finding out what you like, value, and are interested in, then applying it to exploring a career and hobbies.
Chapter One focuses on what your current life is like, seeing the balance of health, work, play and love you have, to evaluate how balanced your life is.
Chapter Two is all about coherency; finding what kind of work you enjoy and what are your values in work.
Chapter Three talks about the flow state, and also defines what good work is for you.It gives exercises to fill out with your daily activities, and whether you are fulfilled or energized by them.
Later in the book, you get to try mind mapping and object association, coming up with different options for how your life could go in 5 years and exploring new possibilities.
In Chapter Six, we learn about prototypes and the importance of talking to people in your desired field; learning more about careers before pursuing them wholeheartedly by running "test runs" and talking to people, shadowing, etc.
Chapter Seven is about the actual logistics of finding a job, where I learned that most employers uses robots/AI to weed out resumes by keywords, making it unlikely they will actually see your resume. Very sad, but a reality; so they talk about including certain things on your resume, and trying to get a contact in the company first. Unfortunately in this job market 90% of jobs are never posted online, and many of the posts are actually a front for internal promotion. So, the best way to get a job is to know someone that can put in a good word.
Final advice to summarize the book:
1. Be Curious (about everything) and don't shoot down possibilities right away.
2. Try stuff.
3. Reframe problems as workable or "gravity" problems that are unsolvable, and work on them accordingly.
4. Know it's a process, and there are no wrong answers. The only wrong answer is not asking questions and trying to create postive change in your life and career for it to be meaningful to you.
5. Ask for help. Get feedback from trusted advisors and form connections with people.
Chapter One focuses on what your current life is like, seeing the balance of health, work, play and love you have, to evaluate how balanced your life is.
Chapter Two is all about coherency; finding what kind of work you enjoy and what are your values in work.
Chapter Three talks about the flow state, and also defines what good work is for you.It gives exercises to fill out with your daily activities, and whether you are fulfilled or energized by them.
Later in the book, you get to try mind mapping and object association, coming up with different options for how your life could go in 5 years and exploring new possibilities.
In Chapter Six, we learn about prototypes and the importance of talking to people in your desired field; learning more about careers before pursuing them wholeheartedly by running "test runs" and talking to people, shadowing, etc.
Chapter Seven is about the actual logistics of finding a job, where I learned that most employers uses robots/AI to weed out resumes by keywords, making it unlikely they will actually see your resume. Very sad, but a reality; so they talk about including certain things on your resume, and trying to get a contact in the company first. Unfortunately in this job market 90% of jobs are never posted online, and many of the posts are actually a front for internal promotion. So, the best way to get a job is to know someone that can put in a good word.
Final advice to summarize the book:
1. Be Curious (about everything) and don't shoot down possibilities right away.
2. Try stuff.
3. Reframe problems as workable or "gravity" problems that are unsolvable, and work on them accordingly.
4. Know it's a process, and there are no wrong answers. The only wrong answer is not asking questions and trying to create postive change in your life and career for it to be meaningful to you.
5. Ask for help. Get feedback from trusted advisors and form connections with people.
December 30, 2022
helpful in shifting my mindset when dealing with career anxiety & reaffirming that i am not stuck in whatever i start out in
Read
July 30, 2024This is the text for Joe Casey's Retirement Wisdom Series Group, both of which are terrific.
Learning the # of choices that humans do best choosing from was useful.
Coming up with three different ways forward was useful and prototyping aspects of each was challenging.
Working within a group was what I was looking for, but I wasn't counting on learning a project management system that is common in engineering. I've read a lot of books and watched some super TV docs on happiness, but nothing compares to mixing it up with a group led by an experienced executive coach.
If you are graduating high school or college, or hitting midlife, or retiring, do what this book says and you will achieve your goals and be happy getting there.
Learning the # of choices that humans do best choosing from was useful.
Coming up with three different ways forward was useful and prototyping aspects of each was challenging.
Working within a group was what I was looking for, but I wasn't counting on learning a project management system that is common in engineering. I've read a lot of books and watched some super TV docs on happiness, but nothing compares to mixing it up with a group led by an experienced executive coach.
If you are graduating high school or college, or hitting midlife, or retiring, do what this book says and you will achieve your goals and be happy getting there.
August 18, 2023
I read this book for a job because my position is responsible for hosting Life Design workshops. While it was not a “fun read,” it was extremely beneficial to those who need guidance in deciding what is next, or to those (such as myself) who are responsible for counseling or mentoring people in their future. For this reason, I rated it a “four star” but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone outside of those two categories.
I had to be intentional while reading this book, just because it wasn’t as enjoyable as it was educational. The authors, however, incorporated humor and sarcasm, which was appreciated in a book that otherwise would have been “dry” without it.
I had to be intentional while reading this book, just because it wasn’t as enjoyable as it was educational. The authors, however, incorporated humor and sarcasm, which was appreciated in a book that otherwise would have been “dry” without it.
October 17, 2022
Good advice that people probably need to hear, but—being a designer myself—I have heard or considered most of these ideas before. A lot of the things taught are practices we implement in your design process every day. (:
The book itself opens almost every chapter or introduces every new idea with an anecdotal story from an person that succeeded or failed at doing a certain “thing.” I skipped these pages because I preferred reading the actual recommendation than reading an example of how someone applied the advised steps. Most of them made sense but we’re not applicable to me.
The book itself opens almost every chapter or introduces every new idea with an anecdotal story from an person that succeeded or failed at doing a certain “thing.” I skipped these pages because I preferred reading the actual recommendation than reading an example of how someone applied the advised steps. Most of them made sense but we’re not applicable to me.
December 22, 2024
Initially feels cringy as the authors pushed me oit of my comfort zone to stop reading and do the excercises. But once done, the exercises, recommendations and the book itself was absolutely life-changing. Love it.
November 15, 2024
A must read for anyone who may feel trapped by their self inflicted identity of jack of all trades, master of none
February 26, 2024
"Designing Your Life" by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans is a guide that redefines the concept of life planning. In a world where we often feel pressured to follow a certain path, this book offers a refreshing perspective, encouraging readers to approach life as designers rather than followers.
One of the book's best qualities lies in its emphasis on experimentation. By treating life as a series of design challenges, readers are encouraged to test ideas, embrace failure as feedback, and continuously refine their plans. This process brings a sense of agency and creativity in shaping one's future.
The book is able to address common fears that come with adulthood, such as fear of failure, societal expectations, and the myth of the "perfect" career. They guide readers through strategies for overcoming these obstacles and embracing uncertainty as a part of the design process.
What sets this book apart from others is its accessibility and applicability to readers of all ages. My older sister, who is 23, bought this book for me as a christmas present last year, telling me she really thought i’d relate to it. I saw the title thinking this book was for “older” people like my sister. As I started reading, I realized how even now as a 17 year old, I could relate to a lot of the content in the book as much of it had to do with fears I’ve dealt with thinking about college and my future after high school.
In conclusion, "Designing Your Life" is not just a book—it's a roadmap to living with intention, purpose, and joy.
One of the book's best qualities lies in its emphasis on experimentation. By treating life as a series of design challenges, readers are encouraged to test ideas, embrace failure as feedback, and continuously refine their plans. This process brings a sense of agency and creativity in shaping one's future.
The book is able to address common fears that come with adulthood, such as fear of failure, societal expectations, and the myth of the "perfect" career. They guide readers through strategies for overcoming these obstacles and embracing uncertainty as a part of the design process.
What sets this book apart from others is its accessibility and applicability to readers of all ages. My older sister, who is 23, bought this book for me as a christmas present last year, telling me she really thought i’d relate to it. I saw the title thinking this book was for “older” people like my sister. As I started reading, I realized how even now as a 17 year old, I could relate to a lot of the content in the book as much of it had to do with fears I’ve dealt with thinking about college and my future after high school.
In conclusion, "Designing Your Life" is not just a book—it's a roadmap to living with intention, purpose, and joy.
April 18, 2024
2.5
It's a fine book. Had to read it for a class. My inner cynic has issues with books that have the secret to designing the perfect life. Go read the scriptures instead
It's a fine book. Had to read it for a class. My inner cynic has issues with books that have the secret to designing the perfect life. Go read the scriptures instead
January 17, 2024
Gives practical advice on how to evaluate and design your life around what you have already built. Includes short narratives around main themes which is helpful and fun to read the lessons in action, but dragged towards the end. Main themes are organized into “dysfunctional beliefs” (ie what we think is true) and “reframed” versions of those beliefs. There’s a lot of activity work which I ended up skipping over but I could see them being helpful if you have the time.
March 26, 2025
A good friend shared this book with me, but I went in with low to no expectations. It uses design thinking to help you figure out what you want out of life and purse that as well as other alternatives that you might of thought weren't originally possible for your life.
The contents of this book would be most beneficial (in my opinion) to:
1. People fresh out or about to graduate college
2. People who are unemployed and looking for their next job
3. People who are unhappy with their lives and want to change that
4/5 Stars
The contents of this book would be most beneficial (in my opinion) to:
1. People fresh out or about to graduate college
2. People who are unemployed and looking for their next job
3. People who are unhappy with their lives and want to change that
4/5 Stars
May 30, 2025
Some pretty good tips on how to make the big decisions. Career choice advice echoed what I learned from Rockport Institute. Some promising exercises I want to return to later
September 8, 2025
Read this in spurts over the summer. Some great stuff in it, some not so great stuff in it. Would recommend
June 11, 2025
Stanford professors of design use design principles to frame how to end up in a job that’s best for you
Was profound to me when i read it & gave me clarity i was making the right decision to not go to med school
Was profound to me when i read it & gave me clarity i was making the right decision to not go to med school
September 15, 2025
Helpful book for shifting some of the narratives that I’ve been telling myself and feeling stuck in. I esp liked the way they repeatedly reframed dysfunctional beliefs all throughout.
No new life who dis yet but we laid a stone
No new life who dis yet but we laid a stone
October 31, 2023
This book is a self-help guide that applies design thinking principles to help readers create a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life. Even if I was familiar with them before, I was pleasantly surprised to see them from a different perspective, in a different context - not a product product, but my life as a product.
// notes
Chapter 1: "Start Where You Are" - assess their current situation and begin the journey of self-discovery and personal design. First lesson - think about what you can change. As a stoic, this resonated a lot with me.
"Gravity problems: If it is not actionable it is not a problem"
Chapter 2: "Building a Compass" - discuss the importance of creating a life compass – a tool for making decisions that align with your values, interests, and aspirations. It guides you through exercises to help identify what matters most to you.
"Designing something changes the future"
Engagement
Flow
Energy
Chapter 3: "Wayfinding" - explore different paths and possibilities in life
Quantity over quality
Do not censor ideas
Fear shuts down creativity
Build on others' ideas
Go for crazy ideas
Naming and framing outcomes
Create the 3 Odysseys
Chapter 4: "Getting Unstuck"
Disfuncțional belief
Networking is not hustling people.. are asking for directions
Chapter 5: "Design Thinking in Life" - concepts of re-framing problems, empathy, and brainstorming to help readers generate creative solutions to life challenges.
Chapter 6: "Prototyping" - experiment and try out different life designs through prototyping. It emphasizes the importance of learning from failure and iterating on your life plans.
Prototyping interviews
Chapter 7: "How Not to Get a Job
Focus on the Hiring Manager needs to hire a person
Chapter 8: "Choosing Well"
Commit to your choices.
To be happy I have to make the right choice
here is not a good choice
There is good choosing
1. Gather and create options
2. Narrow down the list
Study Jam - Sheena Iyengar
Chapter 9: "Reframing" - explore how to shift your perspective on life challenges and view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
Log your failures
Categories failures
Reframe failure - healthy habits that lead to failure immunity
Identify growth insights
Screw-ups
Weaknesses
Growth opportunities
What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?
Chapter 10: "Mindsets"- embrace a growth mindset, be resilient, and remain open to lifelong learning and change.
council vs advice
Compass & Values
advice - if I were you - mean the opposite - if u are me
Be curious - curiosity mindset
Try stuff - de-bias mindset
Reframe problems - reframing mindset
Know it is a process - Awareness mindset
Ask for help - Radical Collaboration mindset
// notes
Chapter 1: "Start Where You Are" - assess their current situation and begin the journey of self-discovery and personal design. First lesson - think about what you can change. As a stoic, this resonated a lot with me.
"Gravity problems: If it is not actionable it is not a problem"
Chapter 2: "Building a Compass" - discuss the importance of creating a life compass – a tool for making decisions that align with your values, interests, and aspirations. It guides you through exercises to help identify what matters most to you.
"Designing something changes the future"
Engagement
Flow
Energy
Chapter 3: "Wayfinding" - explore different paths and possibilities in life
Quantity over quality
Do not censor ideas
Fear shuts down creativity
Build on others' ideas
Go for crazy ideas
Naming and framing outcomes
Create the 3 Odysseys
Chapter 4: "Getting Unstuck"
Disfuncțional belief
Networking is not hustling people.. are asking for directions
Chapter 5: "Design Thinking in Life" - concepts of re-framing problems, empathy, and brainstorming to help readers generate creative solutions to life challenges.
Chapter 6: "Prototyping" - experiment and try out different life designs through prototyping. It emphasizes the importance of learning from failure and iterating on your life plans.
Prototyping interviews
Chapter 7: "How Not to Get a Job
Focus on the Hiring Manager needs to hire a person
Chapter 8: "Choosing Well"
Commit to your choices.
To be happy I have to make the right choice
here is not a good choice
There is good choosing
1. Gather and create options
2. Narrow down the list
Study Jam - Sheena Iyengar
Chapter 9: "Reframing" - explore how to shift your perspective on life challenges and view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
Log your failures
Categories failures
Reframe failure - healthy habits that lead to failure immunity
Identify growth insights
Screw-ups
Weaknesses
Growth opportunities
What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?
Chapter 10: "Mindsets"- embrace a growth mindset, be resilient, and remain open to lifelong learning and change.
council vs advice
Compass & Values
advice - if I were you - mean the opposite - if u are me
Be curious - curiosity mindset
Try stuff - de-bias mindset
Reframe problems - reframing mindset
Know it is a process - Awareness mindset
Ask for help - Radical Collaboration mindset
October 15, 2025
Yesterday, I handed off a copy of Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦, a refreshing and pragmatic guide to crafting a fulfilling life using design thinking principles. Typically, I use design thinking to focus in on solving the right problem in the right context, but in this context, it gets a little personal. Drawing from their experience teaching at Stanford University, the authors offer a framework that helps readers approach life’s big questions - career, purpose, happiness - not with anxiety, but with curiosity and creativity.
Some of the key #themes that drive the narrative:
𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲. The same iterative, human-centered process used to design products can be used to design a meaningful life. This includes prototyping, reframing problems, and embracing failure as feedback.
𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Life design is not a solo endeavor. Engaging with others - through conversations, mentorship, and shared experiences - is essential to uncovering new possibilities.
𝗢𝗱𝘆𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. One of the book’s most powerful tools is the “Odyssey Plan,” which encourages readers to sketch out three radically different versions of their future. This exercise breaks the illusion of a single “right” path and opens up imaginative alternatives.
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀. The authors tackle common mental traps - like “I need to figure out my passion” (insert obligatory eye roll) - and offer reframes that reduce pressure and expand options. Instead of waiting for clarity, they advocate for action that generates insight.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱. Rather than committing to major life changes blindly, test ideas through small experiments - informational interviews, side projects, or short-term gigs.
A key #takeaway for me is that you don’t need to have it all figured out to start designing a better life. The process is iterative, insightful, and deeply personal. By shifting from decision-making to curiosity-driven exploration, you unlock paths that feel authentic, energizing, and empowering.
One #quote from the book really stood out to me: “You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you are.”
I'm a firm believer that we create our own luck by taking the initiative and blazing our own unique path. But to carve that path, you have to be firmly grounded in where you stand... you've got to look inward to blaze a path outward.
𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 is more than a bookshelf-worthy self-help book - it’s a toolkit for intentional living. Whether you’re a college student, mid-career professional, or - like me - and aging military retiree, the book offers a flexible, empowering approach to navigating life’s uncertainties with creativity, purpose, and confidence.
Some of the key #themes that drive the narrative:
𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲. The same iterative, human-centered process used to design products can be used to design a meaningful life. This includes prototyping, reframing problems, and embracing failure as feedback.
𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Life design is not a solo endeavor. Engaging with others - through conversations, mentorship, and shared experiences - is essential to uncovering new possibilities.
𝗢𝗱𝘆𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. One of the book’s most powerful tools is the “Odyssey Plan,” which encourages readers to sketch out three radically different versions of their future. This exercise breaks the illusion of a single “right” path and opens up imaginative alternatives.
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀. The authors tackle common mental traps - like “I need to figure out my passion” (insert obligatory eye roll) - and offer reframes that reduce pressure and expand options. Instead of waiting for clarity, they advocate for action that generates insight.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱. Rather than committing to major life changes blindly, test ideas through small experiments - informational interviews, side projects, or short-term gigs.
A key #takeaway for me is that you don’t need to have it all figured out to start designing a better life. The process is iterative, insightful, and deeply personal. By shifting from decision-making to curiosity-driven exploration, you unlock paths that feel authentic, energizing, and empowering.
One #quote from the book really stood out to me: “You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you are.”
I'm a firm believer that we create our own luck by taking the initiative and blazing our own unique path. But to carve that path, you have to be firmly grounded in where you stand... you've got to look inward to blaze a path outward.
𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 is more than a bookshelf-worthy self-help book - it’s a toolkit for intentional living. Whether you’re a college student, mid-career professional, or - like me - and aging military retiree, the book offers a flexible, empowering approach to navigating life’s uncertainties with creativity, purpose, and confidence.
April 11, 2023
Hi-
My boss gave me this book to read. Contains a lot of practical advice for directing yourself through life--emphasizing the professional aspects. If you are serious about doing everything this book suggests, read it slowly, which I did not do. The exercises and activities ramp up quickly, going from self-contained reflection activities to networking and group-think-type activities. Ultimately I gave up trying to do everything and settled on taking certain things piecemeal: I particularly liked their philosophies behind mind-mapping as an exercise to produce unfettered ideas. I also liked the chapter about Life Design Interviews: I'm about to go to grad school and this chapter convinced me to set up more interviews before settling on a major.
Anyways, really scary book. It makes you think about--eek--what you really want.
My boss gave me this book to read. Contains a lot of practical advice for directing yourself through life--emphasizing the professional aspects. If you are serious about doing everything this book suggests, read it slowly, which I did not do. The exercises and activities ramp up quickly, going from self-contained reflection activities to networking and group-think-type activities. Ultimately I gave up trying to do everything and settled on taking certain things piecemeal: I particularly liked their philosophies behind mind-mapping as an exercise to produce unfettered ideas. I also liked the chapter about Life Design Interviews: I'm about to go to grad school and this chapter convinced me to set up more interviews before settling on a major.
Anyways, really scary book. It makes you think about--eek--what you really want.
November 5, 2023
I took the time to actually complete the majority of this book’s exercises and it was tough. In a good way. Have you ever stopped to think through your future- personal and professional- to create a meaningful and happy life? A work in process! Clear examples and instructions, good explanations. Design thinking always brings me new insights.
July 5, 2023
*2.5
this was over 100 pages too long like I’m not stupid and you don’t need to take 15 pages to explain the concept of networking
this was over 100 pages too long like I’m not stupid and you don’t need to take 15 pages to explain the concept of networking
August 27, 2025
This book has a lot of good advice. The authors explain there is no perfect job, so we need to make the job we have perfect for us by considering our interests and needs and working to include them in all we do. They also explain that we need to let go of the choices we did not make, and doing so will let us enjoy our current life more. Since I will soon be 58 and I love my job, teaching Spanish, I feel that I already do a lot of what this book proposes. Still, it was fun to think of not only a Plan A but also a Plan B and Plan C, and to think about the choices I made to get to where I am today.
I do plan to share this book with my daughters who might get a lot out of it as young professionals just beginning their careers and lives as young professionals. I also plan to share it with my husband, should he want to consider what the authors call an encore career. Overall, reading this book made me appreciate the life I have worked hard to create a bit more. In some ways, I did career design without knowing I did so. I considered what the authors call workviews and lifeviews to get to where I am today. And, at times, it made me think that maybe my Plan D should be to write more.
I do plan to share this book with my daughters who might get a lot out of it as young professionals just beginning their careers and lives as young professionals. I also plan to share it with my husband, should he want to consider what the authors call an encore career. Overall, reading this book made me appreciate the life I have worked hard to create a bit more. In some ways, I did career design without knowing I did so. I considered what the authors call workviews and lifeviews to get to where I am today. And, at times, it made me think that maybe my Plan D should be to write more.
March 14, 2024
I read this book for my Transformational Leadership in Innovation & Design course under Dr. Dean Blevins at Nazarene Theological Seminary.
I really enjoyed this book--not something I say about most non-fiction books I read. It is a practical book that leads you through activities that help you to evaluate your life and the life you want to design for yourself. I found each activity provocative and helpful, and I would like to return to some of them after I graduate in May to spend more time with them. I think several things I learned (and discovered) in this book will have ripple effects in my life (in small and big ways) for years to come.
I really enjoyed this book--not something I say about most non-fiction books I read. It is a practical book that leads you through activities that help you to evaluate your life and the life you want to design for yourself. I found each activity provocative and helpful, and I would like to return to some of them after I graduate in May to spend more time with them. I think several things I learned (and discovered) in this book will have ripple effects in my life (in small and big ways) for years to come.
August 13, 2024
Really motivating. This book helped me realize that I do still want to pursue design. It taught me how to “prototype” my ideal life and gave me the tools and confidence to go for it. Everyone should read this book, I recommend it especially to those who are questioning their life’s purpose or are wondering what they actually want in life. This book really transformed my views, and I hope that after following its advice for a bit, I would transform my life into one that I love and enjoy.
January 1, 2023
Not much to say except "just do it".Highly recommended if you take it seriously and commit to doing all the exercises properly. Doing this yearly is great for getting out of your comfort zone, rethinking your life and making sure you are following your compass of priorities so you can live life to the fullest, whatever that translates to for each person in this Life Design.
April 17, 2024
I had to read this for a class, and while I feel like the advice on reframing your mindset around certain things was sound (some of it was like “oh, duh” but was still news to me), the actionable advice often required a willingness and capability to put in lots of unpaid hours towards your dream career. Because of that, it makes sense to me why this class is taught to Stanford students and not at community colleges
May 7, 2024
3.5⭐️Read this for work. Many good, actionable items that I’ll look forward to incorporating in my day to day work with college students. Also many pieces of advice that seem narrowly relevant to people in higher socio-economic tiers. Thinking through how to apply/modify this for 1st gen. college students, etc. Will report back once implemented.
July 14, 2025
I come back to this book & set of exercises time and again to help me stay flexible and focused on the kind of creative thinking and intention that’s rooted in wellbeing rather than just climbing the ladder. I recommend it for anyone who’s trying to plan their life or navigate changes and could use some systematic guidance
November 20, 2022
Read this one for work as a few of my colleagues are teaching a course using the book. Very glad I did as it has given me even more tools and insight not just for designing my life and advancing my career, but to help the students I meet with get on the path to do the same. Highly recommend!
October 2, 2023
For what it is genre-wise, I thought this was a really well written and helpful book with some great tools and encouragement especially around mentorship and community and the way those do/should impact how you approach life and your career.
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