5 steps to designing the life you want | Bill Burnett | TEDxStanford

TEDx Talks・2 minutes read

Design thinking can be used for products, services, and life design, as emphasized by the Life Design Lab at Stanford. The process involves curiosity, reframing problems, biased action, and creating multiple potential life plans to help individuals design a well-lived and meaningful life.

Insights

  • Design thinking, applied to life design, involves starting with curiosity, reframing problems, and collaborating radically to generate ideas and converge on solutions, challenging traditional beliefs and encouraging individuals to explore multiple potential paths for a well-designed life.
  • Accepting gravity problems, ideating three different potential lives, and creating a "wild-card plan" can help individuals rediscover forgotten passions, make decisions wisely, and prototype different paths before committing, leading to higher self-efficacy, creative confidence, and ultimately designing a joyful and well-lived life.

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Recent questions

  • How can design thinking be applied to life design?

    Design thinking, typically used for products and services, can also be applied to life design. The Life Design Lab at Stanford helps individuals figure out what they want to grow into next in life. It involves starting with curiosity, reframing problems, and collaborating radically. By being mindful of the design process, including generating ideas and converging on solutions, individuals can navigate life decisions more effectively.

  • What are some common dysfunctional beliefs that hinder progress in life?

    Many people get stuck in life due to dysfunctional beliefs, such as the idea of having a singular passion or being late in life. The concept of being the best possible version of oneself is challenged, as there are many versions of a well-designed life. By challenging these beliefs and exploring various possibilities, individuals can break free from limitations and pursue a more fulfilling life.

  • How can individuals make good decisions to increase happiness?

    Making good decisions involves gathering options, narrowing them down, and trusting emotional responses to guide choices. Making decisions irreversible increases your chance of happiness by 60-70%. Designers excel at generating options, ideation, and prototyping to create the world they want to live in. By following a mindful process of collecting, reducing, deciding, and moving on, individuals can make choices wisely for a more fulfilling and easier life.

  • Why is it important to have multiple plans for the future?

    Individuals are encouraged to ideate three different potential lives to explore various possibilities and generate better solutions. In a world where traditional jobs are being taken over by robots, having multiple plans, including a dream pursuit and a backup plan, is crucial. By exploring these plans, individuals often rediscover forgotten passions and incorporate them into their current lives, leading to a more fulfilling and adaptable future.

  • How can individuals prototype their life decisions effectively?

    The next step after ideation is to build a prototype, testing out new ideas in a low-risk manner. Prototyping involves asking questions, challenging assumptions, and seeking feedback from others. Engaging in prototype conversations with individuals already living desired futures can provide valuable insights. Another form of prototyping involves experiencing potential paths firsthand to gauge interest and fit. By prototyping life decisions, individuals can make more informed choices and design a joyful and well-lived life.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"Design Thinking for Life Design Innovation"

  • Design thinking is an innovation methodology used for products and services, but can also be applied to life design.
  • The Life Design Lab at Stanford helps individuals figure out what they want to grow into next in life.
  • Design thinking involves starting with curiosity, reframing problems, and collaborating radically.
  • It emphasizes being mindful of the design process, including generating ideas and converging on solutions.
  • Biased action is recommended as plans for life may not always go as expected.
  • Many people get stuck in life due to dysfunctional beliefs, such as the idea of having a singular passion or being late in life.
  • The concept of being the best possible version of oneself is challenged, as there are many versions of a well-designed life.
  • Connecting the dots between who you are, what you believe, and what you do can lead to a meaningful life.
  • Gravity problems, which are circumstances that cannot be changed, should be accepted before deciding on a course of action.
  • Individuals are encouraged to ideate three different potential lives to explore various possibilities and generate better solutions.

11:57

"Exploring Alternative Paths: Prototyping Your Future"

  • In a world where traditional jobs are being taken over by robots, individuals are encouraged to explore alternative paths.
  • People are advised to have a side hustle or a backup plan in case their current job disappears.
  • It is suggested to have a "wild-card plan" - a dream pursuit if money was not a concern and judgment was absent.
  • Many individuals have three plans: their current path, a dream pursuit, and a backup plan.
  • By exploring these plans, individuals often rediscover forgotten passions and incorporate them into their current lives.
  • The next step after ideation is to build a prototype, testing out new ideas in a low-risk manner.
  • Prototyping involves asking questions, challenging assumptions, and seeking feedback from others.
  • Engaging in prototype conversations with individuals already living desired futures can provide valuable insights.
  • Another form of prototyping involves experiencing potential paths firsthand to gauge interest and fit.
  • Making good decisions involves gathering options, narrowing them down, and trusting emotional responses to guide choices.

23:26

Designing a Happy Life Through Decisiveness

  • Making decisions irreversible increases your chance of happiness by 60-70%. Designers excel at generating options, ideation, and prototyping to create the world they want to live in. To be happy, follow a mindful process of collecting, reducing, deciding, and moving on. Key ideas include connecting work and life views, reframing gravity problems, creating three plans for every issue, prototyping before committing, and making choices wisely for an easier life. This process has been proven effective through two PhD studies, leading to higher self-efficacy and creative confidence. By getting curious, talking to people, and trying new things, you can design a joyful and well-lived life.
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