How to Create Your Life by Design, Not Default
by Veronica Joce
Most people drift through life, reacting to what comes their way. They have dreams, visions of a better, happier future, but without realizing it, they end up living a life shaped by external forces rather than by their own choices. But life doesn’t have to be this way. You can create your life deliberately, design it in a way that reflects who you are and what you truly want. The only question is—will you?
Stop waiting for life to happen to you
We all have moments when we look at our lives and wonder, How did I get here? It’s easy to feel like we’re at the mercy of circumstance, reacting to demands, ticking off to-do lists, and fulfilling expectations we never consciously chose. And yet, the truth is, most of us are not stuck. We’re simply living by default, allowing life to unfold passively instead of deliberately.
The Life Designer Journal shifts you from passive reacting to actively creating the life you want, helping you make choices aligned with your core values. You’re no longer drifting—you’re designing.
The real shift happens when you take ownership. When you start to live by design, you stop waiting for things to change and begin creating the change yourself.
Design Thinking for life
The concept of Design Thinking, originally developed in Stanford's design program by professors Bill Burnett and David Evans, is a problem-solving framework used by designers to approach complex challenges with creativity and innovation. But Burnett and Evans saw something bigger—they realized this approach could also be applied to designing your life. In their course and book Designing Your Life, they emphasize that life doesn’t have to be something you react to; it’s something you can actively design.
Here’s how Design Thinking principles translate into life design:
1. Start with Curiosity
Designers begin their process by being curious, asking questions, and exploring options without judgment. In life design, this means you need to ask yourself the big, deep questions: What do I care about? What brings me joy? What kind of life do I want to live? The answers aren’t always clear, but staying curious opens up possibilities that you might not have considered.
2. Prototype Your Life
One of the key principles in design thinking is to prototype—to test and try different solutions before committing to one. In the context of life design, this means experimenting with different aspects of your life. Try new hobbies, explore different career paths, or shift your daily routine. Don’t be afraid to fail—each prototype teaches you something valuable about what works and what doesn’t.
3. Reframe Your Challenges
Design thinking teaches us to reframe problems and see them from different angles. If you’re feeling stuck in your current job, ask yourself: What’s really keeping me here? or What small changes could I make to improve my situation? By reframing challenges, you stop seeing them as obstacles and start seeing them as opportunities for growth and change.
4. Bias Toward Action
As Burnett and Evans teach, life design isn’t about overthinking or endlessly planning. It’s about action. Design thinking emphasizes doing over thinking. By taking small, actionable steps—whether it’s networking with new people, trying a new activity, or even simply journaling about your goals—you create momentum and clarity.
5. Iterate and Evolve
Design is an iterative process. You don’t have to commit to one path for life—you try, learn, and adjust. You yourself, your career, relationships, and personal growth are all works in progress. If something doesn’t feel right, pivot. The goal is not to get it perfect on the first try but to continually evolve based on what you learn along the way.
Creating a life of purpose
The essence of living by design isn’t just about visualizing your ideal life—it’s about aligning your daily actions with that vision. The Life Designer Journal helps you stay grounded in that alignment. It’s not about waiting for the perfect moment but about creating it. By reflecting on your beliefs and patterns, your values, and what drives you, you can make every decision deliberate, turning your grand life vision into a step-by-step plan.
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At its core, designing your life is more than creating a ten-year vision or setting goals for the key areas of your life. It’s about building a life that feels authentic, aligned with who you truly are, and meaningful. That’s why The Life Designer Journal isn’t a tool for just goal-setting for the next decade; it’s a guide to help you build a life that reflects what matters to you.
Life by design is about clarity and commitment. You don’t have to wait for circumstances to be perfect—start where you are. With The Life Designer Journal, you have everything you need to stop drifting and start designing.
Even with the clearest vision and best tools, it ultimately comes down to you. The Life Designer Journal helps guide you, but it doesn’t do the work for you. Only you can take the actions and build the habits that will turn your vision into reality.