Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life

Overview: Designing Your Life applies design thinking to help readers build a fulfilling, joyful life through a practical, iterative process. Based on a popular Stanford course, its standout feature is the Odyssey Plans exercise, which encourages envisioning three distinct five-year life paths. The process helps uncover hidden assumptions and open up new possibilities you might have overlooked.

Key Specifications: This 256-page book is structured into 10 chapters with actionable exercises, worksheets, and online resources. It systematically teaches readers to reframe dysfunctional beliefs, prototype potential lives, and build a "life design" team for support. Each chapter concludes with a design thinking activity to apply immediately.

Who It's For: Perfect for professionals at a career crossroads who want a structured approach rather than vague inspiration. Also ideal for college graduates choosing a major, retirees planning their next chapter, or anyone feeling stuck and ready to actively design their future. It's also valuable for those with direction who want to apply a prototyping mindset to enhance their current path.

Worth Buying?: The hands-on exercises make abstract concepts concrete, helping you take small, experimental steps toward a more aligned life. If you're tired of passive goal-setting, this book provides a refreshing, action-oriented framework grounded in real-world testing. It offers a durable, iterative approach that adapts as you change.