An Approach for Life Design

Self-help, personal transformation, life coaching, are all terms that have flooded our lives lately. Self-labeled "gurus" evangelise that will help us transform our lives and become better. So much noise and cliche messaging reproduced that makes it difficult to figure out who can make a difference and what can be beneficial for you.

I was in a situation where I couldn't figure out what would work best for me. I was stuck but didn't know what I needed. The only thing I knew was what I DIDN'T need. And that was someone who claims that can be my coach and throw cliche terminology and motivational quotes at me. 

I believe no one can help you better than your self. When you put your mind to it, that is.

Many of us are stuck in situations not because we cannot get out of them, but because we find comfort in being stuck and complain about it. Being stuck is easy and can quickly become our comfort zone regardless of how much we try to convince ourselves and others that we don't like it. It becomes familiar. And we are scared to leave familiarity for the unknown. Especially if during our journey in the unknown we will have to confront our greatest fear. Our ego.

Don't get me wrong. I do not say that there's no suffering and that everything is in your mind. Discomfort is real. But the question always is "what will you do about it"?

“Most of us create a variety of hypotheses behind which we try to hide our pain.”

This is what I used to do too. It's like hiding it in a shoebox in the closet where no one sees it. Believing that we won't see it either. But we do. We know it's there. And no one can understand what is in there except us. No motivational quote is enough to take it out of the closet, open it, and solve the puzzle. The only person who can do that is you.

This is what led me to structure a method based on design theories and Design Thinking methodology that helped me deal with the situation when I was stuck and allowed me to become the mentor of myself.

Design Thyself - Life Design is based on the axiom that you can be your own mentor. There is a greater self inside of you that is waiting patiently for you to ignite them. This greater self of yours is observing your life from a different perspective as if it's a different person. 

“And to add some clarifications, the “self” is what you were, what you are and what you could potentially become. The “ego” is what you think you are.”

During the Life Design sessions, we try to do precisely that. We try to observe what is happening from a different perspective than this of the ego. Only then we can see the real cause of our bitterness, our boredom, our lack of focus. But also only then we can identify the moments where we are engaged the most in life. The moments when we feel that time flies and that we are involved in something meaningful.

We use practical Design Thinking tools that first help us map the critical life experiences that defined us. 

And since we all live many lives in a single lifetime, the next goal is to uncover our virtues and flaws that characterise each of them. Focusing the development of our character based on our merits, helps us understand and improve our present self. Not for our sake alone, but for the benefit of the society and the groups in which we function.

By having these tools in our toolbox, we can then start designing a future worth experiencing. A well-lived life full of meaning and productivity.

Those who are attentive in thinking about themselves and articulating their thoughts through design become less stressed, more lively and more productive. Above all, they become more engaged in meaningful moments. This is because, through these exercises, you remove all the unnecessary noise and complexity in your life so you can see who you are and where you want to be in a simple and gratifying way.

Improve your performance, boost your relationships and identify your higher goals in life.

Interested in finding out more? Let's have a chat!