Prototype Your Way to a Better Life

The Art of Manliness

I used to wake up early, around 5:15, and do my workout right after getting out of bed. But I noticed I was tired all day, and just felt kind of stiff and not very strong during my workouts. So I decided to try waking up a couple hours later, and doing my workouts in the late afternoon instead. I found that setting up my schedule this way gave me greater energy, both overall, and during my workouts.

My guest says that this tinkering I did with my routine is an example of life prototyping, a process that can be used for anything and everything in order to improve both your personal and professional life.

His name is Dave Evans, and as a lecturer in Stanford’s Design Program, he teaches the popular Designing Your Life course, which, as the name implies, takes the principles of design thinking, and applies them to crafting a happy and fulfilling life. He’s also the co-author, along with Bill Burnett, of Designing Your Life and Designing Your New Work Life. Today on the show, Dave explains how one of the central steps to design thinking — prototyping — can help you make both big and small changes that move you closer to the life you want to lead. He explains what prototyping is, how prototyping a life is different from prototyping a product, the two approaches involved with the former, and embracing the design thinking mindset of being immune to failure.

Resources Related to the Podcast

• The Designing Your Life Course on Creative Live
• AoM Podcast #418 on how to get unstuck in life with the co-founder of Stanford’s Design School, Bernie Roth
• AoM series on crafting the life you want
• AoM Podcast #731: A Futurist’s Guide to Building the Life You Want
• AoM Article: How to Deal With a Job You Don’t Like
• AoM article on the OODA Loop

Connect With Dave Evans

• Designing Your Life Website