FORGET NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: USE DESIGN TOOLS TO REDESIGN YOUR LIFE

Fourteen years ago, in December 2010, Fast Company Senior Editor Linda Tischler wrote an article that changed everything. It was about Design the Life You Love, an idea that had started as an experiment much earlier, around 2000.

But let me take you back even further.

At the time, I was part of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO). In one meeting, we were asked to articulate our life’s mission in one sentence. I was young, and the only designer in the room, I thought, Why not make it fun and design-related? So, I said: “My mission is to design the life I love.”

It felt like a throwaway line. I soon met Bibi Seck, who became my partner in both work and life. My life was busy designing itself, and I forgot all about that mission.

But apparently, none of the women leaders in the room did.

Years later, I ran into Shirley Moulton, who was there that day. She reminded me of my mission. By then, I had spent a year developing my design methodology, Deconstruction:Reconstruction™, and the question hit me:

If life is our greatest design project, can it be designed using my process?

It felt like the perfect way to test both my hypothesis and my methodology.

Shirley had just started her Academi of Life and invited me to run a workshop. Linda Tischler attended one of the early sessions—perhaps the fourth or fifth—and her article put Design the Life You Love on the map.

Since then, the program has flourished alongside all of you who have participated.

My greatest learning from these years?

Ordinary people—what I call non-designers—are extraordinarily creative.

You don’t need to be a designer to be creative. You just need a process.

So this year, take Linda’s advice: forget New Year’s resolutions. Instead, use design tools to redesign your life. Because you are extraordinarily creative.

Thank you,

Ayse

INSPIRATION

We’re hosting Design the Life You Love sessions every weekend in January. Stay tuned for more details!

And, to get started, revisit Linda Tischler’s Forget New Year's Resolutions: This Year, Use Design Tools to Redesign Your Life on HuffPost.

Meanwhile, explore Bruce Kasanoff’s powerful essay, You're Much More Creative Than You Know.

P.S. I highly recommend subscribing to Bruce’s newsletter for more thought-provoking insights!

For our design programs, please email Leah Caplan, VP, Design and Project Planning, Birsel + Seck, at leah@birselplusseck.com.

For coaching engagements, please email Jacquelyn Lane, President, 100 Coaches, at jacquelyn@100coaches.com.

For speaking engagements, please email Nancy Aaronson at nancya@leighbureau.com.