By: Sofia Ghasemi
Planning for the future is never easy. Sitting down and mapping out every step may seem daunting, but a new technique created by authors Bill Burnett & Dave Evans might lessen the load. In their book, 'Designing Your Life', they introduce an innovative new way to plan our future.
What is Odyssey Planning?
Instead of focusing on formulaic logistics, Odyssey Planning gives you the freedom to think creatively and intertwines design into everyday life.
But beyond that, what is Odyssey Planning? Odyssey Planning acts as a brainstorming session for your future. No longer do you need a 'five-year plan' laid out already; Odyssey Planning lets you decide what it would look like to live "your best life". What differentiates this technique from others is that instead of focusing on the factors of life planning that induce stress, such as money or a career, you have the freedom to focus on specific areas, such as love, happiness, and enjoyment. You can ask yourself questions like "Am I currently satisfied with my life as it is?" and "What can I do to change that if the answer is 'no'?". Odyssey Planning lets you design your dream life and gives you the platform to set goals for yourself to achieve it.
How does Odyssey Planning work? Well, 'Designing Your Life' lays out a step-by-step guide on how to begin your Odyssey Planning journey. Here's a preview on how to start.
How to Create an Odyssey Plan: Step-by-Step Guide
First, begin by brainstorming a timeline that spans five years. On this timeline, you'll write down different goals and aspirations for yourself. It should include personal goals as well as professional, and should mark down the different milestones that go along with them. This is your chance to be creative! Feel free to doodle, jot down, or scribble on your timeline. After all, this is your life, and you should get the chance to design it.
Second, create a new five-year timeline that will act as your 'Plan B' if 'Plan A' doesn't work out. This is your chance to think outside the box and explore different options that you might not have thought of in the past. What will the path towards these new goals look like, and how will you get to them? This timeline should address the question 'Do I have a backup in case I need one?'
Third, create a final five-year timeline that will act as your "dream timeline". This timeline will be your chance to imagine what your life would be like if money were no object. This is your chance to design your dream life! What are your hobbies? What do you do as a career? Will this make you happy? “When you have a plan, and you put your intention out in the world,” says Burnett, “you give the world an opportunity to step up and give you what you want.”
Why Use Design Thinking for Life Planning?
Throughout their book, Burnett and Evans strive to inspire us to think outside the box and extend the design field to not only products and services, but to our own lives as well. Keeping design in mind when planning our futures can help create a more satisfying and fulfilling experience that will benefit us in the end. As said in their book, "The same design thinking responsible for amazing technology, products, and spaces can be used to design and build your career and your life, a life of fulfillment and joy, constantly creative and productive, one that always holds the possibility of surprise."
If a design career is in your Odyssey Plan, consider our programs at Design Studies Institute. We offer Graduate Degrees and Professional Certificates across a diverse array of disciplines in the design field that focus on your professional aspirations. With the support of our faculty, anyone can begin planning their next steps in their design career!
