It was a hot, sunny day in Shenzhen, 2020. I’d gone to a pool with my friend Laura, who was reading Designing Your Life by Dave Evans and Bill Burnett.
“You haven’t heard of it? It seems like it would be right up your street,” she said, handing me the book.
I scanned the first few chapters.Using design thinking to design your life? It seemed so obvious — I kicked myself for not thinking of it before.
And it turns out, it’s not just a clever idea. It’s genuinely useful when you’re not sure what’s next.
What If You Could Test Life Decisions Like a Prototype?
I’ve worked in product development for 20 years, turning rough ideas into real products. One of the tools we use is Design Thinking, a practical, user-focused method to solve the right problem before building a solution.
The concept that stuck with me most from Designing Your Life was prototyping. It’s about testing small versions of a big decision — before you commit to it.
And it works just as well in life as it does in engineering.
Why Prototyping Beats Overthinking
When I trained as a coach, I created my own coaching model, PROTO, built around this idea. Not just because I loved the concept, but because it helped me make real changes — at a time when my life had been flipped upside down.
I’m someone who used to wait until I was 100% sure before making any move. But the truth is, you often can’t be sure until you try. Prototyping gives you a way to test things without the pressure to get it “right” the first time.
It also helped me launch my podcast, Beginner’s Guide to Design Thinking, where I talk more about this if you're curious. There are already more than 30 episodes live — and more coming later.
What Prototyping Looks Like in Real Life
Prototyping doesn’t mean planning forever. It means trying something small, learning from it, then deciding what to do next.
Here are some real prototypes I’ve tried:
Running my own business (and then, running it full time)
Testing coaching programs
Mentoring individuals and businesses
Moving in with someone
Working full time with a side hustle
Using new tools to support my mental health
Hosting a creative meetup
Living abroad
You might look at that and think, “So… you’re just trying stuff?”Yes — but with intention and reflection.
Each small test helped me learn what worked, what didn’t, and what really mattered to me.
How to Prototype Your Next Move
If you’re feeling stuck or unsure, you don’t need to make a huge leap. You can start small, like this:
Identify a gap: What’s missing for you right now?
Shrink the change: What’s one small way to test a new direction?
Reflect after: How did it feel? What did you learn?
Instead of quitting your job or signing up for an expensive course, maybe you try shadowing someone, running a side project, or having a few honest conversations.
Small experiments can save you from costly wrong turns — and show you what actually works for you.
Want to know more about what my first steps were? Check out part one of this post here.
You Don’t Need a Grand Plan — Just a First Step
One of my recent prototypes was running SharpMinds full time. It taught me that I still want to stay connected to product development — and that I’m not ready to give SharpMinds up, either. Not because of sunk costs or effort — but because I believe in it.
These are the kinds of insights you only get by trying.
Final Thought: If You’re Stuck in a Rut, Start Small
When you're stuck in a rut, the instinct is often to make a big change — a new job, a new city, a new qualification. But sometimes the best way forward isn’t a leap. It’s a test.
Prototyping gives you a way to move without blowing everything up. To explore possibilities without the pressure of a permanent decision. To try, reflect, and adjust — until you find what actually fits.
What’s one thing you could prototype this month? Would love to hear from you in the comments.
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