What Changes When You Stop Designing Alone?
- Dilek Süzal
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
This week, while reading Designing Your Life further, one insight stayed with me: designing a life is not only about imagining multiple futures, but also about learning how to build them through real-world experiments, conversations and support.
It reminded me of my early days in architecture. Beautiful concepts meant nothing until we tested materials, gathered feedback and refined the design. The second half of the book makes the same point: a well-designed life is not shaped alone, and definitely not in theory!
And this is where things become really interesting, because the moment we stop planning life in isolation and start designing it with real input, interaction, exploration and community, everything shifts...
Problem: We Try to Build the Future in Isolation
Many professionals enter the new year with strong intentions but without the structure, feedback or support that real life design requires. They plan the future like a final drawing, not a working model. Without conversations, small tests or energy awareness, even exciting goals lose clarity and momentum.
Solution: Think Like a Builder Instead of a Dreamer
The later chapters of the book remind us that progress starts with simple actions: small tests, curious conversations and gentle adjustments. When we shift from dreaming to building, the future becomes less overwhelming and more possible.
Highlights from the Later Chapters of the Book
💎 Prototyping
Clarity comes from doing. Testing small versions of your ideas is more effective than planning the perfect path.
💎 Exploring work through curiosity Career direction becomes clearer when we talk to people, explore roles and try small experiences insted of overthinking.
💎 Designing with energy Track what energises and drains you. Your energy patterns point toward meaningful next steps.
💎 Reframing setbacks Designers expect things not to work on the first try. Each attempt becomes data, it should not feel like a defeat.
💎 Building a support team
A meaningful life requires mentors, peers and a community where ideas are exchanged and actions are supported.
💎 Accepting progress
There is no final version of your life. Only the next prototype! This is freeing instead of being frightening.
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
Finishing the book reminded me of something simple and powerful:
A well-designed life grows through community, not isolation.
That is why I’m genuinely delighted to share the newly launched Move Forward 26 page with you, my close coaching circle, long-time readers and trusted supporters.
YOU ARE FIRST TO SEE IT, before it appears on social media, because your presence, curiosity and engagement are what inspire me to create work like this!
Feel free to explore it at your own pace or pass it on to someone who might benefit from a supportive space to design their next steps with limited seats available.
No pressure, simply an early invitation to what I hope will become a meaningful corner of growth and connection in 2026!
Warmly,
Dilek
Official Collaboration Partners:
★ Lead Coach at the global coaching platform BetterUp based in USA.
★ Executive Coach and Trainer at SparkUs based in Turkey and Netherlands.
★ Impact Partner for coaching, training & facilitation projects at leadership experts Think Beyond Group based in Austria.
★ Leadership Coach at Percoms AG, based in Switzerland.
Click to Book Other Sessions:
