> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.isaacbowen.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.isaacbowen.com/2021/01/23.md).

# 20210123

## Designing your days

<figure><img src="/files/yzGwPZXHWg5aHgSCRILG" alt="" width="188"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

For me, design is this:

1. Working to *honestly understand* your own purpose
2. Exploring how that purpose would *express* itself in the current context
3. Bravely *accepting* the best, truest, strongest expression that you find
4. And then, *acting*

This applies *everywhere*. Everywhere that you have the opportunity to make a choice—and you *have* that opportunity *everywhere*. Your work. Your hobby. Your friendships. Your *family*. Your cooking, your workouts, your *mindset*. It’s all design.

And it is *brave* because a clear-sighted view, on the best expression of purpose in a situation, is going to *constantly* yield surprising results. Whether you require bravery for surprising yourself, or for surprising other people, you are *going* to find surprises.

Now, design is *important* because it determines what the future will have to work with. The future will demand its own set of choices, and in the *now* you get to establish what the options *then* are going to be. A brave design decision *now* means that *tomorrow* you’ll get to carry the momentum of that decision, if you choose to, and it’ll be a little bit easier tomorrow because you’ve already begun.

I chose this way of thinking, a long time ago. I chose to *design my decision-making*—literally, to design the way I design. And today, I have a mindset that is tuned to weigh every decision, using that process I outlined above.

I’ve done enough hard things, enough *brave* things that I’m no longer afraid of where this leads. I resist the surprises less and less, because I *know* that those four steps, repeated over and over and over again, *by definition* lead to something that is *perfect* for me. And in the long term, it’s the only way to live. It can be uncomfortable, in a moment (or in a week, or in a year), but once you’ve *acted* on a thing you *know*, the transition happens *once*. And then you’re *there*, in the place that you’ve designed for yourself. Even if it’s a small change, even if it’s next door to where you started. The changes add up. They add up, and you *cannot* know exactly what they will add up *to*, but you *can know for sure* that they will add up to something that’s yours. Deeply, honestly, *comfortably-once-you-get-there* yours.

If this feels new to you, *try* it. In the small moments, first. Figure out how it feels. Even if it’s just putting the dishes away. Begin with step one: bring fresh eyes to the situation, and figure out what the purpose is. Is your purpose to get things put away quickly? Is it to set yourself up for easy cooking, or easy setting-the-table? Is the purpose something less concrete? Is putting the dishes away less about where they go, and more about taking meditative space for yourself for a few minutes? *Think* about it, *feel* about it. Figure out what your purpose is. Then, explore how that purpose applies. Try things. Experiment. Iterate. This is exploration, without a specific *result* in mind—it’s all about seeing how the *purpose* lands most powerfully. And it may not require bravery to accept the results, since we’re talking about dishes here, but it *might*—maybe you have a partner who you know is gonna hate you changing this routine, or maybe *you* have it in your head that changing routine is hard. But if it *is* easy, great! Enjoy this gentler introduction to the process. :) Act on what you’ve learned, and repeat. Every day, at first, working your way until you are applying this in every single choice.

This is a muscle. You’re going to feel sore in the morning. But when you begin to *learn*, when you develop some muscle tone and strength and some familiarity with the moves, it *will* get easier. And the results will get better, and better, and better.

I’m ten years in, doing this with my business. I’m closer to fifteen years in, doing this with my *life*. And I love this ride, y’all, more than anything. I have so much trust, such *absolute* trust in this process; I have *knowledge* that it all leads to good.

If you feel *any* of that, give this a spin. Test it for yourself. Build your own relationship with your own process. It *is* a ride, but it is *yours*, completely, and you get to begin where you are. You can *only* begin where you are. The only risk is that tomorrow will be different. :)

<3

***

The month is turning over, and so are you. How are you unfolding?

{% hint style="info" %}
Originally sent out [via email](https://lightward.com/campaigns/view-campaign/wiO0iODqrZ8fOHkUaxvu9B_ZxmGO6gKX6x17OL9QnBxgAc2USVeEDb2VgRtGMIZqdW3-1Jdli4CUw7EligHGYcXqdLvPKh69)
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://www.isaacbowen.com/2021/01/23.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.