Imagine 1, 2, or 3 possible lives when the time is right for you.
So you’re trying to figure out what comes next? Are you thinking about how you want to spend your upcoming Summer? Perhaps you’re just trying to gain more confidence in how you might spend the next two, five, or ten years. If any of these are the case, or if you’re ready for a mid-career pivot, we’ve got an easy and effective way to take your first step forward…or sideways for that matter.
Welcome to our latest exploration within Life Design. One of our favorite activities at the Life Design Lab is the “Three Lives Exercise,” a creative prototype that allows students to envision multiple futures. Just as designers use prototypes to refine ideas, this exercise will help you experiment with different life paths, uncovering which resonates with your values and aspirations. Join us as we delve into how this powerful exercise can transform your design of a life filled with purpose and possibility.
Prototyping Possible Lives
Often used in product and service design, a prototype is an experimental model to test and refine ideas. Designers prototype to explore possibilities, identify flaws, and gather feedback. The “Three Lives Exercise” serves as a life design prototype, allowing you to quickly experiment with different future scenarios, evaluate how cohesive they are with your values, skills, and experiences, and refine your life choices accordingly.
The “Three Lives Exercise,” which utilizes the “Odyssey Plan” tool developed at the d.school at Stanford, is a critical component of life design, encouraging individuals to explore multiple versions of their future selves.
Participants create three distinct five-year plans: one based on their current trajectory, another reflecting a different path they might take if their current options were no longer available, and a third focused on a “wildcard” or dream scenario. This exercise helps individuals visualize various life possibilities, assess their interests and values, and make more informed decisions about their personal and professional futures. It fosters creativity, adaptability, and proactive life planning.
Following the steps outlined below, you can assemble a prototyped life in under 30 minutes.
1. Design the Path You’re Currently On
Begin by outlining your current trajectory over the next five to ten years. (Many of our students prefer to build a map on their tablet or with pen & paper, but you can use the Designing Your Life grid as a guide at the bottom of this section).
This plan shows what you are doing now and what you envision continuing in the same direction.
Things to consider: When thinking through this life, think like you are 5-10 years in the future. Who is the person you have become? What did your journey at Hopkins look like? Utilize these questions to guide your answers.
- What did you study and learn? What skills did you gain?
- What extracurricular activities did you participate in?
- How did you spend your summers?
- What did you do for fun?
- What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of?
- What is your next step in your journey?
- What hobbies did you pursue? How did you treat yourself? Where did you travel?
- Think holistically about this imagined experience!
2. Developing Lives 2 & 3
Next, create two alternative plans. One of these plans envisions an entirely different path if your current options are no longer available. How would you use your mechanical engineering degree if the world no longer needed electric cars? If surgeons were no longer necessary, how could you impact the health and well-being of others? If your major or the industry ceased to exist, how would your minor or another industry guide your journey? of your dreams
The third explores a “wildcard” scenario, representing a dream or a bold, unconventional choice you’ve always considered. In this scenario, you will have unconditional support from everyone around you and abundant resources. Be free, be wild, be…authentic!
Use the same style grid as before and consider the multitude of dimensions of your life.
3. Evaluating These Lives
Assess each plan’s alignment with your values, skills, and interests. Evaluate how each life fits with your sense of self, the resources needed, your confidence in achieving it, and the skills you need to develop.
It can be helpful to create a 0-to-10 ranking system. The most important part of this exercise is determining what you don’t know and developing questions that will provide you with more clarity. Write those down for each life.
4. Receiving Feedback from Others
Share your three plans with trusted friends, mentors, or colleagues. Gather their feedback to gain new perspectives, refine your ideas, and identify potential challenges or opportunities you might have overlooked. Gain insights and answers to your developed questions. Use this input to make more informed decisions about your future path and intentionally grow your network.
In designing your life, it’s essential to recognize the limits of our imagination and the benefits of leveraging others’ experiences. At Johns Hopkins, our Life Design Educators are here to help. During drop-in hours, students can receive valuable feedback on their three lives, refining their questions and simulations. By connecting with experienced professionals and alumni, we provide the insights and real-world perspectives needed to turn your imagined futures into actionable plans. Let us help you bridge the gap between your simulations and reality, ensuring you make informed, confident decisions about your future.
