Design Your Future
The Innovative Career and Transition Guide
Published on 23. April 2026
Book
Hardback
308 pages
978-1-009-73734-0 (ISBN)
Description
This book presents a compelling, science-based guide for navigating life's many transitions: from first jobs to midlife pivots to purposeful retirements. Based on insights from over 1000 people across all ages and career stages, it blends identity work, prototyping, and psychological capital to foster sustainable, purpose-driven career paths. Drawing on design thinking, positive psychology, and behavioral science, each chapter encourages reflection, exploration, and growth, supported by a practical toolkit featuring methods such as the Magic Circle, Life Loops, and the Stairway to Heaven. Readers are equipped to overcome procrastination, redesign habits, explore bold dreams, and build a portfolio life that reflects personal evolution. Whether you're feeling stuck, restless, or ready for something new, Design Your Future will help you take action with confidence and joy. This book is not about making the perfect plan; it's about designing your next brave step.
Reviews / Votes
'Envision this approach as the ultimate playground for designing your career and/or your new life. It empowers you to uncover your true motivations, while inspiring daring, creative steps toward the future you desire. Forget rigid plans, embrace a dynamic portfolio of ideas, experiments, and adventures. You don't just find your path; you create it, one imaginative step at a time.' Xavier Tissieres, Human Resources Director, International Olympic Committee (IOC) 'This book offers a powerful invitation: to pause, reflect, and design your next chapter with intention. The approach, rooted in design thinking and behavioral science, allows you to think big, while taking small steps towards a new future. The use of storytelling and creative frameworks, like the Magic Circle and Stairway to Heaven, are both fun and effective tools for exploring and testing future pathways. I have seen firsthand how these methods support our DCI fellows and alumni shape what's next with clarity and confidence. It's not about having it all figured out. It's about engaging with your life creatively and courageously. This book is both a guide and a generous companion.' Katie Connor, MBA, Executive Director, Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute (DCI) 'The Design Your Future approach is a kick-starter for the youth to make better decisions (18-30), a catalyst for clarity for those in mid-life (30-50) and also for best-agers (50+) to explore new options, get out of either-or thinking and answer the ultimate question 'What's next?'. We need to create a society where career and life transitions are no longer a bug in life but rather a healthy feature that needs to be designed. We had the pleasure to present this as a powerful approach to the United Nations to better deal with the challenges and opportunities of longer lives.' Hans Groth, Chairman, World Demographic and Ageing Forum (WDA) 'Design Your Future as Award-winning approach is very popular among our MBA students for proactively shaping their transition into life and career after their MBA experience and ultimately supporting them to answer the question, 'What's next?'.' Jako Volschenk, Head of Teaching & Learning, Stellenbosch Business SchoolMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
599 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-009-73734-0 (9781009737340)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
approx. 04/2026
Cambridge University Press
€40.70
Not yet published
Persons
Sebastian Kernbach is Professor associated with the University of St.Gallen, Stellenbosch Business School, and Stanford University. He is a global Life Design pioneer and winner of the HSG Impact Award. He advises organizations such as NASA, the UN, IOC and presented Life Design as proactive career and transition competence at the UN Goals House at the World Economic Forum. Martin J. Eppler is Professor of Communications Management and Director of the Institute for Media and Communications Management at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. He is the author of 25 books and over 300 articles, and has served as an advisor and trainer to organizations including the United Nations, the European Central Bank, Porsche, and IBM.
Content
Part I. Welcome to Life Design: 1. Introduction; 2. Life Designer Stories; 3. Why Life Design Matters; Part II. Life Design Building Blocks: 4. Life Design Abilities; 5. Life Loops Framework; 6. Life Design Levels; Part III. Life Design Toolbox: 7. Empathy Methods; 8. Ideation Methods; 9. Prototyping Methods; 10. Learning Methods; 11. Perseverance Methods; Part IV. Life Design Secrets - What 1000+ People Taught Us: 12. Method Mix by Transition Type; 13. Special Methods: Sustainable Life Design; 14. Silent Truths: What We Don't Say Out Loud; Part V. Horizons of Life Design: 15. Life Design as a Catalyst for Scaling Change; 16. Life Design and the Future (of the Planet); Conclusion: A Life Design Manifesto.