55: Live By Design, Not Default

read time 3 minutes

Welcome to the With Intention weekly newsletter where I share ideas & learnings to help you live & lead with intention

At a glance:

• Essay: The Designer's Mindset
• Quote: Agency is a choice
• Visual: Start now

The Designer's Mindset

Most of us sleepwalk through our days, treating life like a Netflix show we're watching rather than the movie we're directing. We wait for permission, for the perfect moment, for someone else to hand us the script. But here's what I've been thinking about this week: you're already the designer of your life—the question is whether you're designing it consciously or letting it design itself.

This week's reflection comes from a powerful reminder that stopped me mid-scroll: You hold the pen. You write the blueprint. So let's talk about what it actually means to live with intention instead of living on autopilot.

Three Pillars of Intentional Design

1. Clear What Clutters Your Vision

Before you can design anything meaningful, you need a clean workspace. That means:

• Saying no to roles you never auditioned for. How many hats are you wearing that someone else placed on your head? The people-pleaser, the family mediator, the person who always says yes to extra projects. Time for a wardrobe change.
• Releasing expectations that were never yours to begin with. That career path your parents wanted, the lifestyle your friends expect, the version of success that looks good on social media but feels hollow in real life.
• Cutting through the noise to hear your own voice again. In a world of constant input, your authentic voice often gets drowned out. When did you last sit in real silence and ask yourself what you actually want?

2. Double Down on What Aligns

Once you've cleared the clutter, you can see what's worth building around:

• Energy is your North Star. Pay attention to what activities, people, and environments leave you feeling more alive versus drained. Your energy doesn't lie; it's pointing you toward your zone of genius.
• Choose habits like an architect chooses materials. Every habit is either building the life you want or eroding it. Small, consistent choices compound into the structure of your days.
• Protect time for meaning making. If your calendar is full of other people's priorities, when do you nurture what matters most to you? Meaning doesn't happen by accident; it requires intentional cultivation.

3. Draft with Purpose Every Day

Here's where the rubber meets the road:

• Design your schedule like it's your business strategy. Because it is. How you spend your time is how you spend your life. Are you investing it or just spending it?
• Set boundaries that actually protect your focus. Boundaries aren't walls, they're gates. They keep out what doesn't serve and let in what does. Without them, you're at the mercy of every urgent request and shiny distraction.
• Stay flexible while staying focused. The best designs evolve. Regular reviews and adjustments aren't signs of failure; they're signs of wisdom.

This Week's Intention Check-In

Take five minutes to run your own design review:

What needs clearing? What role, expectation, or commitment is cluttering your vision right now?

What deserves doubling down? What part of your life consistently energizes you and moves you forward?

What needs daily drafting? Where could you be more strategic about how you design your days?

The Choice Is Always Yours

You're not just surviving your life, you're actively shaping it, whether you realize it or not. Every day you're either designing with intention or letting life design itself around you.

Clarity is a choice. Purpose is a choice. And designing boldly? That's a choice too.

The question isn't whether you're qualified to be the designer of your life. You already are. The question is: what are you going to create?

What resonated with you this week? Hit reply and let me know—I read every response, and your insights often spark future newsletters.

Design boldly,
Jon

Forward this to someone who's ready to stop living on autopilot. 

Start Now

Source: Roberto Ferraro

Until next week!

Jon Giganti 

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