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A simple shift in thinking can save you years. Here’s how:

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Hey Reader,
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Sometimes, our problems can feel so overwhelming we don't even try to solve them.
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Instead, we just try to find a way to live with them.
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Our problems become our stories and we can all get stuck in our stories, wasting endless time.
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Sound familiar?
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​What you're about to read will help you save months, years or even decades of your time!

To get unstuck, you need to start thinking like a designer.
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And when you're feeling overwhelmed by your problems, what you need is a process, and some tools, to guide you towards what you want and who you want to become:
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Design = Tools + Ideas + Mindsets

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Designers don't think their way forward; they build their way forward.
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In simple terms this means trying stuff out - you could even say play around - and having fun in the process.

To do this, you need some very specific mindsets:

5 Mindsets for Design

1. Be curious
2. Have a bias for action (aka try stuff)
3. Reframe problems (more on this next week)
4. Let go of the end goal (life design is a process and mistakes WILL be made - and that's okay. It can even lead to better outcomes)
5. Ask for help - I'm right here with you but 'radical collaboration' of any form will get you further, faster.
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You also need to focus on the right problems, not those gravity problems we were talking about last week (if you missed last week's edition, you can read it here) - and we'll be diving deeper into problems in future editions.

Remember, it doesn't matter where you've come from, what you do or where you think you're going; you're not too late or too early.
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You just need to have a designer's mindset and focus on the RIGHT problems.
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That's the - very simple - key to avoid wasting time and getting stuck.

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Update

Last week I confessed that my own life had hit rock bottom, and outlined what I would be focusing on in the coming weeks.
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The clarity I gained from the exercise we did last week has lifted a tremendous amount of stress from the situation and given me a sense of direction.
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I'd been stuck for so long fighting gravity problems I'd forgotten what peace feels like.
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And whilst leaving London - my home - last week was hugely painful, for the first time in a long time, I feel at peace.
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​[If you did the exercise I'd love you to hit reply and let me know how you found it!]​
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I've been busy making my temporary abode feel like home and putting habits in place that will help me rebuild my physical and mental health.

My next step will be to identify the problem(s) I need to focus on so that I can build forward - and then I get to play!
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Next week we'll start looking at how to tackle our problems together. See you then!

In your corner, always 💛

Sam
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Sam Sheppard Let's connect! You can find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Threads.

P.P.S. Welcome both to those of you who chose to transfer over from A Little Something, and those of you who are new to my community. I really value you being here, so please feel free to reply to this email with any questions, concerns or feedback and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!