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See how Designing Your Life ideas branch out, then map your own notes

Browse the main branches from the book, then upload your own PDF or notes to get an editable, explorable mind map.

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How a Designing Your Life mind map is organized

Burnett and Evans build Designing Your Life around a few repeatable tools, so a useful Designing Your Life mind map example groups them under clear branches instead of a long list of quotes.

Odyssey Plans: three different five-year directions, each written as a concrete story
Good Time Journal: a short log that shows which activities give you energy
Dashboard: health, work, play, and love rated side by side
Gravity problems: issues to accept rather than solve

Example Designing Your Life mind map branches

Odyssey PlansThree alternative five-year plans · Current path, pivot path, and wild card path · Each written as a concrete story · Rated for energy, confidence, and resonance

Good Time JournalLog activities at set times for one or two weeks · Rate energy and engagement for each entry · Spot patterns in what drains or charges you

DashboardHealth, work, play, and love · Rate satisfaction in each area · Shows where life is out of balance

WorkviewBeliefs about what work is for · Examined through questions about meaning · Shapes which jobs feel worth pursuing

Gravity problemsIssues you cannot solve or change · Calls for acceptance, not prototyping · Kept separate from design problems you can act on

Generate the full set

Upload your own notes

Drop in a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, text file, or photo of a page, and the AI reads it into a structured map.

Explore branch by branch

Expand and collapse each branch to focus on one idea, from Odyssey Plans to gravity problems.

Edit the map you get

Rename branches, move ideas, and add your own notes so the map matches how you think about your life.

How it works

Upload your material

Add a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, notes, or a photo of a page.

Get an editable mind map

DeckOwl organizes the main ideas into branches you can change.

Explore and study

Click through each branch and keep the parts that help you plan.

Start with the book's own vocabulary as main branches, then add sub-points from your notes. Keeping each sub-point short makes the map easier to scan and review later.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the main ideas in Designing Your Life?

The book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans applies design thinking to career and life planning. Key tools include Odyssey Plans, the Good Time Journal, the Dashboard, and the split between gravity problems and design problems.

How do I keep a Good Time Journal?

Record what you were doing at set times over one or two weeks. Rate your energy and engagement for each entry, then look for patterns in what energizes you.

Can I export my mind map from DeckOwl?

Exports are a paid feature, while the free plan lets you study in the browser only. Paid plans add PDF, DOCX, Anki, and CSV export.

Is there a free way to try it?

Yes, the free plan includes 3 generations per month, and no credit card is needed to start.

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Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.