Think Like a Designer, Live Like a Warrior

Many times, we feel as if we are being pulled in multiple directions at once. We strive to juggle our studies or job, our hobbies and interests, relationships and the expectations set for us. When all of these stack up, then the mind could definitely start to feel sort of distracted or overwhelmed. Most of the advice we get is too philosophical, or too abstract, to be useful. What we need now, more than anything else, is simply a way to think clearly and act with resilience.Design thinking offers that structure. It allows us to take in our situation with clarity. While design thinking is a relatively new concept, the fundamental principles are based on age-old wisdom. The Bhagavad Gita is a striking example. It begins with Arjuna admitting his confusion and ends with Krishna guiding him through a process that resembles the four Ds of design thinking: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. These stages also echo ideas such as swadhyay, the practice of self-study, and swadharma, the alignment with one’s true path.To see how this works, let’s imagine that we are feeling directionless about our future. It’s a feeling that many of us are familiar with. Instead of treating it as one large emotional problem, design thinking helps us break it down.At the Discover stage, we get to see what's really going on inside of us. This matches the moment in the Gita when Arjuna pauses and acknowledges his doubts openly. When we practise swadhyay, we pay attention to our thoughts, our fears and our triggers. We listen to ourselves without judgment. This honest self-observation gives us the foundation we need for clearer decisions.When we know our interior world more deeply, we move into the Define stage. Here, the problem becomes sharper. Many of us start with a generalised sense that we don’t know what to do with our lives. But upon reflection, we realise that the fear is usually more narrow. We may not know how to sort our interests, or we may be afraid of letting down someone, or we may not yet have tried enough things to find out what's right for us. Krishna instructs Arjuna in the same manner, as an aid to remind him of who he is and what his swadharma is. Then the fog begins to lift as we discover clarity of purpose..Now that this is clear, we can get into the Develop stage. So this is where we begin, for now, with small practical steps. We don’t wait around for certainty; instead, we try stuff out. We experiment with a workshop here, a brief consulting project there, discussing an area of interest with someone or trying on a smallish shift in our day-to-day grooves to see how it feels. This is the spirit of Karma Yoga. We learn by doing, not thinking for eternity. Every step taken at this stage is a path to self-discovery.Finally, we come to the Deliver stage, where we do what works and iterate. When we sense a line is leading somewhere, we extend it. When it doesn’t, we adapt and don’t feel guilty. This is the same as the Gita’s lesson on committed action with non-attachment to results. We are not trying to be perfect on Day One. We aim for steady growth.The four Ds are also not a linear, one-time path to follow. It’s usually circular. When we are finally at the Deliver stage, we commonly revert to Discover. We see how what we are doing is working, reflect again, and further refine our way. It's this constant iteration that is the powerful part of the process. It respects the idea that life isn’t solved once and for all. It is formed in the moment, evolving as it is sustained and modified.When we combine design thinking with ancient wisdom, life ceases to be an overwhelming mystery and becomes more of a creative process. One gives us a method. The other gives us meaning. Together, they take us from bewilderment to understanding.As Sri Krishna says,Yogah karmasu kaushalam| Yoga is skill in action.This simple line epitomises both design thinking and the Gita. We know ourselves, we act intentionally, and we revise our choices as we evolve. That’s how we carefully craft a life that feels aligned, rooted and only ours.

Think Like a Designer, Live Like a Warrior

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