Fall ushers in the gradual turn from productivity to harvest and reflection. What better time to consider what you’d like the coming year to be? The following books offer guidance about how you can mindfully and intentionally design your year to come.

In “Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness”, Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein introduce the concept of “choice architecture”. This idea revolves around the way decisions are influenced by how choices are presented. Essentially, even small changes in the environment can significantly “nudge” individuals towards making specific choices, often without them even realizing it. For those seeking to mindfully design the upcoming year, “Nudge” serves as a potent reminder of the power inherent in the choices we make daily. By actively contemplating our decision-making environments and becoming aware of the subtle nudges around us, we can better align our choices with our true values and goals, shaping a more intentional and fulfilling year.

Bill Burnett and Dave Evans apply design thinking principles to life planning in “Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life”. They encourage readers to approach their lives with the same thoughtfulness and innovative mindset as a designer approaches a complex project, including prototyping, iterating, and testing the life paths that lead to fulfillment and joy. “Designing Your Life” provides invaluable insights and practical exercises for those committed to intentionally planning the coming year. By adopting a designer’s mindset, readers can reframe their perspectives, embrace curiosity, and contemplate multiple possibilities for the future.

“You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincero serves as a refreshing and riveting guide, filled with empowering advice to help readers break away from the chains of self-doubt and embark on a path of self-discovery and personal growth. Sincero’s candid and engaging narrative invites individuals to contemplate their self-limiting beliefs, encouraging a deep dive into one’s inner world to unearth and dispel negative patterns of thought. With a blend of compelling stories, impactful wisdom, and practical exercises, Sincero encourages readers to contemplate and embrace their inherent greatness, align with their authentic selves, and craft a life fueled by passion and purpose.