The Life Design Method

How To Use This Method

Go stage by stage, starting with Self-Discovery. Each topic includes research, exercises, and reflection prompts. Most will also contain AI prompts you can use to go deeper, but it's not necessary to use them for the method to be effective. You can work through them in your browser, with a notepad or a Word doc by your side, but we strongly recommend using our Notion workbook, created specifically for this, to make the process easier.

If you decide to use AI and the included optional prompts, create a new project with instructions, telling your chosen AI to forget everything it knows about you for the exercises in that project space. Paste all prompts in that project space only. This way, it can only work with the information you give it during your sessions, without using anything you have already shared in other chats.

Some stages (like Energy Audit or Shadow work) can take a few days. Start them, continue with other topics in the meantime, and come back to them when you're ready. The course is designed to be done at your own pace. With a daily investment of around 1 hour, it should take you around 9-10 weeks to complete, but you can go as slowly or quickly as you wish.

If you've found your way to this life design method because something in your life isn't working, know this: you can't think clearly about your life when your nervous system, your sleep, your body, or your finances are in distress. If this is the case, please start the method from Stage 0 - Stabilisation and spend a few weeks getting your foundations stable enough to think on. You can skip this stage if you're already there, but if not, the rest of the method will work much better after a month here than it will if you push through now.

Notion Workbook

A digital workbook with every exercise, reflection prompt, and planning template from all 5 stages. Built in Notion, so you can write, edit, and revisit your answers anytime.

Subscribe to our newsletter to access it. You'll receive a link to your Notion workspace. Simply click "Duplicate" at the top right corner to save it into your own workspace. If you don't currently have a Notion account, you'll need to register.

Stage 0:
Stabilisation

Click any card to get started.

Stage 2:
Life Context

Stage 3:
Vision & Direction

Stage 4:
Strategy

Stage 5:
Daily Practice

⚠️ Disclaimer ⚠️

The IKIGLOO method, course, and materials are designed for personal reflection and self-directed life design. None of this is professional advice — not therapeutic, psychological, medical, financial, or legal. This framework is experimental. It draws on published research and real-world practice, but it has not been clinically validated. Everything here is offered for educational and entertainment purposes only. I make no guarantees or promises about specific outcomes. What works for one person may not work for another.

If you're dealing with mental health concerns, career crises, financial decisions, or anything that feels bigger than a journaling exercise, please work with a qualified professional. This is not a substitute for that. By using these materials, you accept full responsibility for how you apply them. I'm not liable for any decisions you make, actions you take, or outcomes that result from engaging with this content. If something feels off, stop. Trust yourself. Get proper support.