Bill Burnett

Bill Burnett is an award-winning author and educator who has written extensively about creativity and innovation for more than two decades. He is the co-author of two New York Times bestsellers, Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life and Designing Your Work Life: How to Thrive and Change with the New Working World.

Burnett, who is the Executive Director of the newly established Stanford Life Design Lab, was inspired to pursue a career in lifesaving design after a deep dive into the culture of technology and entrepreneurship at Apple. While there, he recognized the potential of design to positively influence individual and organizational lives. After leaving Apple and teaching design classes at Stanford, he wrote his first book, Designing Your Life, which sparked a movement of design thinking for everyday people.

The core of Burnett’s message for individuals is that by incorporating design thinking into the process of creating their own life plan, they can build a fulfilled and meaningful existence. With the mentorship of partner Dave Evans, Burnett has brought design thinking to the masses, helping people design a life that honors their core values and curiosities.

Designing Your Life is both a book and a workshop that uses design principles to reframe and improve the way individuals view and map out the lives they want to lead. Throughout the book, Burnett and Evans show readers how to change their perspective on life planning, and how to use exercises like reverse-engineering and prototyping to find viable paths to future success. The book has seen incredible success—over 700,000 copies have been sold in 20 languages and 50 countries.

In 2020, Burnett and Evans published their second book, Designing Your Work Life, giving readers the key strategies to craft their ideal work life. Drawing from their shared experiences as designers, entrepreneurs, and executives, the book offers an insightful guide to building the career and company you've always wanted.

In addition to his books, Burnett has also co-authored numerous articles and presented widely on life design. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Inc., Fast Company, and Wired. He continues to spread design thinking to educators and corporate professionals alike.

Bill Burnett is one of the leading practitioners of design thinking in the world today. His books and workshops empower individuals to create the lives they've always dreamed of and offer the tools to help make that come true. Through his work, Burnett has helped millions design a life filled with joy and satisfaction.