Most people struggle with this fundamental question: What do you really want? Brand strategist Bonnie Wan offers a concrete answer through her “Life Brief” methodology\u2014a strategic framework that distills your authentic desires into five bold statements and an actionable plan, much like the creative briefs she uses with Fortune 500 companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After applying corporate strategy techniques to overcome her own personal crisis, Wan developed this three-step system that helps you clear mental clutter<\/a>, craft your personal mission<\/a>, and take decisive action. Keep reading for a full book overview of The Life Brief <\/em>by Bonnie Wan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n True happiness<\/a> starts with a deceptively simple question that most of us struggle to answer honestly: What do you really want?<\/strong> In The Life Brief<\/a><\/em>, brand strategist Bonnie Wan uses that question as the foundation for designing a document that outlines your personal goals and strategies\u2014the titular \u201cLife Brief,\u201d modeled after the creative briefs that Wan uses in her professional career.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wan is a partner and former head of brand strategy at Goodby Silve<\/a>rstein & Partners<\/a>, where she helped some of the world\u2019s largest companies distill complex issues into clear and actionable strategies. After experiencing a crisis in her marriage and career, she applied the same strategic frameworks she uses professionally to her own life, developing the Life Brief methodology as a way to achieve clarity about what mattered most to her. This combination of professional and personal experience helps Wan to translate corporate strategy techniques into a practical framework for personal transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This guide will take you through Wan\u2019s three steps of creating a Life Brief:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll provide additional information from the field of neurology to further explain how and why Wan\u2019s principles work. We\u2019ll also compare her ideas with those of other self-help books, such as Tony Robbins\u2019s Awaken the Giant Within<\/em><\/a> <\/em>and Danielle LaPorte\u2019s The Desire Map<\/em><\/a>. Finally, we\u2019ll suggest some strategies to help you make and follow your unique Life Brief.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n To find the answer to Wan\u2019s fundamental question (\u201cWhat do I want?\u201d), you must first sift through the confusion and conflicting feelings cluttering up your mind. This is a messy and uncomfortable process, but a necessary one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this section, we\u2019ll explain how a daily journaling<\/a> practice helps turn your jumbled thoughts into clear, actionable ideas. We\u2019ll then explore ways to find and overcome your self-sabotaging thoughts and beliefs. Finally, we\u2019ll discuss how you can learn more about yourself by talking with the people who know you best.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wan warns that you won\u2019t be able to organize and fix your mental chaos just by deciding to do so (after all, if it were that simple, you\u2019d have done it already). Instead, she recommends daily journaling as a way to purge those messy, chaotic thoughts from your mind and turn them into something concrete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To do this, set aside 10 minutes each day to write down every thought that crosses your mind. No matter how ugly those thoughts are, or how strong your feelings get, it\u2019s crucial to express yourself fully and authentically;<\/strong> judgment, self-censorship, and worries about what other people would think will sabotage this exercise. For instance, you might need to acknowledge feelings of anger, jealousy, or resentment you\u2019ve been suppressing, or finally face up to some embarrassing\u2014even shocking\u2014desires that you\u2019ve buried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout this journaling process, be on the lookout for a particular question or wish that crops up again and again, no matter how much you suppress or ignore it in your daily life. Wan explains that this powerful, persistent thought represents a key part of yourself<\/a> that you\u2019ve neglected. <\/strong>Some common examples include persistent doubts about your career path<\/a>, a longing for a different kind of relationship<\/a> with your family or romantic partner, or a creative dream that you\u2019ve dismissed as impractical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever that thought is, it will eventually become the focal point around which you build your Life Brief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you get a clear look at your messy thoughts and problems, you\u2019ll likely discover that certain beliefs and fears are keeping you from reaching your full potential<\/a>. Wan calls these internalized obstacles \u201cenemies\u201d because they oppose you and stop you from getting what you want. A few common examples include self-doubt<\/a>, perfectionism, and the fear of failure<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She adds that these beliefs are deeply ingrained, often originating from your upbringing<\/a> and cultural background. As such, you never consciously choose these beliefs, but they still shape your decisions and your life. For instance, if your parents only praised you when you got straight A\u2019s in school, you might grow up to become a perfectionist, since you were raised to believe that your value as a person comes from your accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying your limiting beliefs requires honest self-examination. To that end, Wan suggests you think deeply about which core beliefs might be holding you back<\/a>, then ask yourself three questions to test each idea\u2019s validity: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes you\u2019ll find that a limiting belief is simply false: Upon examination, you\u2019ll realize that what you thought was an objective fact is really just a story you\u2019ve been telling yourself. In this case, you can reject that idea outright. For example, women in traditional societies are often raised to believe that they\u2019re only suited to be homemakers. However, women have excelled in all kinds of roles all over the world, which firmly refutes this limiting belief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, if your limiting belief does have some basis in fact\u2014or is too deeply ingrained for you to just decide not to believe it anymore\u2014it\u2019s crucial to reframe that idea in an empowering way.<\/strong> In other words, look for new ways to interpret your experiences or your current situation. For instance, people who struggle in school may grow up believing that they\u2019re not intelligent. Wan might urge those people to consider that maybe they struggled with formal schooling, but have great intelligence in other areas like handiwork or leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy to see your weaknesses and limiting beliefs\u2014we\u2019re often our own harshest critics, after all\u2014but it can be much harder to see your strengths and potential. That\u2019s why Wan encourages you to seek some outside perspectives to better understand yourself<\/a> and your current situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To start, think of some people who know you well and are genuinely invested in your success: Family members, close friends, and people you\u2019ve worked with for a long time are all good options.<\/strong> Ask those people to share their thoughts about your most positive traits, such as what roles you perform best in, or which personality quirks make you uniquely yourself. By doing so, you\u2019re likely to discover things about yourself that you\u2019ve overlooked or undervalued\u2014you could gain new insights into things like your greatest strengths, your rarest talents, and what situations (or people) really get you energized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, suppose you\u2019re in a teaching or coaching role. You might believe your greatest strength in that role is your outgoing personality, but a long-time colleague points out that you\u2019re uniquely gifted at breaking down complex topics into simple, digestible ideas. With that in mind, you could find that you excel at teaching difficult subjects that others struggle to explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step of Wan\u2019s system had you generate many pages of messy writing, identify your limiting beliefs, and gather new perspectives from the people who know you best. Next, you must filter through the raw material you\u2019ve collected and condense it into a clear, actionable Life Brief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this section we\u2019ll go over the two parts of a Life Brief: 1) five statements that describe your deepest, most genuine desires<\/a>, and 2) a catchy hook to help those statements stick in your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wan explains that the majority of your Life Brief should consist of five statements about what you want\u2014she chose the number five because it strikes a balance between keeping your Brief concise and fully exploring your real life goals. These statements are bold commitments that you make to yourself, not just tentative hopes or vague wishes.<\/strong> For example, \u201cI want to be happy\u201d is too vague to be useful; \u201cI want to laugh out loud every day of my life\u201d is a much stronger and more concrete statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The author also says each of your five statements should spark excitement, but also a sense of nervousness.<\/strong> That combination of emotions suggests you\u2019ve come up with something that deeply resonates with you, and that will inspire you to keep growing as a person<\/a>. Conversely, if something in your Life Brief feels comfortable and achievable, you probably haven\u2019t pushed yourself far enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, says Wan, note that your five statements can change over time. It\u2019s therefore important to review and revise your Life Brief on a regular basis.<\/strong> Doing so will ensure that it continues to serve your deepest needs and doesn\u2019t just become another rigid set of rules for you to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such changes might happen when you fulfill one of your needs and a new one takes its place, when you experience a major life change that alters what you want, or when you realize that you\u2019ve grown as a person. For instance, a statement about career success might, over time, change to one about job satisfaction. In this case, you\u2019ve recognized that you no longer feel a driving need for accomplishments or accolades\u2014you just want to keep doing what you love<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Along with your five statements, Wan says you\u2019ll need to write a hook<\/em>: a short, evocative phrase that reminds you of your core values<\/a> and goals. When you have to quickly make a decision<\/a>, or when you feel yourself drifting away from your goals, you can think of this phrase and instantly reconnect with what\u2019s most important to you<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that the hook actually goes at the beginning of your Life Brief. However, it\u2019s better to craft your statements first so you know exactly what ideas the hook will encapsulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wan also gives some advice to help make your hook memorable and meaningful. One suggestion is to imagine your hook on a hoodie or a sticker\u2014come up with something that you\u2019d want to buy if you saw it in a store, just because it\u2019s so perfect for you. This approach will ensure that your hook is simple and concise, but still emotionally powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another tip Wan gives is to intentionally write your hook with awkward phrasing or incorrect grammar. Unusual and unexpected wording will make the phrase memorable. For example, instead of \u201cWhat brings me joy comes first; what others think I should do comes later,\u201d you might just write \u201cJoy first; \u2018should\u2019 later.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Life Brief: A Playbook for No Regrets Living<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Step 1: Clear Your Mental Clutter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Move the Mess From Your Head to a Page<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Find Your Limiting Beliefs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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See Your Strengths Through Other People\u2019s Eyes<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Write Your Life Brief<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summarize What You Want in Five Statements<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Write a Catchy Hook<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n