Stanford Professor / Author

Dave Evans

Co-founder of the Life Design Lab at Stanford with Bill Burnett. Co-author of Designing Your Life. Teaches the 'design mindset' — prototype your life rather than planning it.

Known For

Designing Your LifeLife Design Lab at StanfordOdyssey Plan

Canon

Confidence Comes From Competence and Action, Not Readiness

Canon

Design Thinking Applied to Life Decisions

Novel

Meaning Comes from Responsibility, Not Happiness

Canon

Meditation Is Mental Training, Not Relaxation

Canon

The Reticular Activating System: What You Focus On Determines What You Notice

Novel

Rumination Is the Single Greatest Pre-Diagnostic Factor for Depression and Anxiety

Novel

Sympatheia — Everything Is Interconnected

Novel

Books

■Designing Your Life(2016)

Episodes

#Why “Follow Your Passion” Is Bad Advice — with Bill Burnett and Dave EvansSep 10, 2026 #Changing Our Mental MapsJul 13, 2026 #Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 2Jul 6, 2026 #How to Resist the Attention Economy — with Bill Burnett and Dave EvansMay 18, 2026 #Radical AcceptanceMay 4, 2026 #Designing a Life that MattersApr 27, 2026 #372How to Design Your Life in 1 HourFeb 23, 2026 ##1062 - Dave Evans - It’s time to rethink your entire life planFeb 21, 2026 #How to Design a More Meaningful Life (with Dave Evans and Bill Burnett)Feb 2, 2026