Lifestyle Design Made Simple – Ian Koniak

Happy holidays.

This week I need to share one thing that has turn into foundational to how I take into consideration work, household, well being, and objective going into 2026.

It’s referred to as Lifestyle Design.

What Lifestyle Design Really Is

Lifestyle design is precisely what it seems like.
You deliberately design the way you need to dwell.

How a lot you’re employed.
What your days appear like.
How you spend your time if you find yourself not working.
Who you spend it with.
Where you focus your time and vitality. 

At its core, way of life design is all about freedom.
Freedom of time.
Freedom of cash.
Freedom of relationships.
Freedom of objective.

And right here is the reality most individuals keep away from: Lifestyle design requires profession success. It requires sufficient revenue to purchase again your time. 

That is why gross sales (and entrepreneurship) are such highly effective autos. They provide the means to design your schedule and preferrred revenue, as a substitute of being trapped by it or restricted by what others resolve to pay you. Your increase turns into efficient once you do! 

Why This Matters Now

I’m doing this train very deliberately proper now as a result of my household wants me extra at residence.

My oldest son Max is on the autism spectrum, and as he will get older, his challenges have gotten extra advanced. I don’t need to be a dad who’s bodily current however emotionally unavailable as a result of I’m burned out, exhausted, or consumed by work.

As an expert coach specializing in life abilities, I imagine God referred to as me into this work not simply to assist purchasers, however to make use of these abilities the place they matter most: At residence. 

Helping my son construct emotional regulation, self-discipline, and coping abilities with endurance and presence within the teaching that issues most. 

If I’m depleted, I can not do this.
If I’m working lengthy hours, I can not do this.

Lifestyle design at all times begins with why.

For me, the why is my household.

But it goes past simply being current with these you’re keen on. It’s additionally about pursuing your desires or a better calling. 

Like beginning a enterprise.
Writing a e-book.
Launching a podcast.
Or serving folks exterior of your foremost job.  

How can any of that occur in case your total day is consumed by work and household? It can’t. 

That’s why way of life design is so vital – as a result of it frees up your time to deal with what issues most in your life. 

The Four Freedoms

I just lately joined Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach program, which is concentrated on constructing a self-managing firm. They discuss 4 freedoms that matter most:

Freedom of Time
Spending your time the place you select.

Financial Freedom
Money is not the constraint. You can say sure to the issues that you really want in life with out worrying about the fee. 

Freedom of Relationships
Choosing to spend your time connecting with household, buddies, colleagues, and purchasers who deliver you vitality and lightweight you up, quite than deplete your vitality.  

Freedom of Purpose
Pursuing the work that creates legacy. For me, that features writing and sharing content material exterior of simply gross sales. For instance, I plan to write down a e-book on how one can apply Bible ideas throughout all areas of life, which has little to do with my teaching enterprise and every little thing to do with serving to folks discover pleasure, achievement, and peace. 

The Five Steps to Lifestyle Design

Step 1: Define What You Want
Get clear on what you truly need your life to appear like. How a lot do you need to work? Where do you propose to spend your time exterior of labor? 

Step 2: Get Clear on Why
Why do you need to make this alteration? Who are you doing this for? What is the better calling or objective which it will let you pursue? 

Step 3: Master the How
This is the place most individuals get caught. If you need to work much less hours or ultimately get out of gross sales, you’ll want to get REALLY good at gross sales proper now. Sales funded my freedom and allowed me to teach full time with out monetary strain.  High revenue was by no means about issues. It was at all times about time and selection.

You additionally want elite time administration abilities and self-discipline at work. If you propose to work fewer hours, these hours should be spent on what issues most. Pipeline creation. Prospecting to senior executives at your A accounts to search out BIG offers. Then ruthlessly advancing and executing these deal cycles. High-value work solely. No extra busywork. No extra low-value conferences. No extra distractions. No extra time wasted on small offers. 

This is what I name Addition by subtraction. 

It additionally requires saying no once you’re not at work to the habits, vices, and behaviors which pull you away out of your mission. Such as social media, watching television, or utilizing substance, meals, or your cellphone to flee. 

Step 4: Set Hard Work Boundaries
Work expands to fill the time you give it.
If you’re employed much less, you’re compelled to be sharper, sooner, and extra intentional.

I at present work beneath 40 hours every week and am transferring towards 35 subsequent 12 months whereas operating a fast-growing firm. That solely works as a result of I shield my calendar and ruthlessly prioritize what I’m engaged on. Delegate or automate all busy work or low worth actions. 

Step 5: Schedule the Life You Want exterior of labor
If it issues, it goes on the calendar. Date nights. Vacations. Kids sports activities. Wellness. Exercise. Mens retreats. Church. If I don’t schedule it, it doesn’t exist. 

Lifestyle design will not be about retiring from work.
It is about constructing a life you by no means need to retire from.

Final Thoughts

Life strikes quick. If you need to make your desires come true, ready is not an possibility as a result of none of us are assured tomorrow. Start proper now. 

That’s why I created a free 20 minute Masterclass referred to as Lifestyle Design Made Simple. You can watch it right here

And in order for you fingers on help getting began, I will probably be internet hosting a free goal-setting webinar on January fifteenth that will help you set your skilled and private targets for 2026. Sign up here to safe your spot. 

Here’s to designing a life that actually issues!

-Ian