The Year for Irrational Hope: Debbie Millman on the 10-Year Plan

In this week’s episode of Everyday Better, Leah Smart sits down with legendary designer, author, educator, and podcast host Debbie Millman to dive into the transformative power of the 10-year plan. Originally taught to Debbie by her mentor Milton Glaser, this visioning exercise pushes you to suspend limiting beliefs and imagine your ideal life ten years from now. Debbie shares how this practice has profoundly shaped her career, creativity, and personal life - and why declaring hope can quietly set real change into motion.

This episode inspires you to think bigger, let go of outdated identities, and create space for new possibilities. Debbie’s insights remind us that even in the face of uncertainty, hope can be an enduring source of resilience.
Tune in and learn how to embrace irrational hope, envision your future, and take steps toward becoming who you’re meant to be.

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00:00 - Introduction
02:43 - Meet Debbie Millman
04:06 - Why Debbie embodies irrational hope
06:20 - Suspending limiting beliefs to dream big
07:23 - The origin of the 10-year plan
09:40 - How minute details transform your vision
11:56 - Writing a new 10-year plan in difficult times
15:53 - Identity, reality, and reinventing yourself
19:05 - Letting go of the trapeze: Embracing change
21:35 - Personal brand vs. Genuine identity
23:31 - Brands don’t evolve – humans do
27:16 - Fear, approval, and being fully yourself
29:32 - What if we wrote a 10‑year plan for the world?
32:12 - Closing thoughts and next episode preview