Stop Calling It Starting Over. Call It: Prototyping Forward!
- Hedi
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
By Hedi Schaefer
Starting Over?
You're not actually starting over again.
What if you're prototyping forward?!
That career change? That's version 2.0 of your professional identity, built on everything you learned in version 1.0. The relationship that ended? Data collection for designing better connections.
The business that didn't work out? Research and development for your next venture.
Here's what changes when you think like a designer instead of a failure
Designers don't throw away prototypes.
They study them:
What worked?
What didn't?
What unexpected insights emerged?
Your experiences follow the same pattern. Every job teaches you something about what energizes you and what drains you. Every relationship shows you more about how you connect and where you struggle. Every project reveals new capabilities you didn't know you had.
You're not erasing your past. You're building on it
The prototyping mindset does something powerful.
It removes the shame from changing direction.
Designers expect to iterate.
They budget for multiple versions.
They know the first attempt won't be the final product.
Why should your life be any different?
The data you've collected matters
Your communication skills from that marketing job? They transfer to teaching, sales, or running your own business. The patience you developed as a parent? That's project management gold.
The resilience you built getting through that difficult period?
That's leadership material!
You're not starting from zero. You're starting from everything you've learned, tried, and survived.
Progress isn't linear. It's iterative!
The next time someone asks about your "fresh start," correct them. You're not starting fresh.
You're launching the next iteration of yourself, informed by real-world testing and equipped with hard-earned insights.
That's not starting over. That's prototyping forward. CAN YOU FEEL THE DIFFERENCE?
Hedi Schaefer is a global speaker and transformation expert blending innovation, identity work, and deep healing. Learn more at hedischaefer.com or connect on Instagram @hedi_schaefer / Linked In
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