Templates + AI Prompt
Turn a goal, recurring problem, or frustrating part of life into a simple system that actually works.
DRIVE is the five-step method from How to Be Good at Life:
D — Define: Get clear on the problem and desired outcome.
R — Reverse Engineer: Work backward to identify what needs to happen.
I — Implement: Turn the plan into simple routines, tools, and triggers.
V — Validate: Measure whether the system is actually working.
E — Evolve: Review, simplify, and improve it over time.
You can build your system in two ways below.
Prefer pen and paper or want to think it through on your own? Use the DRIVE System Design Blueprint.
It walks you through each step of the method and gives you space to design your first system.
Download the PDF
Use the Google Docs Template
Quick tip: Start small. Pick one specific problem or goal rather than trying to redesign your entire life at once.
Want some help thinking through your system?
Use the prompt below with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or your AI tool of choice. It will guide you through DRIVE, identify the highest-leverage actions, and pressure-test your plan for real life.
Treat AI as a systems-design coach: let it surface options and sharpen your thinking, but keep your judgment in the driver’s seat.
AI-generated responses may contain errors. This resource is for educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for professional medical, legal, financial, or other specialized advice.
Copy and paste the prompt into your AI tool, then replace the yellow-highlighted text with your own details.
Help me design a system using the DRIVE model for [insert your goal].
Keep the output structured, concise, and focused on the highest-leverage actions for the next 30–90 days. Avoid unnecessary complexity or overbuilding.
Context:
- Current situation: [Brief summary of the problem or challenge]
- Desired outcome: [What success looks like]
- Available resources: [Time, tools, budget, etc.]
- Key constraints: [Time limits, responsibilities, blockers]
First, determine whether this goal is:
- A one-time outcome with a clear endpoint
- Or a repeating outcome I want to sustain over time
Then apply each step of DRIVE:
Define: Clarify the goal in measurable terms. Identify root causes.
Reverse Engineer: Break the goal into major milestones and the key tasks inside each one, sequencing them logically. If it’s a repeating outcome, design a simple trigger-based structure with a checklist.
Implement: Suggest routines, tools, and automations that make action easier and more consistent.
Validate: Pick clear progress metrics and practical review checkpoints.
Evolve: Recommend ways to simplify, scale, or refine what works once the system is running.
Finally: Flag any assumptions, blind spots, unnecessary complexity, or friction points that could weaken the system.
However you build your system, keep coming back to this:
“What does this system make possible?”
A good system gives you something back: time, energy, attention, money, or mental space. That’s the real test of whether it’s worth building.
Start small. See what works. Then evolve it.
I can’t wait to see what you build.