Next time say "design"

"To say that something is designed means it has intentions that go beyond its function. Otherwise it’s just planning." — Ayse Birsel

"A designer is a planner with an aesthetic sense". — Bruno Munari

I encountered these design quotes a few days ago and they made me think about the difference of design vs. planning. Which leads me to the conclusion that designing is higher than planning. I think we should all say next time "Let's design this" on whatever it is we're working on, rather than saying "Let's plan this".

There's a difference between the two. The latter implies a process that is pragmatic in nature and lacks energy and passion. The former invites you to explore and craft your future with creativity, to make it interesting, to make it harmonious, to make it effective, to go for the ideal and to express your values. Planning asks you to come up with a solution. Designing forces you to go beyond planning and asks you to be creative in achieving your goals.

If you're a teacher, say "I'll design this lecture" rather than "I'll plan how to deliver this lesson". If you're asked to organize an event say "I'll design this event" rather than "I'll plan this event". If you want to start a business say "I'll design this business" rather than saying "I'll plan this business". It somehow sends a message to your subconscious mind "I'll do this with creativity and passion".