The inspiration comes from the term “fly-by-wire,” a system designed by the aviation industry to help pilots fly planes. Without going into technical details, fly-by-wire is a critical system that changed human-machine interaction in the cockpit. It drastically improved safety by preventing the loss of flight control and decreasing pilot workload.
So, fly-by-wire helps the pilot fly the plane.
Because my coaching service helps people to live a good life, I realized I could use this analogy to name my business.
And so, “Live-by-Sketch“ was born.
I really like the word "sketch." It has so many meanings, and most of them relate directly to my teaching philosophy:
1. A Sketch Before a Painting: Experimentation & Prototyping
A sketch is a preliminary idea and an experiment before investing many hours into a painting. An artist usually makes many sketches, testing different ideas to finally develop a concept.
To design a lifestyle, we need to test if we actually like a specific idea (or value). We are usually told to follow social norms without really experiencing them first. My take is that we should test those ideas until we find something that makes sense to us—just like an artist making different sketches.
2. Living Life by Sketching: Presence & Mindfulness
I have been doing on-location sketching for more than 10 years. I sketch everything around me. This teaches me to focus on the present moment and see the world with a new pair of eyes. It’s almost like meditation, but more dynamic as I spread lines and colors onto the paper. I will never give up sketching, so I am truly living my life by sketching.
3. A Sketch as Comedy: Spontaneity & Serendipity
I really love comedy sketches. They are usually spontaneous and vibrant. I truly embrace the concept of spontaneity and serendipity in life. In my coaching philosophy, I always encourage my clients to look for serendipity by intentionally making random decisions, as long as the worst-case scenario is controlled. When we sketch, we let it flow.
Designing Your Lifestyle
This is the story behind the name “Live-by-Sketch.” I want my clients to use the concept of a "sketch" to help them design their lifestyles and, eventually, live a good life.