I was discussing a recent draft of my next manuscript with my friend and colleague Rahul, and he mentioned Nikita Bier’s tweet:

Before launching a product, sit down and draft a murderboard: list out every possible criticism with the worst headline possible. Then, while preserving the core value proposition, reposition the product so it’s bulletproof against any criticism. Don’t delegate this: you own the…

— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) January 7, 2024

You could replace “your product,” with your work, or your career path, or anything really, and this statement still holds true.

When it comes to repositioning, an emotion like doubt comes in extremely handy. While it may feel like the emotional opposite of confidence, with the right structure and guidelines, it can be a powerful source of energy for deepening the work, or anticipating and getting ahead of potential roadblocks. It helps build your confidence in reality, rather than a hope that someone may not think to ask your question. (They should ask, because it’s their job, and they will.)

The key is also to appreciate that you won’t anticipate everything (because other people have perspectives very different than yours—so you can’t), but getting ahead of the big things you can anticipate people will say is always a good starting point. From there, you can practice.