What Might It Be True Of?
When you hear something you want to argue with, ask what it might be true of instead.
The concept
Generous interpretation as a thinking move
Kahneman's quiet rule, recounted by Michael Lewis: 'When someone says something, don't ask yourself if it is true. Ask what it might be true of.' True/false is a reflex that ends thinking. The reframe surfaces the situation, person, or system the claim describes accurately — even when it doesn't describe yours.
Try it now
0 / 3Get reminded to actually run this
Pivots only work when you use them. Send me a gentle nudge:
How people ran this
Used this before a portfolio review. Sat with the dread for 8 minutes, then opened Figma and just shipped the worst version. Got the best feedback of my year.
Maya, product designer
Ran it during a planning week when I kept rewriting the same doc. Three rough versions in 15 minutes — my staff eng picked the one I least liked.
Jordan, eng manager
I'm a chronic deleter. The 'name the feeling' step was the unlock. It was almost always shame, not perfectionism.
Anon
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