It’s a hefty weight to own the decision making for a product. Anxious thoughts might prod you when:

• An important scenario was missed in your requirements
• You have to change your plan because of a technical challenge that surfaced
• Your scope just increased because of business rules you were unaware of 
• You’re not sure what the next step in the project is

Essentially, anxiety rears its ugly head each time you bump into what you don’t know.

Sometimes you might wonder “Am I dumb for not understanding that?” “Do all product owners feel this anxiety?”, and I can assure you, you’re not alone. POs work in a world of ambiguity. The one constant is things changing since your last meeting.

The good news is: your anxiety is a tool you can use.

While anxious thoughts can make you feel upset, they’re often just your mind alerting you to take action. Your brain wants to turn ambiguity into clarity. And to get clarity, you need to talk to people. To get a restful mind, you need to take action.

Try this the next time you notice an anxious thought around a project:

1. Write down the thought

Putting it on paper makes it real, and sometimes shows how silly it is in the first place. Psychology has shown writing down anxious thoughts can help relieve them.

2. Go talk to someone 

Anyone. Don’t get hung up on who, just go with the person that feels like the most sensible choice given what you’re stuck on. Let them know you feel like you’re missing something. Don’t be afraid to humble yourself, you’re not supposed to know everything and people love to have the opportunity to help. 

Conversations bring clarity. You’ll likely find out:

• More about what you don’t know
• Who else you need to talk to
• What else you need to research
• A new resource to check out
• Or that other people don’t know either, so no need to be anxious!

We all feel anxious. Let’s use it as a reminder to start the next conversation. 

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