How Might the Opposite Be True
Break a scarcity or false-tradeoff frame by forcing yourself to argue the reverse
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 85%
When your brain locks into a scarcity mindset or a false either/or tradeoff, ask 'how might the opposite be true?' The question interrupts the frame just enough to reveal that you may be able to do both, or that a constraint you assumed isn't real — relieving pressure and opening alternative paths.
Origin
A self-coaching practice Costello developed, connected to the 'above/below the line' concept from The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership (Conscious Leadership Group), which Asana gives new hires along with a two-day training.
Core principles
- 01The brain defaults to scarcity and either/or framing instead of generating alternative options.
- 02You can be 'above the line' (curious, open, playful) or 'below the line' (committed to winning, being right, black-and-white).
- 03Asking how the opposite might be true is a lightweight way to move yourself back above the line.
How to run it
- 1
Notice the scarcity or false tradeoff
Catch the moment you're telling yourself 'I can't do both' or 'it just is this way, there's no two ways around it' — a sign you're below the line and committed to being right.
- 2
Ask 'how might the opposite be true?'
Deliberately pose the reverse of your current belief and try it on, even if it feels abstract. The goal is just to break the frame, which doesn't take long.
Pro tip It only has to be enough to 'pop the balloon' — you don't need a full plan, just a crack in the assumption.
- 3
Re-evaluate options from above the line
With the frame broken, look for the path where both things are possible or the assumed constraint dissolves, and proceed with a calmer, more curious stance.
Watch out Don't use it to dismiss real constraints — it's for false tradeoffs and scarcity framing, not genuine hard limits.
In the wild
Costello faced a day where she had to deliver the clarity pillar brief to area leads AND record this podcast, and her first instinct was that it was too much — she should move or cancel one. She asked herself how the opposite might be true.
→ 'My shoulders dropped, I felt more relaxed, I was like oh yeah I can do both, it'll be fine' — the reframe dissolved the false tradeoff and let her show up well for both.
Common mistakes
Staying below the line committed to being right
When you insist 'it just is this way,' you shut down alternative options and lock in a scarcity view that may be false.
Using it to deny genuine constraints
The technique targets false tradeoffs; applying it to real hard limits produces wishful thinking rather than clarity.
Is it for you?
Best for
High-performers prone to scarcity thinking or either/or framing under pressure
Not ideal for
Decisions constrained by genuine, non-negotiable limits where 'both' truly isn't possible
From the transcript
“there's this notion of how might the opposite be true and the moment I challenge myself and said how might the opposite be true my…”
“if you're above the line you're committed to learning you're open and curious things are funny here more playful if you're below the line you're…”
From the episode
How to ask the right questions, project confidence, and win over skeptics
Paige Costello (Asana, Intercom, Intuit)