Past struggle

One of the hardest parts of being a product designer isn’t the design work—it’s those moments when I know I should speak up, but don’t.

Like when leadership pushed for a feature I knew would hurt the user experience, and I just sat there. Or when the team got excited about a direction that didn’t make sense, and I nodded along anyway. Sometimes I even spoke—but not the whole truth. I’d soften it, reshape it, make it sound agreeable. Fear doesn’t just silence you—it bends your words.

What I thought was self-protection—avoiding conflict, keeping approval, staying “nice”—slowly turned into exhaustion, anxiety, and guilt. I started questioning not just my design decisions, but myself. Am I even good at this?

Eventually, I realized fear wasn’t just around me—it lived inside me too. But God’s been good to me. Over time, He’s helped me face that fear and speak truth with more courage and grace. I’m not perfect at it, but I’m not who I used to be.

Here’s how I’ve been learning to overcome that fear—and why I’ve realized honesty matters so much in design. Hope it helps you too.

Why speaking up matters in design

A good product is built on different minds and perspectives—each one shaping, refining, and challenging ideas until they become a stronger product. And that only works when honesty sits at the center.

It also shapes us too. Speaking truth, even when it’s hard, grows our empathy, humility, and courage. That’s how we mature as product designers—and as people.

Jesus said, “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no” (Matt. 5:37). It’s a reminder to stay honest—to speak with integrity, even when fear makes silence feel safer.
For us designers, that might mean naming what you see—the usability issue, the trade-off, the hidden risk—even when the room’s already moving on. Or asking the hard question when everyone else seems sure.

It’s not easy, but it’s possible. Over time, I’ve found a few truths in Scripture that taught me how to live this out when fear and doubt show up.

Living it out

I’ll start by saying this: for 15 years, I was known as the quiet, people-pleasing designer. That’s changed because of His grace and favor. And if I had to trace where it all started, it’d be this verse right here:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Solomon’s story hits close to home. He had more wisdom and insight than anyone, yet he still drifted—because he began to rely on his own understanding. When we trust fear, it becomes our version of "understanding". And that’s the same trap we fall into as designers. We sense something’s off, but we stay quiet—because deep down, we’re trusting what we're telling ourselves more than Him.

That’s what this verse cuts through. It reminds me that even the wisest mind can lose its way without God at the center. Solomon’s reflection brought him back to three timeless truths—ones I’ve been learning to live by too:

  1. Trust God — how we start
  2. Don’t lean on your own understanding — how we surrender
  3. He will make your paths straight — what He promises in return

1. The start - Trust in the Lord

Me: “I trust God.”
My emotions: “No, you don’t. You’re scared.”
Me: “You’re right… this isn't 'trust'. I’m clearly lacking faith.”

That used to be my loop. I thought trusting God meant everything had to line up—my thoughts, my emotions, my words. Like all the stars needed to align before it counted as real faith. But here’s what I’ve learned:

💡
Trust doesn’t rest in how we feel. It rests in faith. And faith isn’t the absence of fear—it’s your awareness of His presence in it. It moves you into action even while you’re afraid.

Trusting God is what moves you. So saying “I trust You” while still trembling isn’t fake—it’s faith. You speak up, share your convictions, and explain your reasoning—not because you feel brave, but because you trust the the outcome in Him.

How do we trust God practically?

  • Pray
    Praying before a meeting isn’t some ritual thing. It’s a powerful reminder that the Holy Spirit lives in you and me—and that we’re secure in who He says we are.
  • Do it afraid
    There are three ingredients to speaking up: wisdom, courage, and action. God supplies the first two—so you’re so close, like painfully close. You see something that needs to be said—that’s wisdom. You feel that nudge to actually speak—that’s courage.

    Some people think they don’t have courage. But if you didn’t, you wouldn’t feel that inner push at all. That tension you feel? It’s courage battling fear, clearing a path so you can walk forward in faith.

    All He’s asking you to do is your part—to take that step, to trust Him, and to do it afraid.
Do it afraid
  • Start small
    The goal isn’t to win an argument—it’s to communicate and contribute. If you’re not confident enough to challenge something directly, start small. Turn a statement into a question, or gently remind the team of a trade-off they might’ve missed. Trust that God will meet you in motion. When you take your step, He’ll do His part.

📖 The first time I actually spoke up

A few years ago, I joined a meeting to sunset a feature. Our PM—great guy, very vocal—shared the A/B test results. The new variant performed just a few points lower than control, and within minutes the team agreed to sunset it.

I nodded along, but deep down I disagreed. If it was that close, it meant potential—we just hadn’t figured out how. Still, I stayed quiet, wrestling with that push to speak up.

A few things held me back: the fear of being labeled difficult, the shame that my idea might sound stupid, the worry I couldn’t answer follow-up questions, and—most of all—the thought of what would happen if my idea actually got built and failed.

I just didn’t want to leave with regrets anymore—walking out of meetings questioning myself for not speaking up. I was exhausted by the self-loathing. So right there in my seat I prayed, “God, I trust You. I’ll do it.”

Funny how when I truly want to obey Him, He somehow makes the space and time for me to do it. So I did—voice shaky, but steady enough. Fear didn’t vanish, but it got much easier. And even though I couldn’t respond to everything, in that moment I kicked fear right in the butt. In God's economy, that's a major win!

Did I change the outcome? At that moment? Nope. The feature was still cancelled 😂 But after I spoke, more voices joined in. The meeting ran a little longer. New ideas surfaced. A year later, one of those ideas became one of our core metrics.

And no, the idea didn’t come from me—the person that idea came from isn't the point. This is what building a good product together should be.

2. The surrender - Lean not on your own understanding

Okay, you’ve taken the step to trust Him—that’s a fantastic start. But what happens when your brain, your heart, and your emotions all still freak out? Something like:

  • What if they think I’m not a team player?
  • What if I fumble my words and look stupid?
  • What if they go with my idea and it tanks?
  • What if people take it personal and avoid me later?

These thoughts feel real, don’t they? But they aren't. This is what Solomon was warning us against. This is what leaning on my own understanding sounds like—agreeing with a false narrative instead of God’s truth.

So what’s the cure? Stop agreeing with fear and start agreeing with what’s already true—you’re approved, you’re His, and He’s not second-guessing you (2 Timothy 2:15).

How can we stop leaning on our own understanding

  • Stop replaying the fear
    The reason we keep replaying what we fear is because we’re trying to control the outcome. But the truth is, we can't control the outcome nor how others respond.

    Learn to let go. Surrender. Hand the control back to God. Let Him do the driving and trust Him with the destination.

    So when fear starts whispering, “What if it all goes wrong?” stop the thought right there. Take a breath and say, “God, I’m giving this to You.” He’ll always meet you with the same quiet assurance: “I’ve got you.”

    Then move on. That's how you stop fear from becoming your own understanding.
  • Believe the truth
    Leaning on Him also means agreeing with what He says about you.
    Try declare this:
    “God placed me at [my company], with [my team], as a [my role] because He trusts me here. My worth isn’t tied to results, recognition, or what fear and shame say about me. It’s already affirmed by the One who called me.”
  • Maintain your mind
    The best way to stop fear from building a stronghold in your mind is to fill it with what’s true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
    Meditate daily. Talk to Him often. The more you do, the clearer His voice becomes.

3. The result - He will make your paths straight

For the longest time, I thought a straight path meant a problem-free life. I couldn’t have been more wrong 😅.

When Jesus said, “My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30), He didn’t mean there wouldn’t be burdens. There will still be problems and challenges—but they become lighter and easier to deal with when we trust Him and stop leaning on our own understanding.

A straight path can look like this:

  • Fear still shows up, but you don’t overthink—you just move. You don’t linger in uncertainty because you know what’s certain: God is with you.
  • When things don’t go your way—your idea gets rejected or your design doesn’t land—you don’t stay stuck in shame. You remember where your true approval comes from.

Your burden gets lighter—just as Jesus said.

A closing note

At the end of the day, courage isn’t about being fearless—it’s about trusting God enough to move even when fear shows up. Every time you speak with honesty and grace, you’re choosing faith over control. And step by step, He’s shaping both the product and the person you’re becoming.

  • If you’re a believer: You’re not in your role by accident. God put you there for a reason. Every time you speak with honesty, integrity, and kindness, you’re not just doing your job—you’re living out His calling. You’re protecting your users, shaping your craft, and letting Him grow you into His witness right where you work.
  • If you’re not sure about faith yet: That nudge you feel—the one that says, “I should say something” even when fear pushes back—that’s not random. It’s a seed of courage God planted in you. Try whispering, “God, be with me,” and see that He's always with you through it all.
  • This truth from Proverbs 3:5–6 applies far beyond work. It’s not just for meetings or design decisions—it’s for life. Whether it’s friendships, family, or the difficult moments, the same call stands: trust Him, lean less on yourself, and He’ll make your path clear.

Bonus: Practical examples

  • If you’re afraid your input might affect the metrics—remember, it’s never all on you. God put a team around you so decisions can be shared.
  • If you find yourself agreeing just to get validation or to avoid being “difficult”—remind yourself you’re already approved and validated by God. You don’t need to trade honesty for affirmation.
  • If you’re not comfortable speaking up (maybe English isn’t your first language like me)—your value isn’t in how many words you say, but in the insight you bring. Write your ideas down, share them in follow-ups, practice at home. God can still use your voice.
  • If you’re junior and feel like it’s “not your place”—remember, your fresh perspective is invaluable. You’re not just an employee; you’re the customer’s advocate. And people secretly love that enthusiasm 🙂