The Pre-Post Checklist
You know what the problem is? You post too fast. You see something, you feel something, and boom—your thumbs are already typing. No pause. No filter. No thought about what happens next.
Here’s the fix: Seven questions. Ask yourself all seven before you hit send. Every single time. No exceptions.
This checklist has saved more people from getting owned than anything else I recommend. It takes 30 seconds. Use it.
1. Am I Posting While Emotional?
Stop. Check in with yourself. Are you angry? Hurt? Defensive? Excited in that manic way where you just need everyone to know you’re right?
If yes, wait. Write it in your notes app. Come back in an hour. If it still seems like a good idea then, maybe—maybe—it’s worth posting. But probably not.
The posts you make when you’re emotional are the ones you delete at 3 AM while your heart races. Skip that part. Don’t post it.
2. Would I Say This to Their Face?
Imagine you’re standing in front of this person. At a party. At work. In line at the grocery store. Would you actually say these exact words to them?
If the answer is no, don’t post it.
The screen isn’t a shield. It’s a magnifying glass. Whatever you wouldn’t say in person hits ten times harder online. And it lives forever.
3. Is This Worth My Reputation?
Your online presence is your reputation. Every post is a deposit or a withdrawal. This post you’re about to make—what does it say about you?
Ask yourself:
- Would I want a future employer to see this?
- Would I be okay with this showing up in a screenshot someday?
- Does this make me look smart, or does it make me look like I’m trying too hard to seem smart?
Be honest. If there’s even a flicker of doubt, save it as a draft and walk away.
4. Have I Triple-Checked This Fact?
Did you actually read the article? Or just the headline? Did you verify the source? Or did you see someone else share it and assume they did the work?
Here’s the rule: If you didn’t verify it yourself, don’t post it.
Getting owned because you’re wrong about a fact is the worst kind of owned. It’s preventable. It’s your fault. And everyone knows it.
Click the link. Read the whole thing. Check a second source. Then decide if it’s worth posting.
5. Am I Trying to Win an Argument?
Be real with yourself. Are you trying to add something valuable to a conversation? Or are you just trying to dunk on someone?
If it’s the second one, stop. You’re not going to win. Nobody wins arguments online. You’re just going to:
- Waste your time
- Look petty
- Probably say something you regret
- Get owned in the replies
The only winning move is not to play. Close the tab. Go do literally anything else.
6. Do I Actually Understand This Topic?
You saw some discourse. You have opinions. But do you actually know what you’re talking about?
This is the hard one. It requires humility. Ask yourself:
- Have I spent more than 10 minutes thinking about this issue?
- Can I explain the other side’s perspective fairly?
- Do I have any expertise here, or am I just vibing?
If you’re not sure, don’t post. It’s okay to sit things out. Not every conversation needs your input. Sometimes lurking is the move.
7. What’s the Best-Case Scenario Here?
Think it through. You post this. What happens next?
Best case: a few likes, maybe a retweet, someone goes “good point.” That’s it. That’s the ceiling.
Now think about worst case: ratio’d, quote-tweeted, screenshotted, your mentions full of people telling you exactly how wrong you are.
Is the best-case scenario worth the risk of the worst case?
Usually, the answer is no.
Use the Checklist
Print this out. Screenshot it. Save it to your phone. I don’t care how you do it, but keep this list somewhere you’ll see it.
Before you post, run through all seven questions. If you get a “no” or a “maybe” on even one of them, don’t post it.
You’re trying to avoid getting owned. This is how you do it. It’s not complicated. It just requires you to pause for 30 seconds before you hit send.
You can do that. I know you can.
Still getting owned? Take our quiz to see how bad it is. Or check out more prevention tips to stay offline and safe.