Rawls's conceptual tool, applied to positioning: set aside your position and biases to see the market as it is. Focus on the job to be done; your fiercest competitors may be inaction and indifference.
The veil of ignorance
The American philosopher John Rawls introduced the notion of the "veil of ignorance" in his work A Theory of Justice, published in 1971. He proposed this conceptual tool to establish fair principles of justice in society. The veil of ignorance is a mental state in which individuals deliberately ignore their social, economic, or political position, as well as their talents, abilities, and beliefs. Behind this veil, they adopt an impartial perspective and take into account the interests of all, without favouring any one group. This idea has been widely used in marketing to encourage an objective analysis of the market and of consumer needs, by setting aside prejudices and assumptions.
It is a useful mental stance for starting positioning work. Forget your position, your perspective, your representations, prejudices, and convictions — look at the market as it is, not as you would like it to be.
You will avoid blinkers and myopia. Focus first on utility and the job to be done: who must do it? Why? What methods and means are available to them? Your most formidable competitors may be inaction and indifference.