A method and system are provided for performing anticipatory changes to a resource governed by a locking mechanism. Entities (such as transactions in a database system) that want to modify a resource request permission to modify the resource. However, prior to receiving permission, they make anticipatory changes to a private version of the resource. The entities are prevented from making the anticipatory changes permanent until they receive permission to make the changes. Because they can make the changes, and proceed to other operations, before receiving permission, any delay in receiving permission has less adverse effect on their performance.