Preparation is a good thing. You need to anticipate, as much as is possible, what his deal breakers are going to be. Reconciliation is always about figuring out how much you can put up with and learning how to see things the way your partner sees them.
I think you would be surprised at how few couples know why what they are doing is upsetting to the other partner.
For instance, if you know someone is an alcoholic it is less difficult to accept that they don't like it when you drink.

Alcoholism is a big thing, but a lot of people don't know about the small things.