We all have enemies. Some of us have many. But when we spend our time and energy focused on attacking them and counterattacking their inevitable strikes, we’re the ones losing. 

In getting us to attack, our enemy has taken us away from productive pursuits. They’ve hung a dark cloud over our days. They’ve drained us of energy that would be better used elsewhere. They’ve also made us appear hotheaded and little in the whole process. Even if we win the fight, we lose—on multiple fronts.

There’s a better way to approach this.

Step outside the conflict

We get sucked into the conflict with that co-worker or boss. Attack brings counterattack. The spiral begins. But I’ll bet you nine times out of 10 if you step away from the conflict for a few moments/hours/days, you’ll see how small and petty the issue is. Without regaining this perspective, you’re doomed to get bloodied and bruised in a battle that’s not worth fighting. On top of that, you might miss an easy solution to the problem because you’re too busy throwing punches.

 …