One of my favorite coaching questions for deciding whether a battle is worth fighting is simple. Will this matter a year from now? If the answer is no, let it go. Without noticing the fruitlessness of a particular battle, you can spend your time worrying or fighting for things that simply do not deserve your energy.
It especially happens when someone pushes a button that upsets you. But don’t allow your reactions to become so automatic that you engage in insignificant battles – fussing with a rude store clerk, making a point with a trouble-making co-worker, or nitpicking over every mistake your child might make. Some things simply are not worth it.
Fighting every battle leaves you little energy for the ones that really matter. In the process, you can damage relationships and stress yourself out. When you are intentional about which battles to engage in, you are more effective in resolving those challenges. After all, if you let go of the small stuff, it becomes clear that the battles you choose are important. As a result, the people in your life or more likely to take notice and listen.
