It’s incredible how much stress and wasted energy we can eliminate from our lives when we stop fighting for the last word.

The thrill of getting the final word on a topic is intoxicating. It provides a momentary and fleeting lift to one’s ego and has the potential to feel like a hard-won win.

When we get the last word, we think we have proven our point and convinced ourselves that we are correct. It seems like we came out on top.

But this is rarely the case.

Nobody wins when a conversation focuses more on me than it does on finding a solution to a problem. Nobody wins when ego trumps ideas.

Resist the temptation to have the last word.

Instead, consider fighting to find common ground.