Conflict Delayed is Conflict Multiplied (Dr Jordan Peterson): My Thoughts

Phil Ifrah
1 min readJul 27, 2022

Woke up this morning and read this quote. These 5 words can change a person. Conflict is something we often avoid. Whether it’s conflict(s) within ourselves…or with friends and family. How many people can really raise their hand and say “Yep, every time I’ve pushed off conflict because I was uncomfortable and that provided the best outcome”. I doubt any of us can. Yes, sometimes approaching conflict head-on can make us feel confused, uncomfortable, or we may be clueless as to how to approach it. But, delaying it indefinitely because we’re scared- that can only lead to more disastrous results. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable. Recognize that. Understand it. But, try to end the conflict in the moment (of course, it’s okay to take a short period of time to relax- arguing with a fuming side won’t get you anywhere either). Create a game plan as to how you’ll tackle the conflict. Be assertive (not passive, not aggressive). Use I-statements. Express your feelings rather than telling the other side how bad they are.

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Phil Ifrah

Bachelors in Psychology, Masters of Social Work (2021). Experience in work with trauma, addictions, and myriad of mental health illnesses.