People who need to win every small fight are easy to steer. Don’t be one of them.

Anyone who has to win every small exchange is easy to lead around, because their next move is completely predictable: offer a tiny insult and they will chase it, every time. Once somebody knows that, they can decide where you spend your afternoon. Needing to win the small ones is what costs you the large ones.

For a week, let three things go that you would normally correct. Someone’s slightly wrong fact, a comment designed to get a response, a minor last word. Notice that you lose nothing and get the afternoon back.