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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Fight Right summary
How Successful Couples Turn Conflict into Connection
16 mins
Brief summary
Fight Right by Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD & John Gottman, PhD teaches couples to handle conflicts constructively. It provides practical techniques to manage disagreements, enhance communication, and maintain healthy relationships, emphasizing respect and understanding.
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Fight Right
Summary of 4 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 4
Conflict can be beneficial
Intimacy inevitably leads to conflict. Since conflict is all but unavoidable, couples should learn to manage it well and even leverage it as an opportunity for greater connection – in other words, it's crucial to learn how to “fight right.”
A lack of conflict is not the goal. Low levels of conflict or an absence of it don't indicate a healthy relationship. Couples that don’t fight often skirt pressing issues that need to be addressed, deal with simmering unspoken resentment and tension, and frequently grow emotionally distant as a byproduct of avoiding intense emotional conflicts.
Conflict can be beneficial. It provides a pathway to deeper connections. It's a way of bridging differences and uncovering similarities. Conflict can clarify what you truly want and what your partner desires.
All too often, however, we make mistakes:
We ruminate for too long before bringing up issues, allowing them to magnify in size and importance.
We come out swinging, starting with harsh words and criticism.
We don’t take time to understand what the fight is really about.
We get defensive or overwhelmed by emotions we don’t know how to manage.
We reject our partner’s attempts at compromise.
We apologize too quickly because we want the conflict to end swiftly.
We ignore past conflicts rather than learning from them.
So how can you fight better?
Understand that there are two types of human conflict: solvable and perpetual. Solvable conflicts have a solution. But other fights don't have a fix because they're rooted in competing perspectives, values, and viewpoints. Research shows the majority of our fights – 69 percent – are perpetual. Once you grasp this, you can accept that conflict is truly inevitable.
Then, understand why you fight:
Personality differences are a big reason. Opposites attract – but committing to someone very different means many perpetual fights will revolve around contrasting personalities and lifestyles. What initially draws you together might later become a tension source.
Major life changes usher in conflict, like having children, moving, or taking a demanding new job. Three years after a baby's birth, research shows 67 percent of couples experience increased hostility.
Life stress causes conflict. Financial pressure, work demands, parenting – all induce stress. On high-stress days, research reveals more tension in partner interactions, since we’re less able to regulate negative emotions, setting the stage for conflict.
Let go of fear around conflict and fighting. Conflict early in a relationship actually predicts success. A low-conflict relationship can be more fragile, as it usually depends on one partner suppressing needs or feelings. Couples expressing anger aren’t likelier to split up. Key predictors of doomed relationships are contempt, criticism, defensiveness, and stonewalling.
A relationship has tension at its core – the constant negotiation between individual needs and the relationship’s needs. When done well, conflict reconciles those competing priorities through cooperation, collaboration, and compromise.
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What is Fight Right about?
Fight Right (2024) offers invaluable findings from extensive research on conflict resolution in relationships. Here, you’ll find practical strategies to avoid common mistakes during conflict, which will enable you to foster deeper connection and lasting love. Compelling case studies and international research demonstrate that even struggling couples can heal and strengthen their relationship dynamics with the right tools and guidance.
Fight Right Review
Fight Right (2021) is a valuable resource for navigating conflicts in relationships. Here's why this book is worth your time:
- Offers practical strategies for resolving disputes constructively and fostering stronger connections with others.
- Based on decades of research and experience, it provides insightful tools to communicate effectively and deepen emotional intimacy.
- The book's engaging case studies and relatable examples make it a compelling and enlightening read, ensuring you won't get bored.
Who should read Fight Right?
- Couples who find themselves fighting repeatedly over the same trivial things
- Couples who never fight, and are wondering if that’s really such a good thing
- Couples coming out of the honeymoon phase and confronting relationship conflict for the first time
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Fight Right FAQs
What is the main message of Fight Right?
Learning to navigate conflicts constructively for healthier relationships.
How long does it take to read Fight Right?
Reading time varies, but expect a few hours. Blinkist summary can be read in 15 minutes.
Is Fight Right a good book? Is it worth reading?
Fight Right is worth reading for its practical guidance on conflict resolution in relationships.
Who is the author of Fight Right?
Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD & John Gottman, PhD.
What to read after Fight Right?
If you're wondering what to read next after Fight Right, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Possible by William Ury
- Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard
- 13 Things Mentally Strong Couples Don't Do by Amy Morin
- The Love Prescription by John Gottman & Julie Schwartz Gottman
- Difficult Conversations Don't Have to Be Difficult by Jon Gordon & Amy P. Kelly
- How to Walk into a Room by Emily P. Freeman
- Break the Cycle by Dr. Mariel Buqué
- The Relationship Cure by John M. Gottman and Joan DeClaire
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Loving Your Spouse When You Feel Like Walking Away by Gary Chapman