Don't shy away from tough conversations because you're afraid of the outcomes. Good communication is essential for achieving your goals. A challenging conversation can encompass any topic that you find difficult to discuss. It may be sensitive issues like politics, beliefs, or life goals. It also may be any talk that makes you feel bad. For example, telling your partner that you need to set boundaries.

Let’s imagine a situation. You are scuba diving, and a shark approaches you out of nowhere. What do you feel? Terror, which is an obvious and normal reaction. This situation might have unfolded differently had you had marine biology training. You understand that it’s a Reef Shark, which is not the kind of shark that preys on as large animals as you are. You don’t feel anxiety anymore. You are excited to observe this shark in its natural habitat.

The same is true for difficult discussions, as you ignore such talks because they are not predictable and also make you feel vulnerable. You can either address the issue or let it slide. What do we usually choose? People tend to ignore confronting an issue as they don’t want to go into the unknown waters.

For example, a project takes much longer than the client was initially told. You have to bill the extra hours, but fear of the client's reaction may delay the talk and worsen the problem. However, this challenging conversation is essential in such a situation. It will make your life easier in the end.

So, pay attention to what's bothering you and learn effective communication.