What a “Puke Chute” Reminded Me About Conflict

A puke chute for, those of you who are not familiar with cross country races, is the chute. that cross country runners run into at the finish line of the race. As a volunteer at a puck chute, I learned that once runners enter the chute, some of them puke, (hence the name), others fall down, or others just stop, unwilling to endure the pain any longer. Yet others crossed into the chute looking good. They could have been models in a running video. After a few races, I noticed a pattern. The kids who puked, collapsed, or just stopped were more likely to be on the varsity teams or at the front of the race. Those were the kids who gave it all they had. They didn’t give up when the going got tough. They dug in so they could achieve the success of being varsity, or being at the front of the pack.

Conflict and difficult relationships are much the same. If you push past those challenging times and gives it all you have by talking it out and working it out you will be more likely to have the success of a positive relationship. Things may get a little ugly, but that’s how success is achieved. Some people want things to look good, they smile politely, and say everything is fine, even when things are not fine. When issues are not confronted, they only get worse. The relationships you have with co-workers, friends, and family members will not stay the same. They will grow if you give each other the respect of showing your feelings and working it out. Or they will get worse if you don’t deal with the issues that are bothering you. If you are contemplating divorce, give it all you have before you decide to divorce. If you have conflict in the workplace, try working it out before you quit. If you can not work it out on your own, check out these resources for working it out.