About this quote

Most fights exist because two people hold separate versions and neither owns the gaps. Stop defending your version and look for where you were wrong, listen to the other side, then act on the part you can control. Choosing the middle means less ego, faster fixes, and real progress.

When to use it

• Use the line when a meeting goes sideways: remind everyone there are three sides and ask for facts, not just opinions.
• Tell yourself this before reacting to a partner’s complaint; listen first, admit mistakes, then fix what you can.
• When reading a heated post online, pause and remember there are three sides — don’t join the noise without checking the middle.
• If a project fails at work, use it as a checklist: your version, others’ version, and then hunt together for the actual causes.