Chess is about disagreeing with people

One of the things that my old chess coach said to me that really stuck was that 'chess is about disagreeing with people'. When your opponent plays a move, they are essentially saying to you 'this move is the best one' - and in order to win, you must disagree with them. They might say 'I see your threat - but I can defend like this and it will be nullified' or 'my attack will kill you' or 'my subtle reorganisation of my pieces will allow me to put a stranglehold on this game' and at every juncture, you must be seeking for the opportunity to disagree with them.

I think that a lot of good can come from disagreeing with people in life as well. Not purely for the sake of it, because that would make you an insufferable douche, but to challenge complacency. By disagreeing with someone, you give both parties an opportunity for new learnings, an understanding of different perspectives and broadened horizons. Disagreements can provide opportunity to re-evaluate a long outdated status quo, or simply to strengthen your confidence in your existing beliefs and opinions.

One of the many things I dislike about myself is how reticent I am to disagree with people, and while part of that is due to my social bubble, it's something I'd like to work on.