October 14, 2025
We all think we’re the good guy in our own story. The hero fighting off whatever threatens our peace, the deadline, the rude driver, the gossiping coworker, the person who did us wrong years ago. But Nietzsche’s warning cuts through that illusion: be careful what the fight turns you into.
The trouble with fighting monsters is that they don’t always stay on the other side of the line. You can spend so long staring into the dark that your eyes adjust to it. Suddenly, you’re speaking in the same tone, using the same tactics, chasing the same validation. You’ve become what you swore you’d never be, just better dressed.
When I think about my own “monsters,” they’re rarely human. They’re tendencies: pride, impatience, defensiveness. They don’t roar or snarl. They whisper. They tell me I’m right. They tell me to keep pushing. They tell me not to let anyone see the cracks.
And yet, every time I try to destroy one, I risk feeding it. The more I fight impatience, the more impatient I get about not being patient enough. The more I fight pride, the more proud I feel about noticing it. It’s like playing whack-a-mole with my own flaws, except I’m the mole, too.
The quote reminds me that fighting isn’t always the answer. Sometimes the monster needs to be understood, not attacked. Because understanding doesn’t mean surrendering, it means seeing clearly.
You can’t heal what you refuse to look at. You can’t conquer what you deny exists.
When I catch myself slipping, when my tone sharpens, or my empathy thins, I try to pause and ask: Who am I becoming right now? Not what I’m achieving, or who I’m defeating, but who am I turning into in this moment?
That’s the real battle.
Maybe the point isn’t to live a life free of monsters, but to recognize them early, before they start wearing your face.
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