Learn how to handle yourself to avoid confrontations. If you find yourself in a situation where someone refuses to back down, you have to make a choice about whether to back down or not. Sometimes, the right social finesse can talk someone down, or sometimes all it takes is buying that person a beer to smooth things over. Refusing to back down from challenges will often spark fights, physical and otherwise, and can have unintended consequences. Learn fight, but use that power wisely and sparingly.