Many people find themselves fighting because they are
worried about what others might think if they run away. If
you are very confident in yourself and you know your
capabilities you will have no problem walking away, or
simply not being there in the first place. Insecure people,
those that are not sure of themselves or their art, will be
fighting all day long because they lack the strength of
character to go against popular opinion. This is often the case
with martial artists (no offense intended), especially high
graded ones. They are frequently on such a high pedestal
(placed there by themselves, or by their own pupils) that they
drag themselves into fights that could/should be avoided,
because they are worried about letting their students down in
some way. This is often their own fault because they have
taught a 'corporal' system that only addresses the physical
response -the ultimate accolade being a KO when attacked by
an assailant.