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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/27744
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I think the really important conflict is between the world inside a character's head and the world outside of it. Since "the world outside of it" is usually shaped by other characters acting in accordance with their own model of the world, this almost always has a moral dimension (because that model of the world will include a model of how people should behave in it), a physical dimension (because they will physically interact with things) and an emotional one (because they will have invested their emotions in aspects of their world model).

My view is that a story is, at its simplest level, about a character encountering something that doesn't mesh with their understanding of the world, and having to make a choice between changing the world or changing themselves. A story generally ends when the relevant aspect of the world and the relevant aspect of the character's understanding of it are in alignment.

So, think about who your character is, what they believe and what they want, and think about the sort of conflict that _really_ defines the start of their story arc. Whether that ends up being physical or emotional is usually irrelevant; it's how it relates to the overall story that really matters.

Original score: 2