Virtually everybody has some sort of inner conflict. These arise from incompatible
beliefs - for example: I want more money - you have to be nasty to be wealthy. The one part of this is usually very obvious, such as needing more money. the other belief may be very strongly held but not immediately obvious to you. These hidden beliefs were often picked up from parents or teachers or religions("money is the root of all evil") or friends. But they exert a considerable effect on you and can totally block any progress in an area of your life.
They are important because your subconscious filters and influences your conscious actions using these beliefs, which it accepts as still-valid instructions from your conscious mind.
How do you know when you have such a conflict? if there is an area where you are eager to improve, but find that, no matter what you do, you seem to be stuck in the same place or if have a phobia then you probably have a hidden belief in place. Or if you find yourself sabotaging your own efforts at improvement. Perhaps you have an illness which resists treatment or recurs after treatment.
Then try and remember if you were told anything or might have experienced something such as abuse which might be in conflict with your current desires or might cause you to seek such illness for the "secondary gain" you get from it. If you can recall some such thing, then the diagnosis is virtually certain. But it isn't always easy for us to detect self-sabotage, although it may be obvious to someone else who knows us.
If you find yourself not progressing in an area of your life or with a persistent medical condition or unable to change, it is as well to treat yourself for an inner conflict - it can do no harm and you may be surprised at the results.
You can try affirmations but they are often ineffective, Simple repetition of a positive statement is ineffective at overcoming stubborn beliefs.
I have found Gary Craig's EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and especially Dr Larry Nims BSFF (Be Set Free Fast) extremely effective at overcoming such beliefs.
Google them. They are both available as free downloads.