I felt that discussion ultimately could get personal (3)
I believe the answer is:
own
'personal' is the definition.
(eg one's own possessions are personal possessions)
'i felt that discussion ultimately' is the wordplay.
'i felt that' becomes 'ow' ('ow' is an expression of pain).
'ultimately' indicates one should take the final letters.
The final letter of 'discussion' is 'n'.
'ow'+'n'='OWN'
'could get' is the link.
(Other definitions for own that I've seen before include "Personal; possess" , "Control" , "Possess or confess" , "Private" , "Allow" .)