Aug 19, 2021
Ever felt like you keep changing your mind when others disagree with you?
I have always valued the fact that I do not care much about prestige.
If I am wrong about something or if someone has a better idea than me, Iām happy to change my mind.
But at one point (when I was working with some very opinionated people) I started using this as an excuse to change my mind when discussions were getting too heated, too aggressive.
I started changing my mind to avoid the conflict, rather than being convinced by a better argument.
I quickly realised that I needed to work on this, because me changing my mind around like a sail in the wind, was not only affecting me but everyone working with me.
I recognised that many people were actually happier when I sticked to what you believe rather than seek agreement for the sake of agreement.
To be able to stand up to my own convictions, even during the tough discussions, I remind myself of the following (I still need to practice this every day):
š„ Make sure I am ready for any tough discussion by having had enough to eat and sleep before. My willpower will be my saviour.
š§ Stick to my idea, and have patience, although it might not be successful to begin with. If I have based my idea on experience, research, and gut feeling, it will turn out positive with time.
š It is ok that people disagree with me.
Of course, I still change my mind on things, but then I make sure I know why, and transparently communicate that to the concerned people.
What do you do to stand your ground in a tough discussion? I would love to hear about it in the comments below šš