Advice for Changing Someone's Mind: Listen and Understand Their Perspective

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To have any hope of changing someone's mind, the best approach is to listen and truly understand why they think what they think. Arguing is not effective because people often hold beliefs that are inherited or do not have a logical basis. Instead of using logic, it is important to engage in conversations to comprehend their perspective and the reasoning behind their beliefs. By understanding how someone sees the world and what their beliefs are based on, it becomes possible to have an honest conversation that may help them reconsider their position. It is crucial to recognize that individuals act based on their perception of the world, and nobody intentionally acts irrationally. Additionally, people generally believe that they are doing good things.

When Kevin Kelly turned 68 years old, he began writing down notes and thoughts about all the lessons he’d learned in his life and the ones he wished he’d learned earlier. While those notes were originally intended for his young adult children, they eventually became the book Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier, which was released in May 2023. On this episode of the Knowledge Project, Kelly goes in-depth on some of the book’s most essential lessons, including learning, setting deadlines, perfection, forgiveness, living a meaningful life, reasoning, and so much more. Kelly is the co-founder of the magazine Wired, which twice won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence while he served as publication’s Executive Editor during the 1990s. He is also the co-chair of The Long Now Foundation, a membership organization that champions long-term thinking, as well as the founder of the popular Cool Tools website, which has been reviewing tools daily for 20 years. He is also an artist as well as the author of 14 books.

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