Have you ever tried to convince your friend to stop smoking and got a “whatever” look in return? Or have you ever tried to make your boss and co-workers understand and accept your suggestion, but they all quickly dismissed it, even though you turned out to be right?

Why do people refuse to change their opinion or behavior even though it is in their best interests to do so? Why do they not listen to sound reason and do not act as we want them to act?

The answer to these questions is simple – resistance to change.

Here are 14 Great Strategies that allow you to overcome people’s prejudices and inner resistance and make them consider your point of view:

1. Speak with authority. Self-confidence is the key to making people listen to your point of view. The more you believe in your idea the more convincing you will be when talking about it, the more people will value your opinion.

2. Make sure that you know what you are talking about. If you tell your friend that they should not eat after 6 p.m. it will not be nearly as convincing as if their dietician told them this. Being viewed as an expert in a certain area is a huge advantage in making people consider your opinion and follow your advice. And to gain a reputation as an expert, you must know what you are talking about. Therefore, make sure that you back up your ideas and suggestions with solid facts and numbers.

3. Give the reason WHY? You might be saying something very intelligent and important, but it is not a good enough reason for most people to listen to you. Why should they listen to you? Why should they follow your advice? What is in it for them? When talking to other people, try to put yourself in their shoes and give them concrete and specific benefits of listening to your suggestions and implementing them.

4. Educate people. People will seldom admit it, but usually the biggest obstacle to change is fear of failure. Even if deep down we might agree that change would be “good”, we might still resist it, because we think it is too complicated to understand or implement. Educate people and show them what needs to be done and how.

5. Show them the consequences of their behavior.  People will only take active steps towards change if they genuinely believe that the risks of standing still are greater than those of moving forward in a new direction. Sometimes the best way to motivate people into action is to show them what they can lose if they keep doing what they have always done.