--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is wise to persuade people to do…" description: "\"It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg" --- # It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them… ![“It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg) > “It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective persuasion involves guiding people to adopt ideas as their own, increasing commitment. **In simple terms:** Let others own the idea. Key Takeaway Use subtle influence to inspire ownership. Themes leadership influence psychology Mood ethical strategic Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - team building - political campaigns - education - marketing Key Concepts behavioral economics motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure ethical persuasion? - When is it appropriate to guide others' thoughts? A Different Perspective Manipulation concerns if transparency is lacking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Make Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-think-378709/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persuade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade/) [Persuade People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade-people-1235721/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-idea-434501/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Persuade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-persuade-6078681/) ## Related quotes > [It was not hard to persuade people that the market was sound; as always in such times they asked only that the dispiriting voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/it-was-not-hard-to-persuade-people-that-the-market-was-sound-as/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I think if you're good and you can persuade people you're going to be able to do that role and ultimately the audience buys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-siddig/i-think-if-you-re-good-and-you-can-persuade-people-you-re-going-to-be/) [Alexander Siddig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-siddig/) > [It is a great thing if you can persuade people that they are somehow or other partakers in a mystery. It makes them feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-a-great-thing-if-you-can-persuade-people-that-they-are-somehow/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [You persuade people with passion, so you've got to have a product or service you feel emotionally charged about. Then you can tell stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/you-persuade-people-with-passion-so-you-ve-got-to-have-a-product-or/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [It's Not My Job To Try To Persuade People To Love Me, It's Only To Try To Make Them Love The Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/it-s-not-my-job-to-try-to-persuade-people-to-love-me-it-s-only-to-try/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I don't really usually push an agenda, and I don't feel that my main job is to persuade people of something. My main job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-menand/i-don-t-really-usually-push-an-agenda-and-i-don-t-feel-that-my-main/) [Louis Menand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-menand/) > [I feel that it's my duty to persuade more people to take part in relevant causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-min-ho/i-feel-that-it-s-my-duty-to-persuade-more-people-to-take-part-in/) [Lee Min-ho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-min-ho/) > [When people disagree with you, what you ultimately have to do is persuade people to agree with you - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/when-people-disagree-with-you-what-you-ultimately-have-to-do-is/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [It's better to get smart than to get mad. I try not to get so insulted that I will not take advantage of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-johnson/it-s-better-to-get-smart-than-to-get-mad-i-try-not-to-get-so-insulted/) [John H. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-johnson/) > [The best way to persuade people is with your ears - by listening to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-rusk/the-best-way-to-persuade-people-is-with-your-ears-by-listening-to-them/) [Dean Rusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-rusk/) > [It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-inge/it-was-said-that-mr-gladstone-could-persuade-most-people-of-most/) [Dean Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-inge/) > [When you're trying to persuade people, more often than not, they feel you're being pushy. When you focus on influencing them, they're much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/when-you-re-trying-to-persuade-people-more-often-than-not-they-feel/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [“When your turn comes to jump into the Nothing, you too will be a nameless servant of power, with no will of your own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/when-your-turn-comes-to-jump-into-the-nothing-you-too-will-be-a-2/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [I try to persuade people to act in ways that are not only in their own interest, but in the interest of society at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/i-try-to-persuade-people-to-act-in-ways-that-are-not-only-in-their/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [For years, I have been trying to persuade people that George W. Bush, although no Einstein, is not stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/for-years-i-have-been-trying-to-persuade-people-that-george-w-bush/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ideas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/nelson-mandela-248_ideas_it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-thin_791653.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.” — Nelson Mandela", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is wise to persuade people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```