--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think you ever change anybody's…" description: "\"I don't think you ever change anybody's mind by telling them how they should think about something.\" — Nick Searcy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg" --- # I don't think you ever change anybody's mind by telling… ![“I don't think you ever change anybody's mind by telling them how they should think about something.” quote by Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg) > “I don't think you ever change anybody's mind by telling them how they should think about something.” [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing minds requires dialogue, not dictation; influence comes from listening and questioning. **In simple terms:** Influence comes from listening, not telling. Key Takeaway Engage, ask, and listen. Themes communication influence psychology Mood thoughtful curious Type advice reflective When to use this quote - team meetings - political debates - parenting - customer service Key Concepts cognitive bias dialogue persuasion Questions to Reflect On - How can you ask questions that prompt self‑reflection? - What listening techniques build trust? A Different Perspective People may resist if they feel judged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) ## Related quotes > [I think too many times, filmmakers spend too much time telling someone what to think about a story and not enough time actually telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-think-too-many-times-filmmakers-spend-too-much-time-telling-someone/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [One mark of a second-rate mind is to be always telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/one-mark-of-a-second-rate-mind-is-to-be-always-telling-stories/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The body is telling the mind to stop. The mind is telling the body to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/the-body-is-telling-the-mind-to-stop-the-mind-is-telling-the-body-to/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [“Now, do you mind telling me what the fuck is going on?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/now-do-you-mind-telling-me-what-the-fuck-is-going-on/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [I actually try and work before my mind is telling me what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wessel-jr/i-actually-try-and-work-before-my-mind-is-telling-me-what-to-do/) [Henry Wessel, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wessel-jr/) > [I don't mind telling a dark side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-don-t-mind-telling-a-dark-side/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Don't ever think that somebody is looking at you when you are dressed funcy and cool. only your mind is telling you that somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redley/don-t-ever-think-that-somebody-is-looking-at-you-when-you-are-dressed/) [Redley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redley/) > [I wish people would quit telling me to think. I think. Thinking's easy. It's not thinking that's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-millar/i-wish-people-would-quit-telling-me-to-think-i-think-thinking-s-easy/) [Margaret Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-millar/) > [No, you don't get it, thats why I'm telling you. You think you get it, which isn't the same as actually getting it. Get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masashi-kishimoto/no-you-don-t-get-it-thats-why-i-m-telling-you-you-think-you-get-it/) [Masashi Kishimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masashi-kishimoto/) > [Let’s be honest. Who here thinks your professors can say what they really believe? It scares me to death, and should scare you too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-heston/let-s-be-honest-who-here-thinks-your-professors-can-say-what-they/) [Charlton Heston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-heston/) > [The self-talk of the ego-mind is so busy describing what is happening, judging whether it is good or bad for us, and telling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-peters/the-self-talk-of-the-ego-mind-is-so-busy-describing-what-is-happening/) [Russell Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-peters/) > [When I try to understand somebody, create a character, I fall into them. When I think writers are telling me what to think, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/when-i-try-to-understand-somebody-create-a-character-i-fall-into-them/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [I do not know what arguments mean in reference to any expression of a thought. I delight in telling what I think; but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-do-not-know-what-arguments-mean-in-reference-to-any-expression-of-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“When you give your children knowledge, you are telling them what to think. That is, you are telling them what they are supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/when-you-give-your-children-knowledge-you-are-telling-them-what-to/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [I get a little tired of people telling me what might have been. I think I've done OK. I don't dwell on what might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-get-a-little-tired-of-people-telling-me-what-might-have-been-i/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) ## More by Nick Searcy > [It's never been safe to declare you're not a Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/it-s-never-been-safe-to-declare-you-re-not-a-democrat/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [The day Andrew Breitbart died. It hit me: How long do I have, and what am I afraid of? I realized that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/the-day-andrew-breitbart-died-it-hit-me-how-long-do-i-have-and-what/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [Sometimes on a big feature film it seems to take far, far longer to do things than it should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/sometimes-on-a-big-feature-film-it-seems-to-take-far-far-longer-to-do/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I think I was attracted to Trump because he was a business man first. He isn't a politician. He spoke with common sense and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-think-i-was-attracted-to-trump-because-he-was-a-business-man-first/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [TV is done so quickly that you really don't have time to develop the character fully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/tv-is-done-so-quickly-that-you-really-don-t-have-time-to-develop-the/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [Fried Green Tomatoes' is the first time I got to play a character with some depth and some complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/fried-green-tomatoes-is-the-first-time-i-got-to-play-a-character-with/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I'd like to win the World Wrestling Foundation heavyweight championship. But that's a little farfetched, so I guess I'll just stick to acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-d-like-to-win-the-world-wrestling-foundation-heavyweight/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [It's my philosophy, when you are doing a TV series, I think it's better off the closer you can make the character to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/it-s-my-philosophy-when-you-are-doing-a-tv-series-i-think-it-s-better/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I have always hated movies that preach at me, that try to manipulate me and tell me what to think about a story rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-have-always-hated-movies-that-preach-at-me-that-try-to-manipulate/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [There are a million reasons why you might not get a part. You may look like someone's brother-in-law that they don't like. There may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/there-are-a-million-reasons-why-you-might-not-get-a-part-you-may-look/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I'm just gonna be myself, say what I think and do what I believe. And if it costs me, it costs me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-m-just-gonna-be-myself-say-what-i-think-and-do-what-i-believe-and/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I'm used to being an actor. Being a director is a lot more work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-m-used-to-being-an-actor-being-a-director-is-a-lot-more-work/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I try to be realistic and self-depreciating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-try-to-be-realistic-and-self-depreciating/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [The only way that you can really change a person's mind is by showing them something they haven't seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/the-only-way-that-you-can-really-change-a-person-s-mind-is-by-showing/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [I've kind of - gotten pickier - in my old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-ve-kind-of-gotten-pickier-in-my-old-age/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) [Explore all 44 Nick Searcy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think you ever change anybody's mind by telling them how they should think about something.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Searcy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s-mind-by-telling-them-how-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s-mind-by-telling-them-how-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/nick-searcy-14943_change_i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s_1455797.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think you ever change anybody's mind by telling them how they should think about something.” — Nick Searcy", "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": "Nick Searcy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think you ever change...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s-mind-by-telling-them-how-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-don-t-think-you-ever-change-anybody-s-mind-by-telling-them-how-they/#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 } } ] } ```