Useless to warn one who has made up his mind

“Useless to warn one who has made up his mind.”

African proverb and quote.

“Useless to warn one who has made up his mind.” Some people have very strong opinions and won’t change. What people believe to be true is decided by them. They will not change their opinions in response to anything said. It’s pointless to spend time trying to persuade them. 

This proverb alerts us to the pointlessness of debating this type of person. Reasoning doesn’t work with someone who is determined about their beliefs. With them being inflexible, a back-and-forth debate is ineffective. It is better to detect stubbornness early and choose the best course of action. 

These words are not for the audiences who will listen. Precious time and energy can be saved by avoiding pointless arguments. Sometimes, passionate words don’t work as well as silence to ease tensions. Agreeing to disagree and finding common ground is sometimes the best solution.