In any situation, knowledge and experience are the key determiners in a person's ability to successfully come out on top. With these two characteristics, a person becomes bold in the stances they hold, and their word seems to be more assertive and persuasive. A person gains the power to challenge others and progress their views. If anybody ever hopes to muster up the courage to speak out against opinions they oppose, they have to be willing to spend their time acquiring information and experiencing the world around them, even if it makes them uncomfortable.
Leaders are able to direct others because they understand what their followers needed. They discovered this by gathering knowledge on how to lead and examining the problems that their followers were having. Teachers have to study the science of instruction if they want to effectively guide their students. They must also possess an in-depth awareness of the subject they teach. Otherwise, their word is questioned, and their courage falters.
That's why if you want to have your voice heard and respected, know your position thoroughly and fully comprehend the points that your opponents try to make before they even finish making them. Having the confidence to question another person's thinking is a characteristic that can only come through a strong grasp of your own thinking and that person's thinking.
Whenever I hear an opinion I oppose, whether I hear this at my family dinner table or among my group of friends, I always try to hold myself back from speaking if the subject is something I am not deeply familiar with. Even if I have a decent amount of knowledge on the subject being discussed, I'll avoid talking about it. I don't have confidence that my word will have any substantial weight. Unless your objective is to learn the position of your friends and family for your own intellectual growth, I would suggest taking care not to let them know how underequipped you are to combat their thoughts.
Anyone's position is significantly weakened when they are perceived to be lacking in the integrity of their knowledge. The moment your opposition knows you are not well informed, you lose the ability to gain respect. Once this happens, you have to either give up on providing your thoughts to them, or you have to allow them to think you are not learned until the day comes where you are informed enough to adequately challenge them.
The path to understanding is not usually easy. It takes time, dedication, and passion. The result, however, is well worth the effort. Confidence and activeness come naturally from the pursuit of comprehension and experience. Risks have to be taken, and you must have an idea of what matters to you.
Through my experiences and devotion to learning, I have improved immeasurably in how often I express my thoughts. I have experienced crushing tragedies, acted on spontaneity rather than on a plan, and I have committed myself to leading others. None of these actions made me feel comfortable, not in the least. However, without them, I would not have the courage to speak.
