There are times when we can be in middle of what we think is an intelligent conversation and discover that we are not. Don't try to deal rationally with such a person. It won't work. Their only concern is themselves and their ideas. If they feel threatened in any way, they will attack. The best thing you can do is remove yourself from discussion. It is possible to continue conversation - only now it won't be an intelligent one.

Don't assume that everyone wants an intelligent conversation. There are people who are not capable. That doesn't mean that you won't be able to converse with them. It just means that conversation will be shallow and meaningless, which can be alright at times. Not every conversation has to be enlightening.

The trick is not to try to change too much all at once. It takes time to form a habit, so pick just one or two things you would like to live, and begin integrating those changes into your life. Focus on just one or two new changes until they become a habit, or what I refer to as getting it at a cellular level. Once changes are integrated into your life and you are truly living it, try implementing another change or two. It may not seem like a lot, but if you just created one new habit a year, you would have ten new habits in a ten-year period.

Notice that I am not talking about breaking a habit or getting rid of a habit. I don't believe that is possible. I truly believe we have to replace or change habit. The universe abhors a void, so we cannot just remove habit, because it will leave a void and something will need to fill it. If we don't replace habit with a new one, chances are old one will return. Creating new habits is simply about deciding what you want more of or less of, and then creating habits that will allow you to achieve that. So instead of going on something or making temporary changes, decide what you want to be different, and live it.