If the central pillar of good argument technique is the internal, then your attitude is the steel core running through it and reinforcing it from the inside. If it is firm and strong, then so will the pillar, but if it is weak and rusted, everything will come crashing down. If you don’t approach an argument with the right attitude it will fail, whether through devolving into useless squabbling or causing you to lose by making everything you’ve learned this far useless.
First and foremost, you should have conviction in your argument. You must build this through understanding every aspect of it and knowing that it is strong enough to withstand every assault. At the same time, you need to be open to the possibility that it could actually be wrong – this will help you avoid trying to just win at all costs and accept when your opponent simply had superior points supporting their arguments.
You also need to have confidence in yourself. Being unsure of yourself spells a recipe for doom: you will falter in building your arguments and in your delivery, resulting in a lackluster performance overall. To remedy this, take every opportunity you can to practice and sharpen your skills at arguing. All the theory in the world will not help you if you do not go out there and apply it in real life.
Work on the specific skills you need to build in isolation – for example, you could work on your oratory skills by practicing in front of a mirror or volunteering yourself for public speaking engagements, or sharpen your logic by doing puzzles and reading further on the subject. You also need to work on understanding yourself and building your self-confidence in every sphere of your life. There are thousands of excellent books and resources on the subject available – use them.
Be careful of being overconfident, though. No matter how solid your side seems or ludicrous your opponent’s is, always assume that you are going into a level playing field. Think of yourself as your opponent’s equal and not their superior. Brashness and cockiness can be a big turn-off, closing your opponent’s mind to your point of view, and can also blind you to gaps in your own logic and technique.
