There seems to be no shortage of people waiting to share their opinions on everything ranging from your outfit to relationships and even your career. Some are well-meaning, but most of the time, this unwanted advice is a result of people thinking they know better than you and are qualified to tell you how to live your life. Here are some clever comebacks you can use to put the unsolicited advice-givers in their place next time around.
1. “While I appreciate your enthusiasm about your ideas, I’m content with my approach.”
This response is polite and assertive, which reduces stress and encourages better communication, according to Mayo Clinic. It tells the person that even though you hear what they’re saying, you’re not just going to give in to their suggestions. It reminds them that you have a mind of your own, and you’d rather make decisions for yourself.
2. “What about my demeanor says give me unsolicited advice?”
Save this for the chronic advice givers or for random strangers who invade your space to offer their special brand of wisdom. Rather than simply letting the person down or pivoting the conversation nicely, this comeback will make them flinch and back off immediately. With any luck, they’ll think twice about giving advice no one asked for in the future.
3. “I’m confident in my choices, but if I require a second opinion, I’ll ask.”
The beauty of this response is that it highlights your preference for doing things your way, while also pointing out to the other person that they’re overstepping because you have not requested their help. It encourages them to wait for people to come to them for suggestions rather than offering advice willy-nilly.
4. “That’s interesting but completely irrelevant to me.”
A lot of the time, when people give advice, they speak based on their experience, forgetting that realities are different and solutions that work for them may not apply to everyone. This is a clever way of bringing this to their attention and rejecting ideas that are not useful to you or your situation.
5. “If I needed advice, you’d have been my first call.”
This is a diplomatic way of telling someone giving you unsolicited advice to shove it. You’re saying that you generally respect their opinions and don’t have trouble coming to them for help when you need it. But until that time, you’d appreciate it if they respect your independence and trust that you can figure things out for yourself unless you say otherwise.
6. “Thanks for the advice, but I’m an expert in my life.”
You have context and historical data to rely on when making decisions about your life. As much as people like to assume that they know better when giving unsolicited advice, they probably don’t have all the information that you do. It’s helpful to remind them that your choices are well-considered, so while you can appreciate their perspective, you trust in your decisions.
7. “I’m impressed by how confidently you can share your opinion on topics you know nothing about.”
Everyone has that relative, friend, or coworker who never hesitates to give their two cents on every issue, even when it’s a subject they know next to zero about. This is a perfect comeback for this kind of person because it calls them out on their nasty habit of using sarcastic language and tone. If they’re smart, they’ll sniff the subtle dig underneath your comment and adjust their behavior accordingly.
8. “You’re past the deadline. I stopped entertaining unwanted opinions at 6.”
This is a lighthearted way of communicating that you’ve had your fill of unwanted advice or don’t appreciate people not minding their business and staying out of your affairs. It allows you to assert your boundaries without necessarily making the other person feel bad for playing the guru.
9. “I’m glad that works for you, but it’s not my style.”
When someone is suggesting you do something a certain way because they’ve tried that strategy and got the results they wanted, you can use this comeback to respond to their advice. You’re basically saying that you see the merit of their argument, but at the end of the day, you’re different people, and you don’t think their advice applies to you. So, no hard feelings, but you’ll be doing things your own way, which, according to Psychology Today, is important for living a happier, more fulfilling life.
10. “Amazing! Let me file that under things I don’t need.”
If you’re not in the mood for being polite, and you just want to shut down the unwanted advice train clearly and, hopefully, permanently, shoot them this response and watch them recoil in shock. It puts your irritation and displeasure at the forefront and lets the person know to quit while they are behind.
11. “Interesting approach. I sometimes forget how different we all are.”
Break out this clever comeback when the person giving the advice presents their suggestion as the right approach to remind them that there are different ways of doing things. Their style of thinking or resolving issues isn’t automatically superior to yours, so it’d be better for them to keep that in mind for future interactions.
12. “I love how you believe that you know everything.”
People who are accustomed to giving advice develop this sense of superiority over time. They start to drink their own cool aid and act like they have the expertise or life experience to speak about anything. This comeback is great for bringing them down to earth by sarcastically illustrating that they have an inflated ego.
13. “I think we can both agree that times have changed a lot since your days.”
Older people love to slip in that “back in my day” when giving advice nobody asked for. This is a nice and respectful way to rebut their advice and make it clear that you don’t agree with their perspectives or ways of doing things. Just because something was considered normal in their day, doesn’t mean it was okay then or that it’s not a toxic habit now.
14. “You must have mistaken me for someone who cares.”
There’s a time to be polite when someone offers unsolicited counsel, and there’s a time to just blast them where they stand. This response coupled with your hardest death stare will get the job done quickly and effectively.
15. “Thanks for your input, but I function better without guidance.”
This comeback tells people that even though they may have genuine intentions of wanting to help, which you appreciate, you don’t like it when others impose their ideas on you. You’re happy to do things your way. If you make mistakes, fine! You’ll learn from it and move on. If things don’t work out, great! You’ll regroup and try a different strategy.
