Many skills in life are important, but being able to negotiate may be among the most important. You can negotiate your salary, the amount of money you pay for a car, and countless other everyday applications. Negotiating isn’t always the most fun process, as it can be stressful or anxiety-inducing, but it can often lead to results more suitable to your goals.

What is often overlooked when we think about negotiation is that we do it every day; we’re often negotiating and making compromises with each decision we make, even if we don’t realize it. We overthink what negotiating actually is, when it’s ultimately about explaining yourself and your position more fully (via Inc.).

If you can’t advocate for yourself, others likely aren’t going to advocate for you either. In fact, likability is huge when negotiating (via Harvard Business Review). You want to be personable, yet poignant, and negotiating is ultimately about finding the line between the two.

If you’re interested in how to negotiate better than ever, we’ve got you covered with the best tips.

When negotiating about money, have a solid number in mind

When negotiating money, there are several tips that can help you come out on top. These tips include making the first offer, offering a solid number rather than a range of numbers, and always remembering that an ideal negotiation will end with both sides winning, not just you (via Masterclass). When you make the first offer, you’re able to not only establish your voice, but to make sure you set the bar where you want it. And when you do so with a solid number — instead of a range — you maintain control in the situation, instead of allowing the person with whom you’re negotiating to begin at the lower end of the range. Moreover, remembering that both sides need to win helps keep you centered and your expectations realistic.

Some other tips rely on your mentality. For example, you want to go into a negotiation with the best hopes in mind, but without expecting them to be absolute outcomes. Furthermore, you want to control your speech in a negotiation. By this, we mean use silence to your advantage. Let the other person fill the silence if you have to; this may lead to them offering you what you want to get the conversation moving again (via Inc.)

Keep these tips in mind the next time you’re in any kind of negotiation — and don’t forget to breathe!

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