Saying “I was wrong” can preserve credibility better than defending the indefensible.

Defending something you know is wrong is expensive in a way that gets worse over time. Each additional argument commits you further, and when it eventually collapses, what people remember is not the original error but the length of the defense. Saying plainly that you were wrong ends the matter immediately and costs less than almost anyone expects.

When you catch yourself building a case for a position you no longer believe, stop and concede. Do it early, without qualifiers or a long explanation. The relief is immediate and the standing usually survives intact.