You Can Lead A Horse To Water But You Can't Make It Drink

( you can show people how do do things, but people must help themselves ... )

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" (proverb) says that you can give people what they need to help themselves, but you can'force them to do it; people need to help themselves. Example: "I told her exactly what to do, but she didn't listen to me." Reply: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."