"Emotion can be the enemy. If you give in to your emotion, you lose yourself. You must be at one with your emotions because the body always follows the mind." -Bruce Lee
Emotions are arguably the most powerful force governing our behavior. Emotions are the guardians of your well-being. They are your friends and their primary objective is to ensure survival.
Do you remember the old adage, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?" That couldn't ring more true than when it comes to emotions.
It is a scientific fact that if left untamed, our basic emotions (anger, joy, disgust, surprise, distress, and fear) would cause you to kill first and ask questions later. Or run first and ask questions later. This is known as Flight or Fight Response.
Flight or Fight Response applies to more than physical situations. Emotions gone wild will have you shouting, crying, or making incorrect assumptions. All of this is done in the name of survival.
In the heat of the moment your body initially responds to a psychological attack (i.e. insults) in the same manner it would a physical threat. Think about that.
If emotions are supposed to be our friends, then why do they frequently leave us in a barrel of trouble? The answer is simple.
Human beings are not biologically designed for diplomacy. We are designed for survival.
For countless generations, the emotional brain, also known as the limbic system, has been doing what it does best: keeping us out of harms way. Then along comes the neocortex, the logical brain, to make things much complex.
Now a person knows that if he or she can't do physical harm, an insulting remark will often do the trick. Although it's not a physical attack, your emotional brain still recognizes the bad intentions and responds accordingly.
If you aren't careful, in 3-5 seconds for the chemicals that produce emotions flood your system creating what is often referred to as an emotional hijacking. Your emotions could become your enemies.
In a life and death situation that calls for immediate action and there is little time for thinking, an emotional hijacking might save your life.
But at the office an emotional hijacking might cost you your job. In a negotiation it might cost you the deal. In an argument it might cost you a relationship.
So, I guess the timeless advice about counting to ten to calm yourself down is verified, not only by common sense, but also science. Hopefully, counting to ten will give your logical brain a better chance of getting back in control.
So, the next time you feel a wave of emotions crashing down on your system, pause and do your best access your neocortex-the logical brain. Joshua Freeman-leading Emotional Intelligence expert-calls it the "six second pause."
For most of us, it's probably even better to take the four additional seconds just to be sure. Because it can be so costly, impulsive behavior is nothing to play with.
When I was growing up my mom used to always say to me, "Al, don't let your friends get you in trouble."
Mom, you never told me that you were talking about my emotions.
Emotions are arguably the most powerful force governing our behavior. Emotions are the guardians of your well-being. They are your friends and their primary objective is to ensure survival.
Do you remember the old adage, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?" That couldn't ring more true than when it comes to emotions.
It is a scientific fact that if left untamed, our basic emotions (anger, joy, disgust, surprise, distress, and fear) would cause you to kill first and ask questions later. Or run first and ask questions later. This is known as Flight or Fight Response.
Flight or Fight Response applies to more than physical situations. Emotions gone wild will have you shouting, crying, or making incorrect assumptions. All of this is done in the name of survival.
In the heat of the moment your body initially responds to a psychological attack (i.e. insults) in the same manner it would a physical threat. Think about that.
If emotions are supposed to be our friends, then why do they frequently leave us in a barrel of trouble? The answer is simple.
Human beings are not biologically designed for diplomacy. We are designed for survival.
For countless generations, the emotional brain, also known as the limbic system, has been doing what it does best: keeping us out of harms way. Then along comes the neocortex, the logical brain, to make things much complex.
Now a person knows that if he or she can't do physical harm, an insulting remark will often do the trick. Although it's not a physical attack, your emotional brain still recognizes the bad intentions and responds accordingly.
If you aren't careful, in 3-5 seconds for the chemicals that produce emotions flood your system creating what is often referred to as an emotional hijacking. Your emotions could become your enemies.
In a life and death situation that calls for immediate action and there is little time for thinking, an emotional hijacking might save your life.
But at the office an emotional hijacking might cost you your job. In a negotiation it might cost you the deal. In an argument it might cost you a relationship.
So, I guess the timeless advice about counting to ten to calm yourself down is verified, not only by common sense, but also science. Hopefully, counting to ten will give your logical brain a better chance of getting back in control.
So, the next time you feel a wave of emotions crashing down on your system, pause and do your best access your neocortex-the logical brain. Joshua Freeman-leading Emotional Intelligence expert-calls it the "six second pause."
For most of us, it's probably even better to take the four additional seconds just to be sure. Because it can be so costly, impulsive behavior is nothing to play with.
When I was growing up my mom used to always say to me, "Al, don't let your friends get you in trouble."
Mom, you never told me that you were talking about my emotions.
About the Author:
Who else is looking for a fun, engaging and inspiring college speaker? Then visit his site to find out about how Al Duncan, one of the world's leading college speakers can help people build a competitive advantage in the 21st Century.
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