| Scholarly research has been looking at the power of emotion for the last 20 or so years, and the results are fascinating. Emotions act as a driving or restraining force in determining a strategic outcome. A strategic outcome is a fancy term, really, for an end result. Positive and negative emotions can pose as drivers; however, it’s usually the more nuanced emotions, such as • amusement • inspiration • excitement • surprise • happiness • sadness, even We form judgments based on our emotions. If you’ve watched those sad commercials of chained up, cold dogs while Sarah McLachlan sings, “I will remember you,” you know how sad emotions pull on your heartstrings – and possibly lead to a donation, right? High or low emotional states drive a lot of decision-making, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Anger lowers our ability to take the perspective of others and causes a low empathetic response. Awe, on the other hand, produces open-mindedness and generosity – altruism, and self-reflection. Humor (not the sarcastic, put-down kind) helps to drive change – and lower defenses. “Humor is an important psychological response that facilitates coping, social coordination, and the pursuit of happiness,” said Caleb Warren, after studying emotional responses. Pride is also a motivator; it helps people feel better about themselves and about others. We now know from researchers that Emotional Intelligence can be developed, and this is important for overcoming obstacles to creating the vibrancy we want. Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions in POSITIVE WAYS in order to handle stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and DEFUSE conflict. According to Daniel Goleman, the psychologist who coined the term Emotional Intelligence, there are 5 elements to E.I: 1. Self-awareness 2. Self-regulation 3. Motivation 4. Empathy 5. Social Skills Emotional Intelligence is a huge driver in turning intention into action because Emotional Intelligence CREATES stronger everything – desire, follow through, relationships, wisdom, heart=love. And when you queue Emotional Intelligence to be a part of your goals, you’re managing your energy WISELY. There are 3 ways emotions impact us – 1. Subjectively -how we experience them. 2. Physiologically – our bodies’ reaction to them. 3. Expressive – how we behave in response. Because emotions increase the likelihood that we’ll take action, let’s use them intelligently. Specifically – to motivate – you need to: • Activate the decision – use intentional goal setting, set your environment up for success, etc. • Persistence – continuous effort even when it’s rough or you mess up. You have GRIT, not quit! • Intensity – putting your emotion behind the effort. How do we sustain the emotional connection to what we want? 1. Focus on the outcome – ONLY! Make it as emotionally compelling as possible. Do you want to be sore (muscles) or sorry (that you didn’t exercise)? 2. Allow the great feeling of accomplishment to spill over … – Take that feeling to clean up the kitchen or organize a drawer. – Yes, you can finish other tasks too! Dare yourself to keep going. – Allow the feeling to inspire. You can choose triggers if it’s not there – a song, a motivational quote, a stroll down memory lane in your journal, etc. (This is why documenting your wins, complete with how it made you feel, is so important!) Emotional Intelligence creates a stronger character, greater integrity, and a more well-rounded woman. When we understand how to use it to motivate ourselves? That’s priceless! |
