Have you ever wonder the impact that your emotions have in your decisions? Many people believe that the success of their decisions is the result of seeing the big picture of the situation and also taking in consideration the long-term benefits that could be acquired from making those decisions at that precise time. I agree! Those in the psychology and life/career coaching field believe that our mind is the ultimate decision success tool. I also agree!
All the great ideas, personal power and creativity start in our mind, making it the most powerful tool and possession that human beings have. Even when human minds have varied “functions,” the least understood are the functions associated with emotions and feelings. According to Encyclopedia Britannica (2010), emotions influence what people perceive, learn, and remember, and it also plays an important part in people’s behaviors and during decision-making processes.
People sometimes behave, act and react based on their current emotional state. Making important or crucial decisions based on emotions are one of the biggest mistakes we can make not only in our careers but also in our personal lives.
How many of you have reacted to a situation or taken an “out of nowhere” decision and after couple of days has passes, you realized that it was not a smart decision and you start asking yourself… “What was I thinking?
I am sure that it has happened to all us before. When making important decisions, we need to understand the impact emotions can have in those decisions and try to manage our emotions and feelings and not let them control our lives. That is exactly what emotional intelligence refers to; the ability to understand and be aware of our emotions and use them to our advantages.
Understanding our feelings and emotions and not letting them “sabotage” our decision-making processes will allow us to manage relationships more effectively and not only to make better and successful decisions but also to learn how to take control of our lives by becoming emotionally intelligent individuals.
One last thought, let your emotions come out, but do not let them influence your decisions or you could be making a big mistake without knowing it is a big mistake.
