Determining whether to give first place to reason or emotions is tricky at times.  Emotions can be right because first impressions, which are their forte, are often right.  Reason can be right, because it gives careful attention to the facts.  However, the quickness of first impressions can miss some important details.  And the detailed analysis of reason can miss the obvious overall pattern.  If both methods of analysis can fail, which do I trust and in what circumstance (assuming different circumstances can make a difference)?  Who should be in charge — reason or emotion?

A Guide to Choose Reason or Emotion to Be In Charge 

Emotions In Charge When Speed and Safety Are Primary

Choose emotions when they are primarily needed for their speed and when erring on the side of safety is the best decision, such as in escaping from a tiger.  Emotions are the powerhouse in our minds and, when escaping from a tiger, we need their energy and their quick powers of assessment.

Emotions In Charge When Motivation and Lift Are Needed

Whenever emotions are positive and helpful they should also lead: motivating us, inspiring us, building our passions, lifting us to new heights of pleasure and achievement.  Positive emotions provide an instant lift and a much needed motivation that reason cannot supply.

Reason Must Take Charge When Emotions Hurt or Injure

When emotions need modification, reason should lead.  Whenever emotions hurt or injure or damage us or others, they should be modified by a more logical and positive approach.

When should we issue a pink slip to our emotions?  When we feel the damage of negative emotions.  We should get rid of all negativity, whether emotional or rational.

This awareness of our emotions and, also of when they are helpful and when they are not, is essential to emotional intelligence.

Resources to Help You:

THE WONDERFUL TRUTH ABOUT EMOTION

Are there such things as intelligent emotions? Intelligently Emotional will argue that there are. And they are the ones we must focus on if we want to know success.

Ray W. Lincoln will show us how understanding the patterns of emotion in our temperament will enable us to manage our emotions effectively. If you long to know how to understand your emotions and the immense power of your feelings, Intelligently Emotional  will show you the way.  The path to real emotional intelligence requires learning to partner with intelligent emotions.

DISCOVER THE TRUTH OF WHO YOU ARE!

Lean into the whole truth.  Discover the truth of who YOU are — the “Real You” — and who your children truly are.  Discover how to best engage your children in finding the whole truth.  INNERKINETICS, Your Blueprint to Excellence will guide you in that

Our team at InnerKinetics is ready to provide that help, too.  If you’d like some assistance, you can request a consultation.  An InnerKinetics consultant will call you to answer questions and schedule your meeting. Schedule an Initial Consultation. Alternatively, if you are more independent and want to cut to the chase, you need not wait for a call back. You can get answers to your questions and schedule your session HERE.

Our first and most important task in a world-changing mission is to learn how to think straight (and teach straight thinking) and combat the insurgence of crooked thinking in our culture and in our world today. If we become passive victims of this crooked way of thinking, we promote it. Furthermore, if we remain silent, we also give it credence. In Who Am I?, the reader progresses from how we have become “crooked thinkers” to how to break out of this prison of the mind to become instruments of change for a better world.  We do this by recognizing from where we derive our value as humans. “Build a straight and powerful mind.” ~ Ray W. Lincoln