There are two sides to our brain, the emotional side is like the elephant, and the rational side is the rider. Although it appears the rider is in charge, when there is disagreement between the two sides, the elephant usually wins. NYU psychologist Jonathan Haidt uses a wonderful analogy to explain this as illustrated in this short two minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9KP8uiGZTs&feature=youtu.be
To achieve meaningful change, we need to get the elephant and the rider to happily go on the path together. Emotional Intelligence is not just about being aware of your own emotions and those of others. It also includes our willingness to create a vision and to be successful in achieving it. Most people wander through their lives without a plan, while emotionally intelligent individuals create a personal vision and ultimately achieve much more.
A personal vision is simply a picture of what success looks like to you, an idea of what you may want to achieve with your life. Perhaps your vision is to get a promotion, start your own business, be a better parent, or to write that book you have been talking about.
Write down two or three statements describing your long-term goals. What do you hope to achieve in both your working and personal life? Include some indication of when you want to achieve the various goals included in your vision so as to avoid putting off till tomorrow what needs attention today.
Be aware of what is achievable, keeping in mind there are only 24 hours in the day. At the same time, make sure the goals you set challenge you to grow since we need to step out of our comfort zone for growth to happen.
Emotionally intelligent individuals have a personal vision and use it to guide their decisions and behaviors at work. The current Covid-19 crisis is causing so much anxiety about losing a client or the failure of a project or a job in the short term. It helps to keep perspective by focusing on the big picture, which is our personal vision for both the short and the long term.
Emotionally intelligent people focus on continuing to build and maintain relationships with key individuals who might eventually help them to achieve their vision. What is your vision ,and what challenges are in the way of you achieving it? Just like the path mentioned in the video, begin to identify these challenges to develop a plan and make decisions to begin navigating them.
Back in the 1950s, researchers asked a group of Harvard University graduates about their goals. However, only three per cent of them actually wrote them down. A follow up survey was conducted 30 years later.The researchers found that those three per cent who had written down their goals had amassed as much wealth as the other 97 per cent put together.
Research tells us that Emotional Intelligence plays a big part in creating success. And one of the key components of EQ is the ability to set long-term goals. In this time of crisis, we especially need to focus on getting the rider and the elephant to agree so as to navigate the path. Join me at 10am on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday to participate in a complimentary 40 minute interactive Zoom presentation. Here, we will discuss how to begin making these principles work. Go to my website at: https://geofffrostandassociates.ca/ and send me an email with which day you would like to attend and I will send you a personal invite.
