Within each of us lies a potent force, capable of unlocking the doors to fulfillment, prosperity, and influence. Yet, despite its omnipresence in our lives, this power often goes unnoticed, its transformative potential underestimated. What, you may ask, is this enigmatic force?
It’s not the power of the mind, nor is it the magic of visualization or positive thinking.
Surprise! This superpower is our own feelings and emotions.
Many systems of philosophy, spirituality and self-improvement systems treat emotions as a nuisance, a thing to get rid of in order to achieve true inner peace. Many of them credit the mind as the source of achievement and progress.
However, overlooked and underestimated, it’s the emotions and feelings that drive us toward achievement from behind the scenes.
Take a moment to reflect — feelings permeate every facet of our existence. Notice that people do what they “feel like” doing and avoid the things they “don’t feel like” doing.
When people feel like doing something, they feel motivated, excited, and eager to move forward. This is called motivation. Even though many experts instruct their followers to create motivation for whatever they “should” do, most of us know that that kind of “motivation” feels like slugging through the task. Motivation cannot be manufactured.
Let’s take a look at what gives meaning to our lives. For some people, it’s achieving certain goals or milestones. That’s because they feel accomplished, proud, and satisfied. For most of us, it’s our relationships that give meaning to life. As the old saying goes at the end of their lives, nobody wishes they had spent more time in the office. Not surprisingly, relationships are based on emotional connections.
In the arts, what captures our attention and gets us engaged are emotions and feelings. Novels captivate us with tales of love, adventure, and mystery, urging us to turn pages while we hold our breath from excitement. We don’t have the same excitement about manuals or technical instructions.
In music, all songs are about passion: feeling loved or unloved; despair and anguish of abandonment or betrayal; anger about personal relationships or the state of the world; or the blues and sorrow about our lives. Painters strive to portray the emotions of their sitters or evoke emotional reactions in the viewer.
Imagine how boring life would be without relationships, emotional connections, or the arts. But why do emotions wield such unparalleled influence over our lives?
The answer lies within our very biology. Nestled within the middle of our brains lies the limbic system, described by Dr. Paul MacLean in his Triune Brain model, as the power that governs our emotional responses and is responsible for creating emotional connections.
Contrary to the view adopted by Western science and psychology, emotions are not mere byproducts of cognition but essential components of our survival mechanism. That was the view expressed by Darwin himself. And there is a great deal of current neuroscience that confirms it.
That is why attempting to wrest control over our emotions through sheer force of will often proves futile. Emotions, like our fight-or-flight instincts, are ingrained within our psyche, serving as our indispensable protection mechanism.
There is no point in making people feel bad about themselves because they experience anger or fear. These feelings are biologically programmed into each and every one of us!
But contrary to prevailing beliefs, emotions are not adversaries to be vanquished. They are allies to be embraced. Yes, they are often out of balance. But rather than seeking to suppress emotional reactions, especially the so-called “negative” emotions, as human beings, we need to learn to understand and accept them.
As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them! You can’t beat your emotions because you have the limbic system. The emotions and feelings are always going to be there, for good or bad. To make sure they are for good, make friends with them and let them help you unlock your fullest potential and realize your deepest aspirations.
The moral of this story: rather than use your mind to get rid of the “undesirable emotions,” use your mind to learn about them and from them. Embrace your superpower! It can help you create a life fulfilling beyond your wildest expectations.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.