Emotional Intelligence
5.0
10 min

Emotional Intelligence

by Daniel Goleman

Brief Summary

“Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman is a fascinating book about how feelings are vital in our lives. It teaches us how understanding and controlling our emotions can help us build relationships and attain our goals.

Key points

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Key idea 1 of 9

Do emotions make our lives more complicated? Will it be better for people to live without them? Actually, emotions play a crucial role because they give us benefits with the help of which we can make our lives more complete. One of those benefits is the ability to learn from our experience.

Our brain is able not only to memorize facts but also to recall our emotional state while doing something. It helps us learn from our memories. For instance, when a child touches a needle for the first time, they experience an unpleasant sensation. The child stores the memory. This is why the child will avoid touching the needle next time, as their brain associates this action with pain.

Emotions also allow us to understand how others feel. Hence we can anticipate their future actions. Imagine you meet a lady who seems badly upset. Her face looks furious, and she keeps spitting venom. These signs tell us how she feels and what she might do. They prepare us to react quickly. Think about that angry lady again. Your emotions act like a warning, making you sense a potential threat. Consequently, you instinctively take a defensive stance if she is likely to attack.

In addition, feelings generate motivation to act. To support this idea, let's consider a procedure called lobotomy, also referred to as "brain separation" surgery. This was a common practice in the 19th century, where doctors cut the link between two parts of the human brain. As a result, patients couldn't feel emotions as strongly as they did before the procedure. Thus, they lost the drive to take action and most of their ability to demonstrate empathy.

01
Thanks to emotions, we acquire new knowledge, understand others, and are motivated to take action
02
Emotions can influence our thinking and lead us to make choices that may not always be rational
03
Emotional intelligence empowers us to manage our emotions, channeling them toward achieving our objectives
04
Emotional intelligence prevents you from getting lost in a community
05
Emotional intelligence is a cornerstone of success and life satisfaction
06
The emotional intelligence of children will be pivotal in determining our future
07
Take up these suggestions on how to improve your emotional intelligence
08
Emotional intelligence is a versatile tool applicable to various aspects of life, including work and romance
09
Final summary

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