When emotion wins over logic

Why When You Mix Intellect and Emotion, Emotion Usually Wins

In the internal struggle between what we ''should'' do (logic) and what we ''feel'' like doing (emotion), emotion often has the upper hand.

Our brains are wired to respond more strongly to emotional cues, which are tied to older, more powerful survival systems than our rational prefrontal cortex.

The Problem with Trying to Reason with an Emotion (''I know I'm tired, but I should go...'')

Trying to use logic to overcome an emotion is often a losing battle.

When we tell ourselves, ''I know I'm tired, but I should go to the gym,'' we're already acknowledging the power of the feeling (''tired'').

This kind of internal dialogue often becomes a tyranny against ourselves, generating more resistance and discomfort.

Not Tyrannizing, But Negotiating with yourself

A smarter approach isn't to tyrannize yourself, but to negotiate with yourself. This involves listening to and validating the emotion.

''Why do I feel tired? What do I really need?'' Sometimes, tiredness is real, and we need to rest.

Other times, it's our mind's excuse to avoid making an effort.

The key: find the thought or trigger that originated the feeling

The key to managing emotions isn't to fight them, but to go to their source. According to the TFAR model, every feeling comes from a thought or trigger.

Instead of fighting the ''feeling tired,'' we should ask ourselves: ''What thought is generating this feeling?''.

Perhaps it's ''the gym is a horrible place'' or ''I'll never get results.'' By changing the way we think, we can change the way we feel.

Summary

Emotions often dominate the inte