When you are in the clutches of any extreme emotions, abstain from taking important decisions. You will likely regret the actions you take. It is best to silence your mind and calm yourself down before you do anything.
We encounter many of these scenarios in our day to day life.
- The Stock markets are gyrating wildly. Your portfolio, which was up 20%, has dropped 15% in less than a week. You are in the throes of fear and anxiety. So you think about selling your positions when you are still in the money. Before you decide to dump your investments, take a relook at your investment objectives and whether your portfolio was aligned to your long term objectives. Keep to your investment strategy.
- A friendly banter at a social setting threatens to escalate into a full-blown argument. You find yourself firing up in anger and resentment at an imagined insult. Take a step back before you destroy a precious relationship. Withdraw from the conversation and pick it up when you have managed to calm your frayed nerves.
- A team member is performing poorly, and you are becoming increasingly frustrated. You have the power to take punitive action. But, before you commit yourself to any action, find a way to cool off. Don’t let emotions dictate your leadership actions. Discipline yourself to be cerebral. Keep your focus on the issues and not the person. Don’t get personal.
- You are in a job that you always wanted to be in. It is in line with your career aspirations. Unfortunately, you are in a state of conflict with your boss, and the stress is sucking out all satisfaction you have in the job. You are ready to quit in a huff and pick up an alternative job elsewhere. The new place is worse. It’s like you have moved from the frying pan to the fire. Try not to jump ship in response to desperation, anger, or other emotions. Instead, use your spare time to build a job-hunting plan and be purposeful and proactive about following it.
Emotions are always temporary and transient. Don’t make decisions that could have a lasting impact based on your fleeting emotions !!