The Cost Of Emotions

I have always been a passionate person. I love to travel, learn new things, and meet new people. I have been fortunate enough to experience life in over 125 countries and do business in a large majority of them for my education and financial consulting business. I have seen the beauty and diversity of the world, but I have also faced many challenges and difficulties along the way.

One of the biggest lessons I learned from my travels and business ventures is the importance of making rational decisions. Emotions are powerful and can influence our thoughts, actions, and outcomes. Sometimes, emotions can help us achieve our goals and overcome obstacles. But other times, emotions can cloud our judgment and lead us to make poor decisions that have a negative impact on our life.

I learned this the hard way when I let my emotions get the better of me in a crucial business deal. I was negotiating with a potential partner in China who had access to a large network of clients and resources. We had been working on the deal for months and were close to finalizing the terms. However, during the last meeting, he made a last-minute request that I felt was unreasonable and unfair. He wanted me to lower my commission rate by 25% and give him exclusive rights to my services in China.

I was furious. I felt that he was trying to take advantage of me and disrespect me. I had invested a lot of time, money, and energy into this deal and I was not willing to compromise on my value and reputation. I reacted impulsively and angrily. I told him that his request was unacceptable and that he could take it or leave it. I stormed out of the meeting room without giving him a chance to respond.

I thought I had shown him who was boss and that he would come back to me with an apology and a better offer. But I was wrong. He did not contact me again. He found another partner who agreed to his terms and closed the deal with them. I lost a huge opportunity that could have boosted my business and income significantly.

I regretted my decision for a long time. I realized that I had let my emotions get in the way of my rationality. I had acted on my anger and pride without considering the consequences and alternatives. I had missed out on a win-win situation that could have benefited both parties. I learned from this mistake when I was still a young man and vowed to never repeat it again moving forward. I decided to improve my decision-making skills and adopt some strategies to make rational decisions even when emotions are running high. Here are some tips that have helped me:

Pause and breathe: When faced with a difficult or stressful situation, it is important to take a moment to calm down and relax. Breathing deeply can help reduce anxiety and anger and clear the mind.

Identify the problem and the goal: It is essential to define the problem clearly and objectively. What is the issue? What are the facts? What are the assumptions? What are the risks? What are the benefits? What is the desired outcome?

Generate and evaluate options: It is helpful to brainstorm different possible solutions and weigh their pros and cons. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option? How likely are they to achieve the goal? How feasible are they to implement?

Choose the best option: Based on the analysis of the options, it is necessary to select the one that has the most benefits and the least costs. This option should be aligned with the goal and should be realistic and achievable.

Implement and monitor: After choosing the best option, it is important to execute it effectively and efficiently. It is also important to monitor the results and feedback and make adjustments if needed.

These tips have helped me make better decisions in my personal and professional life. They have also helped me avoid emotional conflicts and maintain positive relationships with others. I still feel emotions strongly, but I do not let them control me or interfere with my rationality.

Making rational decisions is not easy, but it is possible with practice and discipline. It can save us from a lot of trouble and regret in the long run. It can also help us achieve our goals and dreams more effectively.

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Original story (created by me) published on Medium.com. Any changes and/or updates that have been added on Vocal.media are for content consumption purposes.

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