Have you worked on your Emotional Intelligence lately?
In many cases, it doesn’t matter how intelligent you are, Emotional Intelligence is considered a much better predictor of success than pure intelligence.
You might know plenty of people that possess what is considered average intelligence that are rather successful and yet the idea of the struggling genius is quite common, and for a very good reason.
Making good decisions, communicating effectively, having positive relationships, and managing yourself well can be far more valuable and powerful than a genius-level IQ which does not signify creative or social intelligence.
You can boost Emotional Intelligence with these strategies:
1. Become a master at listening
Think about the best listener you know, you probably hold that person in high regard as listening is becoming a lost art that few people are interested in reviving, we just have to look at the dynamics of social media to see this.
2. Pause before you respond
How many times have wished that you had kept silent, as your reaction words was not what was needed in the moment? Taking a moment to collect your thoughts can be a real advantage, be mindful.
3. Develop self-awareness
Very few people are self-aware. We often have very little of a true idea of how others perceive us or how we come across to them. Think about how odd it is to hear your own voice in a recording or how your body language speaks in videos. That is only the beginning!
4. Learn how to motivate yourself
Life gets easier if you can get yourself to do the things that you know you should do. However, few of us are effective in motivating ourselves to do those things consistently (consistency is key).
5. Analyse your emotions
Notice your emotions while you are experiencing them, feel them and let them flow through you (Emotions can get stuck in the body and present as illness or discomfort – Mindfulness can help avoid this). Try doing this in place of quickly responding to them:
6. Be assertive
There are advantages to being assertive. You have a much better chance of getting what you want. You will also be more transparent to others and people will not have to guess what you want from them.
A higher level of Emotional Intelligence might be what you are missing from your life. The great news is that it is something that you can quickly develop with practice and in real life situations. Every conversation and situation is an opportunity for growth.
How would you rate your emotional intelligence? In what areas could you improve?