Travis Bradberry the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 explains in his article, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Won’t Do, why emotional intelligence (EQ) is more important than your IQ (intelligence quotient). Many of you have have heard the buzzword EQ but have you heard what people with EQ won’t do?

“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it s not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both.” – David Caruso

An example of a person with a high emotional intelligence is Oprah Winfrey. Do you notice when she interviews someone she is totally present? She is listening not just with her mind but also with her heart. Oprah feels the message of the other person and relates to the message not just mentally but also emotionally. When she connects emotionally, the true message comes across stronger.

13 Things People with High Emotional Intelligence Won’t Do. 

1. They don’t stay in their comfort zone. – You need to push yourself to see where you can improve.
2. They don’t give into fear. – Fight your fear. Don’t give into it.
3. They don’t stop believing in themselves. – Don’t give up. Failure is just a lesson on how something will not work.
4. They don’t beg for attention. – You don’t need a pat on the back to know you are amazing!
5. They don’t act like jerks. – Treat others well.
6. They don’t hold grudges. – Holding grudges just hurts you and increases your stress.
7. They don’t hang around negative people. – I like his example “If a person was smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the second hand smoke.” If you wouldn’t do that, then why are you involved in others “pity city” party? Set limits to protect yourself.
8. They don’t feel sorry for themselves. – You are not helpless. Don’t give up your power.
9. They don’t feel entitled. – You alone are responsible for your success and failure. The world owes you nothing.
10. They don’t close their minds. – Be open to new ideas. Just because someone has a different idea does not mean he is right and you are wrong.
11. They don’t let anyone limit their joy. – Take what others say with a grain of salt. You control your joy not others.
12. They don’t get eaten up by jealousy of envy. – Success of others does not lessen your success.
13. They don’t live in the past. – You can’t allow past failure to keep you from trying. Living in the past prevents you from moving forward.

“if you can rightly build your emotional intelligence… people can hurt you but you won’t be hurted.” – Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha

Whether you are looking to improve your emotional intelligence, the above tips will help you in all areas of your life. When you incorporate the above into your daily life, you will notice your life improves. You will have less stress because you won’t care what others think or continue to hold grudges. You will boost your mood because you are hanging around negative people less, not begging for attention or feeling envy. You will accomplish more because you are pushing through your fear and opening up your mind to new ideas.

“What other people think of you is none of your business.” – Regina Brett

When you embrace your emotional intelligence and believe in yourself, your joy will expand because you see the wonder of you. And when you come from a place of gratitude instead of entitlement, then you will see your life blossom in ways you could have never imagined. Live from your heart, and when you do, the universe will lift you up to new opportunities that dreams are made of.

Photo by Langa Hlatshwayo on Unsplash

To read the full article, click below.

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/13-things-mentally-strong-people-wont-do-2