The Program

47Be Passionate, Not Emotional

MENTALLY TOUGH PEOPLE are emotionally resilient people. We all experience natural human emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, shame, and fear, to name a few. How we react to those emotions is a choice. Mentally weak people react in a manner that makes them feel better. Emotionally resilient, mentally tough people choose to react in a manner that will help their team accomplish its mission.

We all experience natural human emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, shame, and fear, to name a few. How we react to those emotions is a choice.

Every coach in America tells us that their sport is an emotional one. Basketball is an emotional sport. Football even more so. You must play the game of soccer with great emotion. Business leaders discuss the “emotional meetings” they have. We hear it from coaches in every sport and business leaders in every industry, and we think, “Uh-oh.”

Think about an emotional person whom you know, someone who reacts emotionally to life’s various challenges. Think about someone with whom you recently had a disagreement, and remember how they reacted emotionally during your interaction with them. Close your eyes and picture that emotional person in that situation.

Now, ask yourself if you think positively or negatively about that person and if their emotional response helped the situation improve.

Uh-oh.

The Program loves passionate people.¹ We want to surround ourselves with people who are passionate about their spouses, children, ...