Emotional Gusts, John Dewey and What Stinks About Me

Are You Thinking Clearly About What You Want?

Most days, I don't.

Oh, I'd love to point out to you that:

1. I am a rational, sane human being; with
2. a clear vision and sense of purpose; who
3. single-mindedly pursues his goals; with
4. the clarity of a summer's day.

Yes, I try to project that image.

It's just not true.

Damn!

Most days - in Dewey's turn of phrase from MSI* - I am surfing a wave of 'emotional gusts' that are rationalized as logical behaviour by my overworked prefrontal cortex. Some days, it just can't keep up.

"I am exhausted by all your conversations." a good friend shared just yesterday. She said it with an affectionate giggle, but clearly, she needed a break.

Even my mother excused her Self!

My God, when your own mother can't listen to you anymore, something is not right.

Do I stink? Yes I do, I stink of passion. Too much of it. Overwhelming for others.

AND THAT'S THE DOWNSIDE OF PASSION.

Yes, by all means, nurture your passion - as that is a great thing for YOU - BUT, it is not always a great thing for OTHERS. You can exhaust people with your passion. You can alienate and repel them.

Be careful when you speak from passion, better you just listen first.

It's how I introduce one of the exercises you will explore when you join my 60Day Foundations course starting in October. I am not teaching it here. You have to join. It's an AT "exercise" that I learnt from Marj, and all my trainees get to experience it too.

https://atsuccess.com/foundations

* "The substitution of control by intelligence for control by external authority, not the negative principle of no control or the spasmodic principle of control by emotional gusts, is the only basis upon which reformed education can build." FM's MSI, in Forward by John Dewey.