Emotions Run Your Life
Have you ever made a decision that seemed completely logical at the time… only to look back later and wonder, What was I thinking?
Maybe you spent money on something you didn’t actually need, took a job that felt “right” but drained you, or stayed in a relationship long past its expiration date.
We like to believe we’re rational, that our choices are driven by logic and facts. But here’s the truth—your emotions are making most of your decisions, and you’re just justifying them afterward.
And what’s even crazier? You don’t even realize it’s happening.
The Hidden Truth About Decision-Making
Most of us are convinced we make decisions logically. We weigh pros and cons, consider risks, and tell ourselves we’re being smart.
But science shows that’s not how it actually works. Studies reveal that over 90% of your decisions are made emotionally first, then justified with logic afterward.
Think about it—when you buy something, do you really make a purely logical choice? Or does a feeling pull you in, and then you find a way to make it “make sense”?
This isn’t just about small choices like what you eat for lunch. This affects everything—your career moves, your investments, your relationships, even your health.
If you feel confident, you’ll take action. If you feel anxious, you’ll hesitate. If you feel unworthy, you’ll settle.
The problem isn’t emotions themselves—it’s making decisions from them without awareness.
How Emotional States Change the Choices You Make
Your emotional state in the moment is shaping your future. But because emotions are subtle, we don’t see how they control us.
Let’s break it down:
- When you’re anxious: You hesitate, overthink, and avoid risk—even when it’s a great opportunity.
- When you’re confident: You take action fast, trust yourself, and create better outcomes.
- When you’re in fear: You cling to what’s familiar, even if it’s unhealthy or limiting.
- When you’re feeling rejected: You make choices to seek validation, rather than what’s best for you.
Have you ever noticed how the exact same decision feels different depending on whether you’re calm or stressed?
The situation didn’t change. You did.
That’s why if you don’t develop emotional awareness, you’ll keep making choices based on temporary feelings rather than long-term clarity.
And that can cost you—big time.
How to Stop Letting Emotions Control Your Life (Without Suppressing Them)
The answer isn’t to shut down emotions. It’s to recognize them before deciding.
Here’s a simple but powerful shift:
- Start noticing your emotional state before making a decision.
If you’re stressed, angry, or overwhelmed—pause. That state is distorting your clarity. - Train yourself to delay decisions until you shift your state.
Never make a big choice when you’re emotionally flooded. Highly effective leaders, therapists, and elite performers make decisions from a neutral, balanced state—not from fear or urgency. - Use emotional anchoring to reset your clarity.
Top athletes, experienced coaches, and highly skilled artists all do this. They know that their emotions will dictate their decisions, so they train themselves to shift their state before acting.
I had a client—let’s call him Chris—who was running a business and kept struggling with big financial decisions. Every time something went wrong, he’d panic and make impulsive choices, which only made things worse.
Once he started training himself to recognize when he was reacting emotionally and shifting before deciding, his choices completely changed. His business started growing—not because he worked harder, but because he stopped making fear-based decisions.
Most people don’t do this. They live in reaction.
But when you shift from reacting to consciously choosing, everything changes.
What If You Could Shift This Today?
Imagine what would be different if, starting today, you stopped making major decisions from fear, stress, or insecurity.
What if you trained yourself to recognize your emotional state, shift when necessary, and only act from clarity?
How many past regrets could you have avoided? How many incredible opportunities might you have said yes to?
Here’s my challenge to you: Start noticing when emotions are driving your choices. That awareness alone changes everything.
Have you ever realized after the fact that a choice you made wasn’t actually logical, but emotional?
If you want to go deeper into this kind of work, I’ve created a process that helps people train emotional mastery and decision-making clarity.
It’s a way to step out of emotional reactivity and into a place of real choice. If that sounds interesting, you can learn more here.
And if you want more insights like this, I share a lot of content over on Instagram @mikewangcoaching, plus a weekly newsletter with practical insights to help you break through limitations. Feel free to check them out!