Emotional Intelligence, it works!

Do you ever wonder why Harvey Specter, the protagonist in the TV series Suits, is so successful in his role as a corporate lawyer? Is it because he has a JD from Harvard Law? Unlikely, since many people have a law degree from Harvard, but not all are as successful as him. Is it because of his handsome appearance and good charm? Perhaps.

While Harvey Specter is a fictitious character, and he is unlikely to closely resemble anyone in the real world, my conjecture is that Harvey's success can ultimately be attributed to his emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is a topic within psychology, and it is becoming more popular recently. It basically refers to the ability to handle one's emotions with care and thought, exercise self-confidence, and persevere in the face of adversity. Since Harvey is able to perform each of these (difficult) tasks very well, we have a possible explanation for his success.

Let us move beyond Harvey now, and consider how thinking about and developing our emotional intelligence could help us become more successful and happy.

To a very large extent, intelligence and hard work are necessary factors in education, the workplace, and in our personal lives. At the same time, however, life is full of tragedies, failures, and other unfortunate events.

Intelligence, per se, does not present a useful way to overcome these challenges: there is virtually no common ground between solving a differential equation and moving on from a relationship break-up. Thus, being able to do the former does not necessarily mean that you can do the latter.

In the realm of the legal world, in which Harvey operates, there are a lot of bright minds, and certainly a lot of hard workers. The distinguishing feature, then, is in fact whether one possesses a degree of emotional intelligence.

The job of a lawyer entails gruelling hours, working with hostile people, and sacrificing some part of your personal life. Being able to exercise self-restraint is, therefore, pivotal in performing the job effectively, not least because the failure to do so can result in a 'breakdown', which significantly hinders one's well being.

The point I am making here is that if you do not happen to be as smart as the person next to you, that does not mean your chances of achieving success are lower. Sure, most entrepreneurs and scientists, who have literally changed the world, were smart and intelligent. But then again, so were many of the ones who did not make it.

Again, the distinguishing feature is emotional intelligence, the ability to remain in control of yourself and refuse to give up when any sign of progress seems nonexistent.

To wrap things up, let me finish with the following:

Emotional intelligence is NOT determined. It is a skill. 

As with any other skill, your emotional intelligence can grow stronger with practice.

Start today. Before losing control and breaking out when things do not go as planned, take a moment to think. Think about your feelings, your state of mind, and how you should proceed from this difficult situation. 

Think about how Harvey handles himself in a high pressure environment and how you could do the same too. 

Think more about your emotional intelligence, and less about 'intelligence' alone. Your emotions are intricate and very powerful. Treat them with care and you will see yourself become a more fulfilled person.