The book explains the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in managing our worst emotional situations. The author provides an example of Mike Tyson, who bite another wrestler's ear out of frustration due to a lack of EI. Some individuals, unable to cope with emotional challenges like love failure or significant losses, resort to extreme actions such as suicide.
The author explains that emotional decisions are driven by the amygdala, an almond-sized structure in the brain responsible for quick, instinctive reactions, rather than logical thinking. In the brain, the thalamus acts as a "multiplexer," directing thoughts to the appropriate areas. If the thought is emotional, it is sent to the amygdala; otherwise, it is directed to the cortex for logical processing. Therefore, during emotional situations, it is essential to remain patient and react thoughtfully.
The book also mentions a research study conducted with multiple 4-year-old children, testing their ability to delay gratification. In the experiment, a chocolate was placed in front of each child. If the child waited without eating the chocolate, they were rewarded with two additional chocolates. However, if the child couldn’t resist and ate the chocolate immediately, they received no further reward. Follow-up studies later in life revealed that the children who successfully waited for the reward tended to achieve more and hold higher positions in their careers compared to those who couldn't delay gratification.