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⚔️ How to Keep Your Emotions in Check...

⚔️ How to Keep Your Emotions in Check...

And Make Better Decisions!

Mental Warrior
April 08, 2024

^{Read time: 5 minutes}

How to Keep Your Emotions in Check

⚔️ Warriors,

Life is not easy, and we tend to make it harder for ourselves.

We have these complicated things called emotions (which make us human).

And emotions are a good thing - if we can keep them in check.

But how do we keep our emotions in check and make better decisions?

Allow me to explain in this edition of the Mental Warrior Newsletter.

Every week in the Mental Warrior newsletter we break down the quotes and philosophies from modern-day entrepreneurs, successful people, and Mental Warriors.

Jocko Willink on How to Keep Your Emotions in Check (And Make Better Decisions)

Click below to watch this week’s clip on the Mental Warrior Instagram page.

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Jocko Willink is an author, a podcaster, and a retired Navy Seal. Jocko was a Navy seal for 20 years and now he’s the voice in your head telling you to get your ass in gear.

During his career, Jocko was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards.

In 2010, Jocko retired from the Navy and launched his coaching program called Echelon Front where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win.

Jocko started his podcast in 2015 and he's helped millions of people ever since.

It’s safe to say Jocko knows a thing or two about being a Mental Warrior.

I found this clip of Jocko on the Theo Von podcast where a listener asked Jocko “How do you keep your emotions in check and make good decisions?”.

Jocko explains:

”You can’t let your emotions dictate what you’re gonna do. Motivation is really just an emotion, right? One day you can feel really good and motivated. Another day you can feel really bad and unmotivated. You are not going to feel ‘good’ and motivated every day.

You can’t let your emotions dictate your actions. You gotta let your logic dictate your actions.”

Emotions Fade, Logic Always Stays

Life is all about peaks and valleys, and this affects our emotions. Things like the foods we eat, our jobs, our family, and our friends all affect our emotions.

Having emotions is to be human - we should embrace them and be grateful for them. They are what separates us from animals (and aliens). However, we CANNOT let our emotions dictate our lives. This also includes motivation because motivation is just a feeling.

One day you feel motivated to go to the gym, and one day you don’t feel motivated. Relying on emotions (like motivation) is like relying on that flakey friend to go see the new Batman movie together (I still remember when you promised me, Kris!).

Relying on logic is like relying on your friend who will always help you when you move to a new house (or move a body at 3 am).

When you are feeling a way and you are emotional, remind yourself “Emotions fade, logic always stays”.

Want to Live Your Best Life?

You Must Make the Sacrifice

You must sacrifice the right now for tomorrow to truly live up to your potential. And if you are reading this, I know you truly want to live up to your potential.

Eating that donut today is going to affect your tomorrow and the day after that.

When you are building up momentum and chasing your goals your emotional decisions can set you back for DAYS!

Once you lose your momentum and focus it takes time to get back on track. Mental Warriors don’t have time to waste, we have too much to accomplish and too many things to conquer.

So it might not seem like a big deal to flake out on that thing you said you were gonna do, or eat that thing you said you weren’t. But in the long run, these emotional decisions will affect your subconscious.

How to Make Logical Decisions vs. Emotional Ones

How do we get out of our own way, keep our emotions in check, and make good decisions? By taking action.

Focus on something bigger than you, focus on the bigger picture and your long-term goals for yourself.

Focus on winning the small battles to help you win the war. And every day, every second, every decision is a small battle. When you make the right choices based on logic, you will win the battle and put you closer to winning the war.

The actions you take TODAY dictate your life TOMORROW.

You don’t feel like working out? That’s when you have to work out even more.

We need to practice less thinking and more DOING!

Put your clothes on, put your shoes on, and just go.

Because the more you go the more you build up your momentum. The more you build up your momentum the more you build up your confidence.

And that is how you reach your true potential!

By doing the work! Even when you don’t “feel” like it.