Emotions Are There to Tell You Whether You're Winning in Life
It's the Live News Channel Broadcasting from Your Subconscious Mind
Emotions can feel like a rollercoaster—sometimes exhilarating, often confusing, and occasionally overwhelming. But they’re not random. They’re delivering something important: signals about how your life is going.
Think of emotions like a live feed from your subconscious. They give real-time feedback on your direction, challenges, and sense of progress.
This isn’t just a nice idea. Emotions are tied to biology and personal history. When you learn to tune in, you gain a practical edge in understanding yourself, making decisions, and building a life that feels like it’s actually working.
Purpose of Emotions in Evolutionary Sense
To get why emotions matter, you have to rewind to the early days of human survival.
Emotions were tools—sharp ones. They helped our ancestors dodge threats and pursue opportunities that improved their odds of staying alive and passing on genes.
Positive emotions like joy or love? Those nudged people toward cooperation and connection. Hunting success or tribal bonding felt good for a reason—it was a sign to keep doing more of that.
Negative emotions like fear, anger, or sadness? Those helped them avoid threats. Fear helped them steer clear of cliffs or predators. Anger made it easier to defend their turf. Sadness encouraged rest and reflection after loss.
Fast forward to now. You’re probably not facing predators, but the emotional system still works the same way. Emotions push you toward what seems rewarding and away from what feels risky—even when those things are as abstract as public speaking or a job interview.
How Your Past Shapes the Emotions
Your biology might set the stage, but your experiences write the script.
Everything you’ve lived through—especially growing up—leaves a mark on how you react to situations. Think of it as your emotional conditioning.
If you were raised where mistakes were met with harsh criticism, you might freeze at new challenges, even if they’re low-stakes.
If you’ve dealt with rejection, social settings might bring up fear or defensiveness—even if the current moment is safe.
On the flip side, past wins build confidence. Repeated success in any area usually brings an emotional lift when you're back in that zone.
These emotional responses aren’t random. But they’re not always helpful either. Sometimes you’re reacting to the past instead of the present. The key is knowing when an emotion is tied to what’s happening now—and when it’s just muscle memory from years ago.
Using Emotions Properly to Win in Life
Once you see where emotions come from, you can stop getting swept up in them—and start using them.
Negative Emotions: Your Alert System
Feel off? Frustrated? Anxious? That’s your subconscious saying something’s out of sync.
Frustration can mean you're grinding in the wrong direction.
Anxiety can mean you're unprepared—or that you care a lot.
Sadness might point to a loss you haven’t fully acknowledged.
Whatever the message, don’t stuff it down. Use it. Identify the real issue and take the next small step. Change the plan. Reframe the problem. Even a tiny shift helps you move forward.
Positive Emotions: Your Green Light
Joy. Pride. Excitement. These are signs you’re moving in the right direction.
Lean into what’s working:
Repeat activities that leave you energized.
Double down on areas where progress feels good.
Stay close to people who fuel you.
That said, don’t coast. Feel-good moments can also dull your awareness of what still needs work. Use them to recharge—then stay sharp.
The Caveat: Emotions Aren’t Always Accurate
Sometimes emotions misfire.
Anxiety from a childhood memory might not reflect today’s reality. Or pride in something easy might mask stagnation.
So before you act on a strong feeling, pause:
Ask, “Is this feeling based on what’s happening now?”
Check the facts. Are you actually under threat—or just reminded of something old?
If it’s an echo from the past, notice it, respect it, but don’t let it run the show.
Conclusion
Emotions aren’t just noise. They’re feedback.
Once you learn to read the signals—where they come from and what they’re tied to—you get better at steering your life in a direction that feels like progress.
You don’t need to be ruled by emotions. But you shouldn’t ignore them either. They’re data. Signals. Course corrections.
So next time you’re hit with a wave—good or bad—pause. Ask what it’s trying to show you. Then use it. That’s how you turn emotions into something useful.
Think back to a recent emotion that hit hard. What was it really about? And what one small thing can you do to act on it—or make peace with it?
That’s how you build emotional intelligence. One feeling at a time.