EI: Bridging Success And Well-being

In today's fast-paced world, where the pursuit of success and advancement is driven by urgency and competition, we have somehow neglected our fundamental human qualities. Amid deadlines, checklists, physical accomplishments, and personal commitments, we have disconnected from the emotions that make us human. Romantic dinner dates with a spouse are often sacrificed for work deadlines. In the rush to prove oneself in the ever-evolving world, we have ignored our intrinsic impulses. This has led to a society where all the material comforts of luxury are available, yet emotional depth seems lacking. The result is a soulless environment where the vital link between emotional intelligence (EI) and true prosperity in today's complex, rat-race society is often overlooked.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand, and address the emotions of oneself and others. It is a crucial aspect of well-being, and its importance is growing even more in today's superficial and hyper-connected society. In the age of technological advancement, where virtual connections have replaced human interactions, emotional intelligence is no longer just a luxury but also a necessity for sustaining success and happiness.

The tech-savvy generation has lost its connection to the real world and is conditioned to seek instant gratification through social media platforms. This has eroded their patience and resilience, making them emotionally fragile. The over-reliance on virtual validation and the loss of real-life emotional experiences have left them ill-equipped to handle failures, criticism, and rejections. While self-expression on these platforms has allowed for open discussions of even social taboos, it has also alienated individuals from the emotional learning necessary for conflict resolution and empathy. This disconnect has had a profound impact on mental health, turning it into a global concern. 

The recent COVID-19 pandemic brought this issue to the forefront as the world faced isolation, uncertainty, and fear. It highlighted the importance of mental health and cognitive intelligence for long-term success.

The intelligence quotient (IQ) is a significant factor in an individual's success. However, a lack of EI can hinder the ability to navigate real-life challenges, leading to distress, frustration, and a decline in performance. While IQ measures cognitive abilities, EI focuses on understanding and managing situations both personally and professionally. 

In addition to technical expertise, interpersonal skills have become essential for physical and mental well-being. The present-day underlying psychological trauma can only be addressed through EI. While an individual inherently achieves IQ, EI can be developed through practice, making it a life-long journey of self-exploration and improvement.

The concept of EI was introduced by American psychologist Daniel Goleman, who identified five key components: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Dedication and knowledge can cultivate and integrate these components into one's character over time.

Self-awareness is the comprehension of one's emotions, triggers of those emotions, and the behavior that results, which can be achieved through mindful meditation, journaling of the emotions, and seeking feedback from trusted individuals. 

Controlling emotional impulses and reacting thoughtfully after taking pauses and deep breaths in emotionally charged situations contributes to self-regulation. Intrinsic motivation can be developed by breaking the larger goals into manageable and achievable milestones so that the sense of achievement and accomplishment stimulates the desire to keep on working towards the goal. 

Celebrations of those victories face the challenges as opportunities to provoke perseverance towards those goals. 

Empathy can be boosted through keenly considering and validating the emotions of others and perceiving the situations of being in other people's shoes. Social skills, such as communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution, can be developed through authentic conversation and expressions with "I" statements to avoid blame shifts and through workshops to sharpen communication and leadership.

Emotional intelligence contributes to a happier personal and professional life. Individuals with higher EI access the problems with a calmness and solution-oriented approach, healing the soul. Couples can foster trust, understanding, and mutual respect, restoring the conflicts constructively. Parents can deal with the children's tantrums patiently and empathetically, contributing to a nurturing environment. In professional life, EI can also be an asset as career-based challenges can be faced with ease. 

Managers can navigate crises effectively by adopting a constructive organisational culture. Employees can face criticism and rejections with a positive attitude, multiplying productivity and innovations, consequently triggering unprecedented success. 

Entrepreneurs can understand the team's aspirations and the customer's demand, mitigating risk through market assessments and making the business model successful. 

Though overemphasis on EI may overshadow the technical expertise with the soft power, causing a risk of manipulation, it should be cautiously cultivated for overall development. The balanced approach integrating EI along with IQ is ideal for holistic growth.

Thus, the underlying psychological trauma can be addressed if EI is considered an essential aspect of life. 

The fragmented souls can be united, and the modern-day complexity can be simplified, creating a resilient generation. The whole world has a lot to learn about EI if we are to develop a global village with peace and understanding. Nepal, being the mosaic of diverse languages, cultures, and traditions, can harness it as a strength if EI is promoted. 

Though peaceful in most parts of history, ethnic tensions, caste-based discrimination, gender inequality, and economic divides have posed threats to its social cohesion at various points in time. The stigmatisation of mental health has made open conversations about its issues a taboo in Nepali society. 

The alarming rate of suicides in post-Covid Nepalese society can be a testimony to its adverse effects. So, EI should be encouraged in all education and workplace culture areas. It should be incorporated into the school syllabus to equip students with essential life skills. Its workshops and training should be conducted in a workspace, and its awareness should be part of national development if we are to attain our sustainable development goals through an emotionally intelligent society.

In a world devoured with logic and efficiency, the issues of EI might sound more philosophical, but these are the components that make us human. Our ability to connect empathies and thrive together gives meaning to the physical infrastructure we build. 

Our journey towards prosperity should not be confined to merely constructing bridges or roads or increasing GDP. 

The missing link for connecting and thriving should be nurtured to develop a society where everyone feels recognised, heard, and valued without compromising well-being.

(The author is a technical officer at the National Archives of Nepal.)