Sustaining change through Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

In this article I discuss seven recommendations for making personal development sustainable through the application of emotional intelligence (EI). Our definition of EI focuses on the importance of attitudes for long-term change, therefore distinguishing EI from other approaches such as personality, IQ and competencies. The seven recommendations are based on the view that attitudes are formed and developed in the limbic brain (LeDoux, 2003), which unlike the neocortex, learns mainly through emotional experience. In summary then, to make behaviour change enduring we must change attitudes, which requires emotional learning and is best achieved through focusing on the present, being bodily aware, group interaction, linking behaviour to attitudes, habit change, focused rehearsal, varied forms of feedback and committing sufficient time.