The Emotion Default: Why You're Screwing Up Your Life

Apr 17

(and How to Stop It)

Right, listen up, lads. We're not getting any younger. The grey hairs are sprouting, the back aches more often than it should, and that youthful spark? Well, it's flickering like a dodgy lightbulb. Middle age is a battlefield, and the enemy within is often our own bloody emotions.

Think you're a rational bloke, making sound decisions? Think again. We all fall prey to the "emotion default" – reacting instinctively instead of thinking strategically. It's like letting a toddler drive your tank; carnage is guaranteed.

The Godfather and the Art of Not Being a Muppet

Consider The Godfather. Vito Corleone, a stone-cold strategist. He keeps his head, assesses the situation, and acts decisively. His son, Sonny? A hothead ruled by impulse. Sonny's quick to anger, slow to think, and it gets him killed. Brutally.

Sonny’s lack of control wasn't just bad for his health, it was shit for business. Letting emotions dictate your moves is a recipe for disaster, whether you're running a crime family or trying to navigate your career.

From Olympic Fails to Family Tragedies

This isn't just about mobsters. Take Matthew Emmons, an Olympic shooting champion. One mistake, one moment of emotional distraction, and he shoots at the wrong target, throwing away a gold medal. That's a public cock-up, plain and simple.

Worse is the story of "Steve", a colleague who had a blazing row with his parents, fuelled by emotion and regretful words. It was the last thing he ever said to them before they died in freak accident. A harsh lesson? Without a doubt.

The Biological Landmines

Here's the kicker: your body is conspiring against you. Sleep deprivation, hunger, fatigue, stress, unfamiliar surroundings – they all weaken your emotional defences. You're more vulnerable to knee-jerk reactions when your system is depleted and in unfamiliar territory.

So, What's the Answer?

Awareness, lads. Recognise the emotion default for the sneaky bastard it is. When you feel your blood pressure rising, your jaw clenching and your temper flaring, take a step back. Breathe. Think. Ask yourself: What would Vito do?

More on safeguards and strategies to come. For now, just remember: control your emotions, or they will control you. And in this game, control is everything.

Life is a constant evolution, a dance with change that shapes who we are and where we’re headed. And just like life, this site is transforming once more. I don’t yet know where this journey will lead, but that’s the beauty of it—each shift brings us closer to where we’re meant to be.

Change is not a sign of uncertainty, but of growth. It’s the path we must take to uncover our true purpose. And while we may not always understand where life is guiding us, it’s in the act of seeking, of embracing the flow, that we discover our direction.

Imagine life as a river, with its tides, currents, and eddies. If we fight against the current, we tire and falter. But if we surrender to it, letting it guide us, we might just find ourselves exactly where we’re meant to be.