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Use Your Emotions Correctly & Get Results You’re After with Ethan Kross

Ethan Kross, PhD, author of the international bestseller Chatter and Shift (on sale February 4th), is one of the world’s leading experts on emotion regulation. An award-winning professor in the University of Michigan’s top ranked Psychology Department and its Ross School of Business, he is the Director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory. Ethan has participated in policy discussion at the White House, spoken at TED and SXSW, and has been interviewed about his research on CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper Full Circle, and NPR’s Morning Edition. His research has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Science. He completed his BA at the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD at Columbia University.


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How do you manage your emotions so that they don’t manage you?

Emotions are often viewed as something you have to control if you want to be successful. The truth is emotions—both positive and negative—are simply tools you can use to navigate the world. They influence everything from relationships to motivation and productivity. Yet, for all their profound impact, few of us receive a science-based guide on how to manage them.

Our guest today is one of the leading experts on emotional regulation. Ethan Kross is and award-winning professor at the University of Michigan. Ethan is the Director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory and has spoken at multiple outlets, including policy discussions at the White House. He is the also author of Shift: Managing Your Emotions—So They Don’t Manage You.

All of your emotions are functional. They’re useful when they’re activated in the right proportions. But there are no one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to emotional regulation. Different tools work for different people. Listen in as Ethan explains what emotions are, why they matter, and most importantly how you can harness them.

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"All emotions, even the ones we call bad, are functional and useful when they are activated in the right proportions."

Ethan Kross

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**This week’s show notes are taken from the video — enjoy!**

  • This is what emotions are and why they can feel difficult to manage at times. [3:09]
  • How can negative emotions be useful. Ethan explains. [5:28]
  • Ethan wrote his book, Shift, to help with identifying and managing emotional responses. [7:30]
  • This is why it’s important to learn how to manage your emotions effectively. [9:32]
  • Everyone has a default tool that helps him in difficult situations. [11:52]
  • Changing this can be a profound shift in how you see your problems. [13:47]
  • You can then layer on this set of tools. [15:32]
  • Sometimes, avoiding emotions can help helpful. Here’s why. [20:04]
  • If emotional spikes are part of your job or life, this might help. [26:19]
  • These are a few common misconceptions about emotions and emotional regulation. [31:28]
  • This is what Ethan is excited about right now. [35:18]
  • Take a screenshot, tag us (@jimkwik & @ethankross), and share your biggest takeaway from this episode.
  • If you want to learn more about Ethan and his work, visit his website, here.
  • Don’t forget to grab a copy of his book, Shift, here.

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