The best thing about emotions is that they Meaning Factcheck Usage

You know, “The best thing about emotions is they can be managed” is such a game-changer. It completely reframes our relationship with our feelings, turning them from unpredictable forces into something we can actually work with. It’s the core of what makes emotional intelligence so powerful in practice.

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Table of Contents

• Meaning
• Explanation
• Origin & Factcheck
• Context
• Usage Examples
• Common Questions

Meaning

This quote means our emotions aren’t just random, automatic reactions. They’re more like raw data or energy that we have the ability to channel and influence, rather than being controlled by them.

Explanation

Look, for the longest time, we were taught to either suppress emotions or just let them run the show. Goleman flips that script. He’s saying, no, you can actually become the conductor of your own emotional orchestra. It’s not about shutting down the anger or the anxiety. It’s about recognizing it, understanding the message it’s trying to send, and then choosing a skillful response. That’s the management part. And directing? That’s the real magic. It’s about using that emotional energy—the drive from passion, the focus from a little bit of healthy stress—and pointing it toward a goal. It’s a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice. But once you get it, it changes everything.

Quote Summary

Context	Attributes
Original Language	English (3668)
Category	Personal Development (697)
Topics	control (58), emotion general (105)
Literary Style	direct (414), practical (126)
Emotion / Mood	calm (491), empowering (174)
Overall Quote Score	78 (178)

Origin & Factcheck

This idea comes straight from Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, which was published in the United States. You sometimes see this sentiment floating around attributed to random self-help gurus, but the core framework and this specific phrasing are Goleman’s, based on his synthesis of the psychological research at the time.

Attribution Summary

Context	Attributes
Author	Dr Daniel Goleman (50)
Source Type	Book (4032)
Source/Book Name	Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (54)
Origin Timeperiod	Contemporary (1615)
Original Language	English (3668)
Authenticity	Verified (4032)

Where is this quotation located?

Quotation	The best thing about emotions is that they can be managed and directed
Book Details	Publication Year: 1995; ISBN: 978-0553375060; Last edition: 2005; Number of pages: 352
Where is it?	Chapter: Managing Anxiety, Approximate page 207 from 2005 edition

Context

In the book, this isn’t just a nice thought. It’s the practical conclusion of a bigger argument. Goleman spends chapters showing how the emotional brain (the limbic system) can hijack the rational brain (the neocortex). This quote is the solution—the hopeful part. It’s his way of saying, “The hijacking is possible, but so is reclaiming control.” It’s the entire premise for developing EQ.

Usage Examples

Here’s how I’ve seen this play out in real life:

• For a Leader: Instead of snapping at a team that missed a deadline (a pure emotional reaction), you manage the frustration, and direct that energy into a constructive problem-solving session. You use the emotion as fuel for a solution.
• For a Parent: When your kid is having a meltdown, you manage your own rising stress, and then help direct their big, overwhelming feelings by giving them words and calming strategies.
• For Anyone in a Relationship: You feel the hot flash of anger from a comment your partner made. Instead of firing back, you manage it by taking a breath, and then direct the conversation toward understanding their perspective.

To whom it appeals?

Context	Attributes
Theme	Advice (652)
Audiences	coaches (1277), leaders (2619), students (3111), therapists (555)
Usage Context/Scenario	leadership training (259), motivation workshops (19), personal growth talks (52), self-control classes (1)

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Common Questions

Question: Does “managing” emotions mean suppressing them?

Answer: Absolutely not. That’s the biggest misconception. Suppression is like trying to hold a beach ball underwater—it eventually explodes. Management is about acknowledgment and regulation. You feel it, you name it, and then you decide what to do with it.

Question: But aren’t some emotions, like grief, impossible to manage?

Answer: Great point. “Manage” doesn’t mean “make go away.” With something like grief, management looks like giving yourself permission to feel it fully, but also consciously directing yourself toward support systems and self-care, so the emotion doesn’t completely consume you. It’s about navigating it, not stopping it.

Question: How is this different from just thinking positively?

Answer: Positive thinking can sometimes be a form of avoidance. This is grittier. It’s about working with your negative emotions, not just covering them up with a happy thought. It’s emotional agility, not denial.