Why Is Understanding the Emotional Guidance System Important?MysteryShrink

Change your Mind . . . Change your Choices . . . Change your Life.

To what degree do your emotions run your life? A review. The human has two guidance systems which compete to direct our decisions. Think of them like rival gangs.

The Emotional Guidance System is that part of our brains that pushes us to make decisions based on the pressure of our feelings. The EGS is not a thoughful advisor. The EGS has one and only one reason for pushing our decisions. That reason is to get rid of anxiety. Dogs, cats, and even snakes have Emotional Guidance Systems–automatic moves to dive away from perceived threat. If you stress a group of apes and watch from the arbors, you’ll see one run to be alone, another cling to the leader, one will get bossy, and another will start a fight. These are the same automatic responses humans have, but we have made up rationalizations, causes, and descriptions.The Emotional Guidance System is based on getting comfortable Now. The EGS is incapable of considering the facts of the past. Incapable of asking, “How did it work out the last time I (ate the whole thing? went back to the man who cheated on me? put off a task that needed to be finished? hit the snooze button three times? stayed in my comfort zone at a conference? , etc.?

The Emotional Guidance System is incapable of considering the future. Incapable of asking, “If I don’t send in an application, what are my chances of reaching my goal? If I show up at the office (or at home) always complaining, how will that affect how other people relate to me? If I present myself as a victim of my childhood, how does that affect my life and my current relationship with family? How do negative comments affect my spouse’s and children’s relationship with my family? If I talk negatively about my “demanding” mother, how does that affect my child’s future relationship with me? If I never start the training I’m interested in, what are my chances of being chosen for the next job I’d like to have?

The Emotional Guidance System is not interested in the facts. The EGS will scare us, flatter us, lie to us, come up with rationalizations and fake lines of “thought” … “I can do this tomorrow…One more purchase on this account won’t hurt…Because these items will never again be on sale….Those diet pills might work and afterall, they’re free, just the shipping and handling…What I need to turn my life around is a new piece of exercise equipment…a different sized ball, or a treadmill that does jumping jacks…I don’t care what people think…It’s important to say everything that crosses my mind, that’s just me…I should never be criticized…I shouldn’t be inconvenienced…Making choices on purchases isn’t necessary, the only thing that matters is cash flow per month…It’s important for everyone to know how I feel, that’s what it means to be a person…If someone does me wrong, I never forget, grudges are great…He’s a jerk, she’s a bitch, they’re are a bunch of nuts…”