The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the

“The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.” — Thus taught Daniel Goleman, the wise interpreter of human feeling, whose writings on Emotional Intelligence reshaped our understanding of the mind’s hidden architecture. In these words, he reveals a truth both scientific and spiritual — that within every human being, emotion precedes reason. Before thought can weigh, judge, or decide, the heart has already leapt, the pulse has already quickened, and the emotional brain — ancient, instinctive, and primal — has already spoken.

From the dawn of humankind, this truth has guided our survival. Long before the rise of logic or the art of philosophy, our ancestors lived by the swift wisdom of the limbic system, that deep part of the brain which senses danger before the intellect can comprehend it. A rustle in the grass was not to be debated — it was to be feared, and that fear preserved life. Thus, Goleman’s insight is no mere psychological observation; it is a recognition of our evolutionary inheritance. We are creatures of feeling first, and only afterward of reason.

Yet the modern world, enamored with intellect, forgets this ancient order. We are taught that reason rules — that logic should always master emotion. But Goleman reminds us that the two are intertwined, that emotion is not the enemy of reason but its messenger. The emotional brain moves swiftly, signaling the thinking mind to act. However, when left unexamined, these impulses can mislead. To be wise, therefore, is not to silence emotion, but to understand it — to recognize when the heart speaks truth and when it merely echoes fear.

Consider the tale of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who in 2009 landed a failing airplane upon the Hudson River and saved 155 lives. In that moment of terror, there was no time for slow analysis; his emotional brain — trained through experience, honed through discipline — responded in an instant. His instincts, born of both feeling and understanding, guided his hands before thought could speak. This is the harmony Goleman describes: emotion in partnership with intellect, passion joined with precision.

In ancient teaching, the same truth appears in other forms. The Stoics spoke of mastering one’s emotions not by denial but by knowledge; the Buddhists taught mindfulness as the art of seeing one’s feelings without being ruled by them. Goleman’s wisdom is their modern echo. To know oneself, one must see how swiftly the emotional self moves, how it colors perception, how it shapes action before reason awakens. Awareness, then, is the key — to watch the spark of emotion and learn to temper its flame before it consumes judgment.

The lesson is clear: emotions are neither weakness nor sin. They are the first responders of the soul. But like fire, they must be guided by understanding. When the emotional brain acts alone, chaos follows — anger, fear, and impulse drive us to harm. Yet when emotion and intellect walk together, they form a bridge between instinct and insight. The man who learns to balance them becomes whole — passionate, yet wise; feeling, yet calm.

Therefore, cultivate emotional intelligence. When an event strikes your heart, pause and breathe. Let your thinking brain rise to meet your emotional one. Do not suppress your feelings; listen to them, for they are signals from the depths. But neither must you surrender to them. Let reason and empathy stand as equal pillars of your being.

So remember the teaching of Daniel Goleman: “The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.” Do not curse this truth, but honor it. It is the rhythm of your humanity — the swift beating of the heart followed by the calm breath of thought. In mastering both, you become not less human, but more — a being of both fire and light, passion and understanding, instinct and wisdom.