Why Your Feelings Alone Won’t Make Good Decisions

When you’re caught between your heart and head, it can feel like two armies are battling inside you—each side calling for your full attention. Rather than letting that conflict overwhelm you, picture yourself as the commander of a calm, strategic vantage point. From there, you can see the raw feelings swirling beneath your chest and the cooler facts buzzing in your mind without bias.

Imagine Alex, faced with a sudden layoff notice on Monday morning. His first impulse was to storm out of the office in fury—the emotional side wanted immediate escape. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, he sat down, drew two columns, and wrote “Emotion” on one side and “Reason” on the other. Under Emotion, he listed anxiety, indignation, and fear for his mortgage. Under Reason, he wrote “unemployment benefits,” “five years of experience,” and “networking lunch on Thursday.” Seeing both sides clarifies which path forward is sustainable.

Over time, researchers have shown that balancing emotion and reason activates both your limbic system and prefrontal cortex—the very areas that war with each other under stress. When you consciously lay out your feelings and logical factors, you engage both brain regions in harmony, leading to more creative solutions and fewer regrets.

Next time a crisis hits or a big decision looms, pause and map out your emotions against your reasoning. You’ll find the best choice almost writes itself.

Begin by sketching a line down the center of a page and labeling each side ‘Emotion’ and ‘Reason.’ The next time you face an important decision, quickly jot down what your feelings urge you to do and the logical factors you can see in the other column. Step back and compare—notice where emotion and reason overlap and reinforce each other. Finally, choose the option that wins on both counts rather than letting either side drive by default. Give it a try today when you need to choose with confidence.