The Tribe Collective

11 Feb Are Your Emotions Leading Your Decision Making?

Posted at 11:56h in Psychology by GI Griffin

Are your emotions sabotaging your decision-making? GI breaks it down with brutal honesty in this episode of GI SAID IT. Decisions driven by emotions get messy—whether in business or personal life. Emotions aren’t reality; they’re just your perception, and too often, that perception is flat-out wrong. From CEOs prioritizing ego over growth to fear holding you back from life-changing opportunities, emotional decisions lead to failure. GI unapologetically urges you to regulate your emotions, choose logic, and focus on goals instead of feelings.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

Here’s a tough truth most people don’t want to admit—your emotions? They’re screwing with your decisions. Especially in business. Especially in life. If you’re letting your emotions steer the wheel, then chances are you’re driving straight into a wall.

The Reality Check About Emotion-Based Decisions

Stop glamorizing your feelings as some kind of “inner guide.” Your emotions are not reality. They’re just your perception of reality. Think about it—how many times have you felt something so strongly, only to look back later and realize you were dead wrong? You thought someone was upset with you—turns out they weren’t. You felt like an idea was too risky—turns out it wasn’t. Here’s the issue—when you base decisions on emotion, you’re basing choices on distortions.

Why Emotion-Driven Decisions Fail:

Lack of Objectivity: You can’t see the whole picture if your emotions are clouding your judgment.
Bias Overload: Decisions influenced by feelings are more about satisfying yourself than solving the actual problem.
Unstable Ground: Feelings change. Your strategies shouldn’t.

Business Isn’t About Your Feelings

Now, this one might sting. If you’re in business, your emotions don’t matter as much as you think they do. Your decisions need to be rooted in logic, numbers, and strategy—not in what feels good.

I’ve worked with countless CEOs and business leaders, and here’s a pattern you can’t ignore. There are two types of decision-makers:

The Strategist

They’re focused on growth, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Their emotions stay parked at the door.

The Ego-Driven CEO

These are the folks chasing power, recognition, or whatever gives them a quick emotional high. Their decisions reflect their own insecurities, not the needs of the business. They micromanage to feel in control, say “yes” to bad deals because they want to be liked, or obsess over how things make them feel. Guess how many of these businesses thrive? None. Zip. Zero.

Why?

Because emotional decision-making blinds you to what the business really needs. Growth isn’t about how decisions feel to you—it’s about the outcome they deliver.

The Broader Impact of Emotion (or Fear) on Personal Growth

Now, before you think this problem only exists in boardrooms, let’s bring it home. Fear, insecurity, and doubt? They’re crippling decision-making across your personal life too.

Think about a time when fear stopped you from pursuing an opportunity. Maybe it was applying for that promotion you didn’t think you’d get or starting a new project that seemed “too big.” Fear whispered, “You’re not good enough,” and you believed it. The end result? You stayed in your safe little box. And that decision felt right in the moment. But in hindsight? It kept you small.

Emotional Maturity = Personal Progress

The difference between those who thrive and those who stagnate comes down to their ability to regulate emotions. Emotional maturity isn’t about ignoring fear or anxiety. It’s understanding that fear is a reaction, not a fact.

Showing courage means saying, “I feel scared, but the logic points to action.” It’s about getting out of your own way.

Emotional Regulation is the Real Superpower

If you want to succeed—whether in business or in life—you’ve got to master emotional regulation. It’s not about being a robot, it’s about control. Here’s what you need to understand:

Check Your Feelings, Don’t Ignore Them

Your emotions exist for a reason. They’re great for checking in with yourself or reflecting after a decision is made. But they’re not where decision-making begins.

Start With Logic

Take emotion out of the equation when you need results. What does the data say? What strategies have proven success? Use that as your foundation.

Balance Both Worlds

Once you’ve decided based on logic, bring emotion back into the equation—but not to change your choice. Check in with how your decisions sit with you, and regulate from there.

For example, if you’re constantly stressed about the path you’ve chosen, rationally reconsider your pace—not the destination.

Don’t Just “Feel Good”—BE Effective

Here’s a no-BS moment for you. Feelings are important, but they’re rarely what gets the job done. Your decisions—especially in high-stakes situations—should align with logic and long-term impact. They should prioritize results, not quick comfort.

Does this mean being an emotionally detached robot? No. It means being mature enough to know when your feelings are valuable and when they’re just noise.

The next time you’re faced with a critical decision, remember this mantra:

Logic first. Emotion second. Clarity always.

Separate emotion from action, and watch how much more objective, effective, and ultimately successful your decision-making becomes.

Because at the end of the day? Life—and business—will reward clarity, not chaos.

The Tribe is a collective of individuals committed to growth, wisdom, and connection with other like minds. We don’t follow trends—we live by truth, self improvement, and action.