Recent research demonstrates that emotions and reason are both essential to decision-making — yet we often label some decisions as “emotional” and others as “rational.” Neuroscience confirms that these are not opposing forces, but complementary systems working together (Damasio, 1994).

We tend to describe decisions as EMOTIONAL when they are:

• Impulsive, driven by feelings, instincts, or immediate reactions (e.g., fear, joy, anger);
• Subjective, influenced by values, past experiences, and personal emotions;
• Primarily engaging the limbic system, which plays a key role in processing emotions, forming emotional memories, and influencing motivation (Phelps, 2006).

We tend to call decisions RATIONAL when they are:

• Deliberate, based on logic, analysis, and objective evaluation of facts and consequences;
• Objective: taking time to weigh options, gather data, and assess possible outcomes;
• Involving the prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning, problem-solving, logic, self-regulation, and attention (Phelps, 2006).

Ultimately, the key to confident decisions is INTEGRATING emotion and reason. Emotions help identify what matters most — they signal value and urgency — while reason provides the structure to achieve desired outcomes. 

To illustrate, here is an example of how this integration works in practice. Remember the New Year’s resolution from my previous post? Here’s how an AI might highlight both emotional and rational approaches to successfully achieve it:

• If the resolution is to get healthier this year, the EMOTIONAL approach might focus on how achieving better health will boost energy, confidence, and happiness — using feelings as motivation.

• Meanwhile, the RATIONAL approach reviews current habits, sets specific, measurable goals, builds a small-steps routine, and measures progress.

• TOGETHER, emotional decisions ignite the spark (“I want good health”), and rational decisions build the structure and support needed to stick with it (“I’ll start small, track progress, and adapt as needed”).

Think about your own experience — your last important decision: was it driven more by emotion or reason?

Curious to find out what will motivate you and what will keep you on track to achieve your next big decision? Email petya@petyabarraud.com to schedule your free discovery session and get personalised, solution-focused guidance for your unique situation.

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References:

Bechara, A., Damasio, H., Tranel, D., & Damasio, A. R. (1997). Deciding advantageously before knowing the advantageous strategy. Science, 275 (5304), 1293–1295.

Damasio, A. R. (1994). The feeling of what happens: Body and emotion in the making of consciousness. Harcourt Brace.

Phelps, E. A. (2006). Emotion and cognition: Insights from studies of the human amygdala. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 27–53. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070234