Susan David: Emotional Agility
Susan David is a psychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School; cofounder and codirector of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital; and CEO of Evidence Based Psychology. She is the author of the bestselling book Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life*.
Key Points
- Showing Up: Instead of ignoring difficult thoughts and emotions or overemphasizing ‘positive thinking’, facing into your thoughts, emotions and behaviors willingly, with curiosity and kindness.
- Stepping Out: Detaching from, and observing your thoughts and emotions to see them for what they are — just thoughts, just emotions. Essentially, learning to see yourself as the chessboard, filled with possibilities, rather than as any one piece on the board, confined to certain preordained moves.
- Walking Your Why: Your core values provide the compass that keeps you moving in the right direction. Rather than being abstract ideas, these values are the true path to willpower, resilience and effectiveness.
- Moving On: Small deliberate tweaks to your mindset, motivation, and habits — in ways that are infused with your values, can make a powerful difference in your life. The idea is to find the balance between challenge and competence, so that you’re neither complacent nor overwhelmed. You’re excited, enthusiastic, invigorated.
Resources Mentioned
- Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life* by Susan David
- Emotional Agility Quiz
- 3 Ways to Better Understand Your Emotions
Related Episodes
- Ten Ways to Pick Yourself Up When You’re Beaten Down (episode 85)
- How to Lead Through Uncertainty and Change, with Jacqueline Farrington (episode 224)
- How to Increase Your Conversational Intelligence, with Judith Glaser (episode 271)
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