Harnessing Our Emotional Energy to Unlock Our Unique Human Potential

Scientists define energy as the ability to do work. Modern civilization is possible because people have learned how to change energy from one form to another and then use it to accomplish meaningful tasks.

The dictionary provides definitions: as a noun, energy is defined as the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity. And as a verb, its meaning is very simple: energy is just the force that causes things to move. Energy is divided into two types: potential and kinetic.

“Conservation of energy,” part of the first law of thermodynamics, states that energy cannot be destroyed, but can only change form. Next, the second law tells us that energy flows from hot to cold only. As a source of energy cools, that heat is transferred to its immediate environment. Geoffrey Moore wonderfully expands on the second law in his book The Infinite Staircase (2021). He states the Paradox of Entropy: When something winds down, something else winds up!

What does all of the above have to do with my emotional energy and potential to accomplish my goals?

It’s very important to know that aside from the external work we do, each of us possesses internal energy that we can harness in positive ways. We have the capacity to use our emotional energy to move from where we are (fine, lonely, concerned) to where we want to be (joyful, centered, curious). Any one of us can do it, at any time, when we follow appropriate steps and use proper tools.

Emotional Energy versus Emotional Pain

We can be good at telling ourselves and others where we are emotionally. We can describe what’s going badly in incredible detail; when in that place, there is not enough time to explain how painful “it” feels.

Rarely do we take the time to describe in the same amount of detail, where we want to be …

Why is that? Is it possible that the place we’re in is so well known to us that we are nervous about moving out of it, even though staying means remaining very uncomfortable?  We may wonder if any new situation could turn out to be the same or even worse. Many individuals unknowingly have a cognitive bias: the fear of losing what we have is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining what we want.

Some common synonyms of energy are force, might, power, and strength. While all these words also mean "the ability to exert effort," the term “energy” is most frequently associated with possible change in a positive direction.

We often have untapped positive emotional energy that can be a critical resource in difficult times. As important as it is to acknowledge our negative feelings, it is equally important to realize that there are ways to counterbalance fear and sadness by focusing on well-established strengths and  reminding ourselves of previous good faith efforts that could be successful given sufficient patience and time.

When people use energy, it doesn't disappear; instead, it changes from one form to another. For instance: It’s possible that an impulsive need to rescue someone can become a wish to provide appropriate nurturance instead. Similarly, one’s intense wish to escape may fortunately settle into a structure of limit-setting that makes escape not necessary. Along these same lines, vulnerability can evolve into a sense of compassion and sharp criticism can soften into constructive discernment.

Energy is a difficult concept to understand because it is not a concrete object that you can see or touch. To comprehend what energy is, you need to understand what it does. That is, although energy isn't visible, you can detect evidence of its presence. Examples: Jumping, moving a wheelchair, eating, and singing all require physical energy. Crying, laughing, and worrying involve significant expenditures of one’s emotional energy.

At times life can bring us to our knees, where uncertainty can immobilize us; it is during these times that harnessing our inner resilience can provide some space to breathe and to act differently.

It’s not easy to make the time to build a supply of emotional energy resilience, but it is a simple exercise that can be done in a few minutes a day.

Harnessing Our Emotional Energy Everyday

Just as exercise can increase physical well-being, awareness of how to better position and utilize emotional energy can positively impact our mental well-being in a major way.

You can harness your emotional energy by slowing down in a challenging situation, while asking and answering two questions on a scale of (low energy) 1-10 (high energy):

1. Where am I?
2. Where do I want to be?

Surprisingly, the key to maximizing your emotional energy is not contained in either of the answers—but in the space between them. For example, if you want to be a 7 and are currently a 2, then you are seeking to move 5 steps forward. Shrinking the distance between where you are and want to be is always possible when you consistently activate certain parts of your conscious mind of which you may not usually be aware.

Think of the source of your emotional energy as a part of you that functions as your compassionate observer that can see through the fog of uncertainty and reliably identify your most viable options in any important situation. You will also discover that the observer has a counterpart that functions as an experienced navigator that charts best next steps forward.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

—Victor Frankl

Enjoy your energy-filled journey!