Emotional intelligence is what makes people effective in social situations, or in any situation requiring self-control or calm responses to stress. In fact, a large component of what people used to call "street smarts" is related to emotional intelligence, because emotional intelligence refers to the ability to read other people, read situations, and react in ways that are conducive to desirable results. Emotional intelligence is easily as important as intellectual intelligence in predicting overall success and happiness. Depending on one's career field, emotional intelligence may even be more important than intellectual intelligence or "book smarts." For example, in fields like sales or public relations, emotional intelligence is going to be far more useful than the intelligence measured by IQ. Emotional intelligence is an essential component in my self-development because the lack of emotional intelligence impedes my ability to achieve personal and career goals.As a self-development goal, emotional intelligence is something I can actively improve through stress reduction, mindfulness, and practice. Stress reduction is related to emotional intelligence because the tendency to be reactive or lose my temper is directly linked to ineffective stress management. If I learn better stress management techniques, I can become more emotionally intelligent as I grow more aware of my feelings. I can learn how to recognize the early warning signs of stress, such as increased heart rate, and take time before...

Being aware of my emotions is a major aspect of emotional intelligence, which is why mindfulness meditation can also become important to self-development.
Even the most pragmatic elements of self-development, such as improving my career prospects, require emotional intelligence. In any field, we need to interact with clients, supervisors, and colleagues. Good customer service skills and strong communication skills are prerequisites to success. I need to stop feeling offended at the slightest affronts, instead taking insults in stride. When sudden or unexpected events happen, or when confronted with an inconvenience, I can react calmly and take a new course of action rather than blame others or throw a tantrum. For the same reasons, emotional intelligence is an essential component in human relations. Without emotional intelligence, I am prone to reactivity, to getting angry easily or assuming the worst instead of the best of the other person. Emotional intelligence allows me to empathize with other people. Other people are not "out to get me," and they may also be under a lot of stress. Sometimes we need to give people the benefit of the doubt, and when they do, we create more harmonious interactions. I also need to learn how to listen better, and not just to what people are saying but also to how they are saying it and to their body language. I cannot expect people to always conform to my expectations, and emotional intelligence permits me to be…