Logical emotions

The missing link between analysis and action—plus a decision-making tool for overthinkers

Elliot (not his real name) was a successful businessman. His professional life was thriving. His personal life was rich and fulfilling. He was sharp, analytical, and articulate.

Then, a tragedy struck.

He started getting frequent headaches, and after a series of medical tests, a tumor was discovered near his amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for processing emotion. He had to undergo a major brain surgery to have the tumor removed.

The operation was successful in every measurable way.

• His short-term and long-term memory were intact.

• His high IQ remained unchanged.

• His cognitive abilities were fully functional.

And yet, something was off.

Elliot couldn’t make decisions. Not the big ones, not the small ones. He couldn’t decide what to eat for lunch. He once spent 30 minutes choosing which color pen to use for signing a document. He’d spend hours weighing trivial options—and still remain paralyzed.

His work fell apart. His relationships suffered. His life slowly unraveled.

That’s when neuroscientist Dr. Antonio Damasio took an interest in his case.

And what Damasio discovered changed the way we understand decision-making forever.

“We are not thinking machines that feel. We are feeling machines that think.”

Elliot didn’t lose his logic. He lost access to emotion.

Until then, the belief was that the best decision-making comes from pure logic—free from the “irrationality” of emotions. But Elliot’s case, and many others like his, turned that idea upside down.

Decision-making without emotion

You can have all the data, facts, and numbers to inform a decision.
But mental clarity doesn’t come from spreadsheets and scorecards alone.

Without emotion, you won’t know what matters.

You won’t know what to do with all that information.

Clarity comes from emotional resonance—the inner “yes” that lives in your body.

Without that emotional pull:

• Every decision feels flat.

• Every option seems equally weighted.

• You stay stuck in endless analysis.

Think about a time you knew—deep down—what you wanted, but still tried to talk yourself into something else.

You might have thought:

“I need to make 100 cold calls a day to grow my business. It’s what successful people do.”

But your chest tightens, your voice sounds off, your body says no—every single time.

Or:

“Everyone’s moving abroad. Maybe I should too.”

But deep down, you know you feel most alive here—near the familiar chaos, near your people.

Or:

“This new job pays more, has a fancier title.”

But something about it feels… heavy.

It’s even harder for overthinkers

For overthinkers, this decision loop runs deeper.

When stuck between options—careers, relationships, projects—we overdo it. We:

• Analyze every angle.

• Anticipate every outcome.

• Play mental chess five moves ahead.

This kind of deep thinking is a gift—until it becomes a trap.

You gather more data, ask more people, write more lists—and still feel stuck.

Logic has limits.

It tells you how, not why.

It can’t tell you what matters to you.

This doesn’t mean you should toss logic out the window.

But it does mean you need to expand your toolkit. Let your body and emotions join the conversation.

The answers are already within you. Here’s a tool to help you access them:

🛠️ The emotional decision filter

Let’s say you’re torn between Option A and Option B.

1. Imagine Option A.
   Close your eyes. Visualize living in that choice—your routines, your mornings, your evenings.

2. Scan your body.
   What happens to your breath?
   Does your chest tighten or loosen?
   Do you feel heavy, or a bit lighter?

3. Now imagine Option B.
   Same process. Same body scan.

4. Compare.
   Which one brings a subtle sense of peace or relief?
   Which one makes your body relax—even slightly?

The “better” option is often the one where your body softens—even if your brain keeps resisting.

Sometimes, the loudest part of you is the most anxious.

But the wisest part speaks softly—through your breath, your gut, your posture. Let that part lead. Let your body weigh in. Let your inner truth out.

You don’t have to think harder. You just have to listen to your inner voice.

Come to think of it, maybe emotions are the most logical part of us.