Emotional intelligence shapes how we interact, understand, and navigate life’s moments. From managing our feelings to empathizing with others, it plays a big role in our everyday lives. Great quotes on emotional intelligence can inspire and guide us.
Below, you’ll find some of the best quotes that capture the essence of emotional intelligence. These words of wisdom remind us how important it is to connect deeply with ourselves and others.
Inspirational Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.”
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.”
“Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – this is not easy.”
“One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears – by listening to them.”
“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.”
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.”
“The only way to change someone’s mind is to connect with them from the heart.”
“Emotional intelligence is when you finally realize it’s not all about you.”
“When you listen with empathy to another person, you give that person psychological air.”
“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”
“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”
“Emotions can get in the way or get you on the way.”
“He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty.”
“Emotional intelligence allows you to react to any situation in a constructive manner.”
“Anger always comes from frustrated expectations.”
“Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.”
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”
“We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.”
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion.”
“Emotional intelligence is the ability to use emotion to increase your own and others’ success.”
“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions.”
Leading Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.”
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion.”
“Anyone can be angry—that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way—this is not easy.”
“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.”
“He who knows himself is enlightened.”
“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.”
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
“Emotional intelligence is the key to being able to handle one’s feelings and reactions under pressure.”
“You cannot control the behavior of others, but you can always choose how you respond to it.”
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”
“Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.”
“The real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and “Thou shalt not lie” in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.”
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
“To perceive is to suffer.”
“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.”
“Understanding others’ feelings takes time and patience—traits found in those who master emotional intelligence.”
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
“Wisdom tends to grow in proportion to one’s awareness of one’s ignorance.”
“The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.”
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.”
“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.”
“Abandon the urge to simplify everything, to look for formulas and easy answers, and to begin to think multidimensionally, to glory in the mystery and awe of life, in an inexhaustible world that surpasses human understanding.”
“Emotion that doesn’t transform itself into action is wasted.”
“The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.”
Powerful Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.”
“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”
“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.”
“Anyone can be angry—that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way—this is not easy.”
“The only way to change someone’s mind is to connect with them from the heart.”
“Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.”
“One ought to hold on to one’s heart; for if one lets it go, one soon loses control of the head too.”
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
“When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.”
“The emotions are not always subject to reason, but they are always subject to action.”
“Your ability to connect with others on an emotional level is one of the defining traits of a successful leader.”
“Angry people want you to see how powerful they are. Loving people want you to see how powerful you are.”
“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another.”
“The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.”
“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.”
“The most influential people possess both tremendous empathy and tremendous self-control, with the ability to drive hard conversations in a way that helps everyone feel good about themselves.”
“The essence of emotional intelligence is making emotions work for you, instead of against you.”
“Feelings are something you have; not something you are.”
“He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.”
“Emotions can get in the way or get you on the way.”
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
“Emotional intelligence is when you finally realize it’s not all about you.”
“The only true measure of courage is mental stability.”
“Our emotions are bridges to understanding ourselves and connecting with others.”
“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both.”
“People with high emotional intelligence can accurately perceive their own and others’ emotions, regulate their own emotions, and use emotions to help themselves and others foster achievement and success.”
Reflective Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.”
“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.”
“The only way to escape the corruptible effect of praise is to go on working.”
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
“Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – this is not easy.”
“Feelings are something you have; not something you are.”
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.”
“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
“The more often we see the things around us – even the beautiful and wonderful things – the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds – even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.”
“Emotions come and go and can’t be controlled, so there’s no reason to worry about them. You can control what you think and do.”
“The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it.”
“To increase your effectiveness, make your emotions subordinate to your commitments.”
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
“You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.”
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
“In times of adversity and change, we really discover who we are and what we’re made of.”
“You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.”
“Feelings are much like waves; we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.”
“He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty.”
“When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.”
“We cannot selectively numb emotions; when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”
“Emotional intelligence is not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both.”
Short Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”
“The only way to change someone’s mind is to connect with them from the heart.”
“Tears come from the heart and not from the brain.”
“Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf.”
“Emotional intelligence is the ability to use emotion to increase your own and others’ success.”
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.”
“Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.”
“He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.”
“The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.”
“Emotions are not problems to be solved. They are signals to be interpreted.”
“You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.”
“Feelings are something you have; not something you are.”
“When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.”
“People with high emotional intelligence understand that their emotions don’t have to control them.”
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
“Emotional intelligence is not about being soft, it’s about being smart with your emotions.”
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”
“Without emotional intelligence, I would be a complete mess, like a candle in a hurricane.”
“Emotional intelligence is when you finally realize it’s not all about you.”
“The best way out is always through.”
“Once you have control over your emotions, you can transcend them to grow and achieve any goal.”
“The way we treat people we disagree with most is a report card on what we’ve learned about love, compassion, and kindness.”
“Emotional self-awareness is the building block of the next fundamental emotional intelligence: being able to shake off a bad mood.”
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
“You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.”
Top Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.”
“Emotion is more powerful than reason. Emotion is the driving force behind thinking and reasoning. Emotional intelligence increases the mind’s ability to make positive, brilliant decisions.”
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”
“The only way to change someone’s mind is to connect with them from the heart.”
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.”
“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both.”
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.”
“People with high emotional intelligence tend to do better at work because they can understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of others.”
“When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.”
“Emotional intelligence is the ability to use emotion to increase your own and others’ success.”
“The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.”
“The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us but those who win battles we know nothing about.”
“Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.”
“Emotional intelligence is the key to being really successful.”
“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.”
“Feelings are something you have; not something you are.”
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
“One ought to hold on to one’s heart; for if one lets it go, one soon loses control of the head too.”
“It’s not about how smart you are, it’s about how you are smart.”
“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions.”
“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”
“The way we feel about ourselves has a greater impact on our ability to love and understand others.”
“If you can’t handle stress, you won’t manage success.”
Transformative Emotional Intelligence Quotes
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future.”
“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.”
“Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – this is not easy.”
“Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you.”
“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.”
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
“The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.”
“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”
“Managing your emotions doesn’t mean you have to be emotionless. It just means you need to control your reactions, not let your emotions control you.”
“Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.”
“The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.”
“The only way to change someone’s mind is to connect with them from the heart.”
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
“An emotion does not cause pain. Resistance or suppression of an emotion causes pain.”
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“Emotions were like wild horses, and it required wisdom to handle them.”
“You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.”
“Awareness is all about restoring your freedom to choose what you want instead of what your past imposes on you.”
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
“Your emotions are the harbingers of your destiny.”
“Emotions are an incredible gift that should never be ignored or suppressed.”
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
“Control your own emotions, or they will control you.”
In Conclusion
Wrapping things up, the quotes we’ve shared highlight the importance of emotional intelligence in our everyday lives. They remind us how key it is to understand and manage our feelings, as well as those of others. Emotional intelligence can improve our relationships, work life, and overall happiness.
By reflecting on these quotes, we can gain new insights and perspective. Whether you are looking for motivation, personal growth, or simply a bit of wisdom, these quotes offer valuable lessons. Keep these words in mind as you move forward, and let them inspire you to nurture your emotional health.
