I recently came across a profound insight from Sam Harris on the Waking Up app, and I can’t help but share how transformative his perspective on emotions can be. For those who haven’t tried the Waking Up app, it’s a mindfulness practice that has significantly enhanced my approach to leadership and life. Sam’s wisdom on emotions, especially negative ones, is something every leader should consider integrating into their daily routine.

Most of us view emotions as something that happens to us, often attributing our negative feelings to external circumstances or other people. It’s easy to think, “He made me angry,” or “I’m upset because my car has a flat tire.” We see these emotions as reactions to the world around us, and in doing so, we surrender control over our emotional state.

Sam Harris, however, encourages us to shift this perspective. He suggests that we view our negative emotions more like negative behaviors—actions that we perform. Anger, fear, sadness, and envy are not just feelings thrust upon us; they are behaviors we practice, often predictably, in response to certain stimuli. We’ve become experts at reacting in the same old ways to the same old triggers. In a sense, we are the world champions of being nearly identical to who we were yesterday.

But what if we decided to retire from this championship? What if we chose to break these patterns? Sam’s approach, which I’ve found incredibly powerful, is to see our thoughts as just that—thoughts. They are fleeting appearances in the mind, not facts that demand an emotional reaction. By recognizing this, we open up the possibility to respond differently.

Imagine a day where, instead of becoming angry or anxious or frustrated on cue, you let each thought and wave of emotion pass through you. Picture your mind as an open sky where clouds of emotion drift by without leaving a lasting impact. This is the essence of mindfulness, and it’s a practice that can radically change how we experience our emotions.

In the world of leadership, this perspective is invaluable. Leaders often face high-stress situations and challenging interactions. By adopting Sam’s mindfulness practice, we can maintain our composure and clarity, making better decisions and fostering a more positive work environment.

The Waking Up app, with its guided meditations and philosophical insights, offers a structured way to cultivate this mindfulness. Sam Harris’s teachings provide a roadmap to not only understand our emotions but to transform how we engage with them.

If you haven’t explored the Waking Up app yet, I highly recommend it. It’s a tool that has enriched my life and leadership style, helping me to approach each day with a clearer, calmer mind. Embrace the practice of viewing your emotions as transient and reclaim the control over your emotional well-being. You might just find that retiring from old emotional patterns opens up a new, more fulfilling way of living and leading.