In The Upside of Your Dark Side, two pioneering researchers in the field of psychology show that while mindfulness, kindness, and positivity can take us far, they cannot take us all the way. Sometimes, they can even hold us back. Emotions like anger, anxiety, or doubt might be uncomfortable, but it turns out that they are also incredibly useful.
For instance:
• Anger fuels creativity
• Guilt sparks improvement
• Self-doubt enhances performance
• Selfishness increases courage
• Mindlessness leads to better decisions
The key lies in what the authors call “emotional agility,” the ability to access our full range of emotions—not just the “good” ones—in order to respond most effectively to whatever situation we might encounter. Drawing on years of scientific research and a wide array of real-life examples including sports, the military, parenting, education, romance, business, and more, The Upside of Your Dark Side is a refreshing reality check that shows us how we can truly maximize our potential.
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“I feel like I have five new superpowers after reading this book. It turns out that leading a good and satisfying life doesn’t mean we have to try to be happy, calm or optimistic all the time. We can learn to use uncomfortable feelings like anger, anxiety, guilt, sadness or boredom to be kinder, braver, smarter, more creative and more persuasive. The dark side does indeed have an upside—and this book teaches us how to harness it, so we can truly lead more heroic and purposeful lives.”
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Jane McGonigal, PhD, author of Reality Is Broken