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The question was submitted 14 May 2009

Subject: Is there any way to overcome my emotional reactivi

Dear all,

In the response to me dated 13 May 2009 it was mentioned that I am an emotionally reactive person. I do agree with that actually,although it did strike me as a surprise as I have always seen myself as being "cold" and "detached". But after some reflection I realised that it is indeed true that I am emotionally reactive to the extent where it can be debilitating. I can feel absolutely positive about a situation (say after an interview, I feel so good about it, and start having big (perhaps even grandiose) plans...how I'd be happy and successful at my job). But the next moment...I just feel that I have fallen into a deep abyss. I start feeling that it is a sh*tty job I applied for and so on. Taking the CFA exam as an example - just last Wednesday afternoon I felt that I'd want to sit for the Level 3 exam next year even if I don't reap the returns, with the thought that I should be challenging myself and learning/studying is not just for the sake of getting a good job but rather, to know more about the world we live in. After all, as we are humans, what can we do if we do not even know about the world we live in? Then a couple of hours later, I feel exactly the same way I did previously - that it is pointless to do it, and that whatever I do, it is futile. Then everything just seems so....hellish that I just felt like crap the rest of the evening and .... I cried myself to sleep.
It may well be the case that being emotionally reactive causes people to screw up their careers despite being being good at what they do. Is there any way to stop being emotionally reactive then? I have always thought that I am an objective person but it seems that it isn't quite the case... :(

Answer from DepNet

The answer was published on DepNet 27 May 2009