Managing+Impulsivity

=Managing Impulsivity=

"....goal directed self-imposed delay of gratification is perhaps the essence of emotional selfregulation: the ability to deny impulse in the service of a goal, whether it be building a business, solving an algebraic equation, or pursuing the Stanley cup. Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence (1995) p. 83

Growing up, I have never really felt the impulsivity that most of my peers did. I was never the kid who would blurt out embarrassing things (I still don’t understand how people can do things that clearly have bypassed their brain). Impulsiveness, after all, is risky, and we have established somewhere else on this Habits of Mind Portfolio that risks have to be “responsible.” In order for that to happen, impulsivity simply must be managed. After all, it is very easy to regret an action done out of haste and impulsiveness. There are just so many sayings about how young people are “impulsive” and the ones who are never lead to good ends. Just ask Romeo. Impulsivity poisons relationships as well.

But, on the other hand, we cannot stifle ALL impulses. Like risks, the lack of impulses will suffocate our sense of adventure and our youth. Therefore, managing impulsivity is key (or impulsivity in moderation).

A trivial example of this is whenever I see non-transparent colored liquids. I feel the strange (almost perverse) desire to drink it immediately. For this reason, my least favorite solution (I do not know the name of it) was amber-colored solution. For some bizarre reason, I always feel like drinking it when I see it. It just drives me insane! Of course, rule number 1 in any science class is always “never eat what you’re experimenting with.” In fact, just don’t eat in class. Period.

On a more serious note, in titrations, sometimes I feel the urge not to clean the burettes cleanly (and causing them to contaminated). Or sometimes, I'm just really impatient with the titrating process. However, it's generally rectifiable.

Managing impulsivity is a must in this world. Though I am not fantastic at this habit, neither am I terrible.

Figure 1: Am I weird for thinking that these liquids look tasty? Looks like soda in the middle.. and some sort of creamy mixture on the right..