Impulses have developed a tarnished reputation. Someone labeled "impulsive" is seen as unthinking, easily swayed by momentary emotional changes, and maybe even erratic.
We don't use "impulsive" to describe people who pay attention to how they feel, make decisions, and act decisively. Instead, we reserve impulsive for a more negative, or at least more critical, label.
As I said yesterday, it's not the impulse that's helpful or harmful. It's the content of the impulse and the context of its intent in the situation.
What all impulses have in common is they express an urgency to act while turning down your patience, narrowing your perspective, and diminishing your precision.
When you feel the impulse to love on your children, it doesn't want to wait until next month. When you feel the craving to eat something unhealthy, it isn't interested how you'll feel later this summer. When you feel the urge to retaliate against someone, it doesn't want to consider the fairness and accuracy of your retaliation.
An impulse provides its own self-justifying feeling. According to the rationale of an impulse: "I feel it because it's legitimate, and it's legitimate because I feel it." That's the circular logic impulses use to justify and persuade you into their desired action.
You can only separate useful impulses from harmful ones through the disciplined application of patience, perspective, and precision.
The time is now. Do the work.
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