What is more important, the ability to judge situations appropriately or just the knowledge about how to handle them? Does the intelligence quotient (IQ) determine your success or failure? For years, that was an overriding belief that people felt that only IQ was important to determine how far the person reached in life. However, new behavioral research shows that IQ provides, at best, a narrow view of human intelligence. Factors such as self-awareness, impulse control, doggedness, enthusiasm, self-motivation, understanding and social dexterity contribute greatly to an individual's success.

These qualities which are called emotional intelligence; often determine whether or not people excel in life, in relationships, and in the workplace! Therefore they have far reaching impact in their lives and how it goes on to affect every facet of their lives. These specific characteristics in a person are very important as they go on to influence every area of their life.

There are four equally important emotions that determine the EQ and how people will react in different ways.

These four emotions are fear, anger, happiness and sadness. The way that we experience, each of these emotions in our growing years, and childhood goes on to a large extent, to determine our later on development of EQ. The first one is fear. The emotion fear is associated with the feeling of one's heart pounding. There are other manifestations of fear too such as the blood draining from one's face, trembling and shivering, jaws clenched and a nervous laughter.

The other emotion anger, shows with a surge of energy, flushed face, blood pressure rises and clenched fists. If this emotion is not handled correctly then it can certainly mess up the person's EQ. after that is the third emotion.ova and happiness. This is one emotion that human beings can never have enough of it and the more we have it the more our EQ raises. This is shown by an increase in energy and enthusiasm, a relaxed body, laughter and smiles all around one and no negative thoughts at all. This emotion is also indicated by no negative thoughts and the heart being filled with optimism and no worry. When you are happy then you are able to spread this good cheer all around you and you will be able to recover from setbacks far more quickly. A person who has plentiful of this emotion will be able to bounce back from all the possible failures in a jiffy and within no time what so ever.

The last of the emotion is sadness. This is represented by several body postures such as a slumped body, no energy, crying and tears, no enthusiasm and isolating and withdrawing from all those around you. The moment one is sad it affects the person's body by making their metabolism slow down and make the person less productive then what they normally would be.

Seeing these effects it is good enough to work on one's EQ.