The Anger Duality: Destructive and Productive
You know the feeling… you’re driving along the highway when suddenly someone cuts you off or flips you off. In a split second, you’re consumed with a growing rage. But wait, just a few minutes prior, you were singing along to a favorite song on the radio.
How do you respond? Or do you react?
Reactions are defensive mechanisms, fueled by emotions.
Responses are meticulous thoughts, fueled by rationale.
There are countless other examples for anger, which we have all experienced at one time or another for various reasons, and begs the question —
Does the impact of your actions, when intensified by anger, benefit the greater good of all? Is it destructive or productive?
Examples of productive infuriation may look like motivation, creativity, or having a better insight of your deeper self which results in improvements.
You may get mad at yourself, or impatient, simply because you were not able to complete a project. Instead of surrendering to a perceived failure, utilize your feelings and apply a creative approach to help propel you closer to achievement.
As for destructive anger, I defer to the metaphor “can’t see the forest for the trees,” meaning that anger can be blinding in not having the ability to see the whole picture or long-term effects of your current actions.
For example, what if your anger leads you to single out another individual, or a group, just because you’ve been led to believe they are bad? Ask yourself if this kind of anger or hatred makes sense to your values of anti-bullying and anti-discrimination. Where is your compassion for all things?
If you find yourself angrily reacting to any situation, your belief system seemingly disappears in the heat of the moment. Can you honestly recognize how these actions might affect future circumstances? Most likely not, especially in times of constant change when nothing is ever as it seems.
Learn to channel your anger productively, not destructively.
Learn to see the forest.
Not just one tree, but all the trees including the dirt, weeds, shrubs, critters, root systems, rocks, streams… and how all of these components can coexist for the betterment of everyone.
