Why Smart People Still Make Emotional Decisions....

 

Why Smart People Still Make Emotional Decisions...

We often think that being smart means making practical decisions. We calculate, we think about what is right, what is useful, what will work and what will give us the best result. I have also taken many such decisions in my life. But with time, I have realised that there are some decisions where the mind can give you a hundred reasons, but the heart gives you just one, “This feels right.” And sometimes, that one reason is enough. I felt this very strongly on 19th August, when we celebrated five years of Hearing Hearts. Five years is a very special milestone for me, not only because of the work we have done, but because of the children and families who have become a part of this journey.

When I thought about celebrating the anniversary, I could have taken a very practical decision. My team has worked hard with me for these five years, and I could have organised a party for them, taken everyone for a picnic or planned an outing where we could simply relax and enjoy together. It would have been a perfectly sensible way to celebrate. But I kept thinking, if Hearing Hearts is about children, then why should our celebration be only about us? Somewhere inside me, I wanted the children to be a part of this milestone. So I decided that instead of doing something only for my team, we would celebrate with the children. Today, when I look back, I feel very happy that I listened to that thought.

We had 55 children with us, and the only activity we planned for them was a simple creative activity using tissue paper, colours and a mixture of Fevicol and water, through which they created their own drawings. What surprised me was how completely the children got involved in it. For almost two to two-and-a-half hours, they were sitting there, creating, experimenting with colours and trying to make their artwork more beautiful. They did not look at their phones. They did not seem interested in what was happening elsewhere. They were simply engrossed in what they were making. I kept watching them and thinking about how difficult it has become for us adults to stay away from our phones even for a few minutes. These children were showing us that when something truly captures your interest, you don't need anything else.

For me, that was perhaps the most beautiful part of the celebration. We sometimes feel that to make children happy, we have to give them something big or expensive. But that day, something as simple as tissue paper, colours and the freedom to create kept 55 children engaged for hours. I saw concentration on their faces, excitement when they saw their paintings taking shape and pride when they looked at what they had created. I felt that we were not just celebrating an anniversary; we were giving them a moment where they could create, express themselves and simply enjoy being children. And as I stood there watching them, I realised that the happiness I was receiving from that moment was far greater than what I would have felt at a conventional anniversary celebration.

There was another reason why 19th August felt so meaningful to me. It was World Humanitarian Day. I have always believed that humanity is not something that we should speak about only on one particular day. It has to become a part of the way we live and the way we look at people around us. My journey with hearing-impaired children has taught me that inclusion is not only about helping someone hear better. It is also about giving them opportunities to participate, to express themselves, to experience joy and to feel that they belong. Celebrating five years with these 55 children, therefore, felt very natural to me. In fact, it felt more appropriate than any grand celebration could have been.

There is a teaching of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita that has always stayed with me, “Karmanye vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachana.” We have the right to perform our actions, but not to be attached only to the fruits of those actions. I have understood this teaching in different ways through different experiences in my life. When we do something with a genuine intention, without constantly asking what we will receive in return, the work itself becomes fulfilling. I did not organise this celebration with the children expecting anything from them. I only wanted them to be a part of our five-year journey. But in return, I received something much more precious, their smiles, their excitement and a feeling of deep satisfaction that I will carry with me for a long time.

I also realised something about leadership that day. I could have planned every detail myself, but I chose to let my team take the initiative and organise the celebration. I wanted them to feel that these five years belonged to them too. Watching them take responsibility and put their own emotions into making the day special for the children made me proud. It reminded me that people don't remain connected only because they work together. They remain connected when they share something meaningful. Perhaps this is also where smartness and emotions meet. Being smart is not always about choosing the easiest or most practical option. It is about understanding people, understanding what creates a connection and knowing when to give your team the opportunity to do something that has a larger purpose.

When I think about the question, “Why do smart people still make emotional decisions?”, I feel I have found my own answer through these five years of Hearing Hearts. The mind is important. It helps us plan, analyse and take responsible decisions. But the heart reminds us why we are doing what we are doing. On 19th August, I could have chosen a celebration that was easier to plan and perhaps more conventional. Instead, I chose to celebrate with 55 children, and I watched them spend two-and-a-half hours creating beautiful artwork without once being distracted by their phones. That simple sight gave me a happiness that no calculation could have predicted. Maybe some decisions are called emotional simply because they cannot be measured. But that does not make them less intelligent. Sometimes, listening to the heart is not moving away from smartness. It is understanding what truly matters.