Remember when LeBron James said about his decision to join the Miami heat that, “I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James”? Everyone called it arrogant, but looking back, it’s actually a perfect example of emotional intelligence in action. Psychologist Ethan Kross calls it distancing—the ability to step outside yourself and make decisions from a calm, rational place instead of reacting from emotion. When LeBron spoke about himself in the third-person, he wasn’t being narcissistic; he was creating psychological space to think clearly under pressure. And that’s something we can all use in business and life. When emotions run high it helps to zoom out and ask, “What would Danny do?” or “What will matter in 10 days, 10 weeks, or 10 months?” That small shift activates your prefrontal cortex, quiets your stress response, and brings clarity back online. Distancing means leading yourself through chaos with composure and perspective, just like the greats do.

 

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