Interpretation
- Ilaria Boffa
- Tommaso Procicchiani (Unlicensed)
Introduction
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the capacity to blend thinking and feeling to create optimal outcomes for oneself and others. The Six Seconds EQ Model was developed as a framework for putting emotional intelligence into action. The goal is to utilize the energy and information in emotions together with careful thinking to solve the challenges and realize the opportunities of life.
Starting in 1997, the model was originally developed by Anabel Jensen and Joshua Freedman who drew on many sources for its creation:
The Self-Science process from Self-Science: The Emotional Intelligence Curriculum, Karen McCown et al. (Six Seconds’ Founder; first published in 1978).
The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso model of emotional intelligence (Peter Salovey is a Six Seconds’ Advisory Board member).
Daniel Goleman’s writing on emotional intelligence (in his 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence. Goleman described Self-Science as a model curriculum for EQ development).
Other leading research on emotion and cognition from scientists including Candace Pert (Six Seconds’ Advisory Board member), Antonio Damasio (Descarte’s Error), and Joseph LeDoux (The Emotional Brain).
The Six Seconds Model of Emotional Intelligence
This model of EQ-in-Action begins with three important pursuits: to become more aware (noticing what you do), more intentional (doing what you mean), and more purposeful (doing it for a reason).
1. Know Yourself:
Self-awareness 
Clearly noticing what you feel and do.
Emotions are data, and this pursuit allows you to accurately collect that information.
2. Choose Yourself:
Self-management 
Doing what you mean to do.
Instead of reacting “on autopilot,” this pursuit encourages you to proactively respond to make conscious, careful decisions.
3. Give Yourself:
Self-direction 
Doing it for a reason.
This pursuit helps you put your most important commitments into action so you unlock your full power and potential.
Within each of these three pursuits are specific, measurable, learnable EQ components or skills in action. The EQ components are shown below:
The Six Seconds EQ Model:
Pursuit | EQ Component | Definition |
Know Yourself | Enhance Emotional Literacy | Accurately identifying and interpreting both simple and compound feelings |
Recognize Patterns | Acknowledging frequently recurring reactions and behavior | |
Choose Yourself | Apply Consequential Thinking | Evaluating the costs and benefits of your choices |
Navigate Emotions | Assessing, harnessing, and transforming emotions as a strategic resource | |
Engage Intrinsic Motivation | Gaining energy from personal values and commitments vs. being driven by external forces | |
Exercise Optimism | Taking a proactive perspective of hope and possibility | |
Give Yourself | Increase Empathy | Recognizing and appropriately responding to others’ emotions |
Pursue Noble Goals | Connecting your daily choices with your overarching sense of purpose |
(Blue=reflect. Red=pause. Green=go!)