15 Ways You Can Boost Your Income by Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence relates to our relationships with people, our reactions to our emotions and those of others, and how we relate to those emotions.

However, emotional intelligence can also help you advance your career, build long-term wealth, and protect yourself from impulsive decisions.

Want to become one of those in-control people? Here are 15 things that people with high emotional intelligence do to improve their finances.

When a person can empathize and understand someone else’s reactions, it helps them communicate effectively. They aren’t anxious or avoidant and are willing to have tough conversations. 

That makes someone an asset in the workplace and can help them climb the corporate ladder and get ahead financially.

Whether you grew up in a home where there was scarcity and stress or never had to worry about money, how you were raised impacts your feelings around money today.

Highly emotionally intelligent people recognize this and process their reactions with this knowledge, helping them make smart decisions.

Like recognizing their feelings, emotionally intelligent people can also let go of past stereotypes or identities. They’re not stuck being “poor” or thinking, “I’ll never make money.” 

They can recognize the work they’ve done on themselves and are happy to embrace the positivity and rewards that come their way.

Having emotional intelligence means being able to understand and properly react to other’s emotions, feelings, and reactions. That's why highly emotional people are great leaders and friends. 

It also makes them great at sales and landing clients since they understand how to appeal to people and make a case for working together.

Highly emotionally intelligent people are focused on finding a solution for a problem without getting caught up in whose idea it was or taking it personally if their idea wasn’t chosen. 

They react rationally and work with their team to get things done, establishing themselves as an even-keel leader.

Deep relationships not only make life more meaningful, but they can also help you make more money. 

People hire people, and if you’ve connected with colleagues, clients, or even the person interviewing you, your high emotional intelligence and ability to network and influence people have paid off.

Highly emotionally intelligent people have the control and confidence to lead in challenging situations. 

Where others may practice avoidance or defer to others, emotionally intelligent people can rationally approach a situation, delegate to others, and show leadership. This is a skill that’s recognized and rewarded in a career.

Whether it’s a lucrative career or investment decision that makes them money or a not-so-great decision, highly emotionally intelligent people take accountability for their choices and learn from them. 

They take stock of how they felt following the decision and use that to inform their actions in the future.

People with high emotional intelligence lead with empathy in their workplace, setting themselves up for a more successful career. 

They put themselves in their colleagues’ shoes when making a decision and think about how their choices impact others. As a result, they earn respect, trust, and, often, a promotion.

Whether in the conference room practicing self-control in sharing their thoughts with others or when making wise investments, highly intelligent people are in charge of their feelings and reactions. 

Even if they want to do something, they think it through first and consider its long-term impact.

Whether pitching a new project or making the case for an investment in new software, those who know how to influence others will become the movers and shakers. 

They get things done — and set themselves up for promotions and raises as a result.

Teams get things done together, and highly emotional people realize the sum is greater than its parts. They're happy to be part of a team that works together and don’t need to take all the credit. 

Team players are respected in the workplace, and executives notice when they play well with others.

People with high emotional intelligence know that their legacy matters beyond what they say and do at the moment, and that can lead them to be more ambitious in their careers, ultimately earning them more money. 

They may not be motivated by money, but with their aspirations for leadership, the money may follow.

A highly emotionally intelligent person doesn’t back down from conflict but also avoids handling it with aggression or condescension.

Instead, they look at both sides to find a compromise. This skill is valued in a workplace and can help you advance your career as you show leaders that you can move projects forward without causing drama.

Emotionally intelligent people recognize they have to spend less than they make. 

They live within their means because they understand that their salary is the amount it is, and they adjust their standard of living to work within that. 

Over time, they can save more money because they don’t let their impulsive wants get ahead of their needs.

It’s not all about money, but highly emotionally intelligent people often set themselves up for success by understanding how to relate to people. 

This simple skill makes people feel appreciated and gives them a reason to trust the highly emotionally intelligent person.

These qualities add up to someone who can get ahead at work and make more money while building genuine, authentic relationships. It’s a win-win combination.