How to Make Anger an Asset

Anger is a negative emotion if not properly managed

In our interactions with other people, we experience a wide range of emotions varying from hapiness, sadness to anger. Of the entire list, anger is perhaps the most dangerous and destructive for the individual involved and society at large.

Anger is basically a state in which you feel offended and have aggression triggered in you. It is quite possible to feel offended and not feel aggression towards the person that has offended you. Hence, you can distinguish between feeling hurt, betrayed or abandoned from being angry with this simple difference.

So, how do you manage your anger such that you don't do something harmful to the person or thing that caused it? I have a few tips for you and if you follow them, I am confident you can turn your anger into an asset that is useful to you.

Tips to Turn Anger Into an Asset

1. Understand Why You Are Angry

Are you angry because someone has genuinely hurt you, they have done something you don't like or have made you feel bad about yourself? You should consider the situation carefully and truthfully determine if the other party is right with what they have done and if it is you that needs to change. A proper assessment of the situation will empower you to move forward in a meaningful manner, a jaundiced one might leave you stuck in a negative mood and this can last for a very long time, some people have borne grudges for practically a lifetime.

2. Take Steps to Reverse the Negative Mood

Remaining angry is negative and it does little to improve your relationships and performance at work or elsewhere. Therefore, it is important that after identifying who is at fault for your anger, you take steps to address the person or people and the related issues properly. If you are the one at fault, admit your mistakes and apologise for them sincerely.

If other people are at fault, communicate your dissatisfaction with their behaviour and let them know how they have made you angry. A lot of people know when they have done something wrong and if you communicate with them in a polite rational manner would be willing to apologise and end conflict with you. However, if they refuse, you should simply appreciate and understand the fact that they have a character defect and your getting angry about it won't change them. You should move on and stop wasting your time being angry at them when you should actually pity them.

3. Learn from the Experience to Avoid Repeat Occurrence

You should learn from the experience by identifying and noting the causal factors that led to the situation that got you angry. This should help you avoid being in a similar situation in the future. For example, if you interact with someone that is abusive thereby making you angry, take steps to end that relationship as quickly and amicably as possible. If a certain place gets you irritated because of the kind of people or things you experience there, avoid going to the place as much as possible.

4. Get Motivated to Be Better

We have gotten to our destination; you should be motivated to be that person that rarely ever gets angry such that even those who oppose you for any reason will see trying to get into conflict with you as a futile endeavour. At this point,  you would have mastered the art of turning anger into an asset.