Written by: Vickie Sullivan | February 10, 2026
The Hidden Cost of Emotional Decision Making
Have you ever done something stupid and then asked yourself, How did I ever think this was a good idea? Seriously, what in the world was I thinking?
Yep, I got out over my skis before the holidays and learned a valuable lesson about emotional decision making that will guide me going forward.
The backstory: I am obsessed with watercolors. I’m always on the prowl for the next cool color palette. When I found a new set coming out (holographic glitter!!), I started counting the days until the product release.
The company is based in the UK, so the launch was very early in the morning for me. I overslept by a few minutes and missed the ordering window. (It sold out 16 minutes after launch.)
My disappointment quickly turned into frustration—and that led to some bad choices. Instead of pouting and moving on, I fired up my laptop and Googled “holographic glitter watercolor paint.” I was completely unprepared for the onslaught.
The result: I made three purchases instead of one—at twice the cost. In other words, I cut off my nose to spite my face. (But the paints are fabulous!!)
Now that I’ve calmed down, I realize that emotional decision making rarely works out. I see this happen in business, too. We create urgency from a sense of lack, then fill that void with options that aren’t the best fit.
The next time I’m disappointed, I’ll breathe and be still—then plot my next move. Our best decisions are waiting for us on the other side of calm.
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