Emotional Intelligence: What It Is, How to Improve Yours, and How It Makes You a Better Creative | with Robin Hills

How can emotional intelligence give you an edge in a world full of AI?

In this episode, I talk with Robin Hills, Director of Ei4Change and an expert in emotional intelligence, positive psychology, and neuroscience. Robin has a career full of varied experiences, but his superpower is turning complex ideas into practical lessons we can actually use. We dive into the five key components of emotional intelligence, how to stay motivated when your emotions are dragging you down, and how emotions impact your ability to reach flow. We also explore why imperfect action can be the antidote to creative paralysis. If you want to harness emotional intelligence to enhance your creativity and relationships, this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Challenge the societal bias that favors IQ over emotional intelligence. While IQ is static and easily measured, emotional intelligence is a lifelong journey of growth and can be developed over time.
• We are creating each other. Through empathy and emotional connection, we subtly change each other’s brains, showing that this human capacity is irreplaceable by machines.
• Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction. Just get out there and do it, even if it’s messy—taking any step forward builds momentum and overcomes fear or hopelessness.

Episode Highlights

• Defining emotional intelligence and how it goes beyond IQ to use your emotions wisely for better decisions, authentic relationships, and meaningful action.
• The five core components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation
• How focusing on emotional intelligence can transform you into a completely different person than you were 20 years ago.
• Why awareness is the most essential part of emotional intelligence, and how simple exercises can help you build self-awareness.
• Rethinking emotions as pleasant or unpleasant rather than positive or negative, changes how we use emotions to decide, relate, and move forward.
• How transferring emotion from your own experience to an audience in creative work ensures your relevance in ways machines can’t replicate.
• Exploring the four uniquely human components of emotional intelligence: creativity, empathy, ethics, and spirituality.
• The emotional side of flow and deep work, and how feelings shape creative focus.
• Understanding intrinsic motivation from within and extrinsic motivation from our environment, and how to harness both to stay driven across changing contexts and situations.

Recommended Next Episode

A New Approach to Relieving Stress & Anxiety (and Improving “Emotional” Health) | with Nick Wignall

Useful Resources

Daniel Goleman Books

Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman Podcast Interview

Greg McKeown Podcast Interview

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Guest Bio

Dr. Robin Hills brings over 40 years of business and commercial experience helping executives and leaders enhance performance through greater self-awareness and understanding of others. He focuses on supporting personality and behaviour in business through the practical application of emotional intelligence and is Director of Ei4Change (Emotional Intelligence 4 Change), a company specialising in training, coaching, and personal development grounded in emotional intelligence, positive psychology, and neuroscience. His educational programmes on resilience and emotional intelligence are used in schools in South Africa and India, reaching over 500,000 students across 200+ countries.

Robin’s LinkedIn

Robin’s Books

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