Part Two: Chapter 6, The Master Aptitude Summary and Analysis

During an emotional hijacking, emotions interfere with 'working memory', the ability to take in and process information. In this state, people say they 'can't think straight'. A positive use of emotion is in self-motivation for high achievement, such as when an athlete maintains enthusiasm and persistence through years of rigorous training. Compare the overall academic success of Asian-Americans to other students. The superior achievement of Asian-Americans comes from sheer determination and effort more than from IQ.

Psychologist Walter Mischel devised a test called the marshmallow challenge in the 1960s. The test measures impulse control through delayed gratification. Four-year-old children are given a choice—have one marshmallow immediately or get two after a fifteen-minute wait. The same children were followed through high school. Mischel discovered that the children who were able...