Emotion vs. Logic

The Rocky Garza Show

In this episode of The Rocky Garza Show, I explore a tension I know we’ve all felt—choosing between emotion and logic. For years, I’ve heard (and said) that we’re either “feelings people” or “facts people.” But what if that’s a false choice?

What if clarity doesn't come from choosing one over the other—but from learning how to hold space for both?

Neither Emotion Nor Logic Has the Whole Truth

Here’s the truth: your emotions are lying to you—and so is your logic.

If we make decisions based only on emotion, we risk being swayed by temporary feelings. If we only rely on logic, we risk ignoring the humanity behind the decision. The result? Half-informed choices. And when we operate that way, we limit our leadership and our lives.

In this episode, I challenge the idea that we need to choose a side. Because I believe the real magic happens in the tension between the two.

We All Want a Place to Land

Most of us find safety in identifying as “logical” or “emotional” because it gives us a tribe, a default. But life is rarely binary. And when we assign ourselves a category, we unconsciously start operating only from that place—even when it no longer serves us.

I’ve lived in both camps. I’ve made hyper-logical decisions to protect myself. I’ve made deeply emotional decisions because I didn’t know what else to do. Both have value—but neither tells the full story on their own.

A Friday Afternoon With My Kids

To bring this to life, I shared a real-world example: Friday afternoons at my house. Logically, it makes sense to knock out all the chores after school. But emotionally, is that what my kids need? After a long week of school, practices, homework, and being “on” all day, is logic what gets us connection?

Not usually.

And if I lead with logic without emotion in my home, what makes me think I’m doing any better at work?

What About Your Team?

Think about your team showing up Monday morning. You’re ready to run, energized, focused. So you stack meetings. But your team? They’re still coming off the weekend. Their minds are scattered. Their energy is different.

Have you ever stopped to ask how they feel? Have you created space for both their logic and emotion before expecting peak performance?

If we don’t lead with that awareness, we lose people—not because we don’t care, but because we don’t calibrate.

Decision-Making in Alignment

I’m not asking you to throw out structure or ignore your intuition. I’m asking you to align the two.

• If you’re overly emotional, add some logic.
• If you’re purely logical, make space for feeling.
• Let them complement each other, not compete.

Because I believe neither emotion nor logic holds the full truth—but together, they reveal what’s real.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• What is my emotion trying to tell me that logic can’t?
• What is my logic trying to protect that emotion doesn’t see?
• Where can I start practicing this kind of aligned decision-making in my life or business?
• 
  

You don’t have to abandon one to embrace the other. You just have to practice using both with intentionality.

Final Encouragement

If you’re a leader who’s struggled to find balance between heart and head, I want you to know: you’re not alone. And you’re not broken.

You’re human. That’s the gift.

This week, I encourage you to make one decision—big or small—from the alignment of your intellect and your emotion. Not just from your instinct. Not just from what looks good on paper. But from what feels real and makes sense.

If this episode spoke to you, please share it with your team, your friends, your boss. You never know who else needs to hear this today.

And if you want to go deeper, join me in my next free monthly workshop on leadership and clarity at rockygarza.com/confidence. I’d love to walk with you as you continue to build the clarity and confidence to lead well.

Until next time—be seen, be known, and lead well.

And when life gets hard—prove it.

Resources Mentioned

• Free Leadership Workshop: https://rockygarza.com/confidence

Key Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: Emotion vs. Logic

01:17 The Dichotomy of Decision Making

01:53 Finding Balance in Emotions and Logic

02:23 Personal Experiences with Logic and Emotion

04:17 Practical Examples in Parenting

07:00 Applying Balance in the Workplace

08:02 Encouragement for Balanced Decision Making

09:53 Conclusion and Call to Action

To join Rocky for his next free virtual event, go to https://rockygarza.com/beyondsuccess
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/trgs/donations