Emotional Intelligence and Creativity: New Research and Practices

By definition, emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and effectively use emotions. It typically includes five components: (1) self-awareness, (2) self-regulation, (3) motivation, (4) empathy, and (5) social skills. Simply put, EI is about being “smart” with emotions—using them constructively rather than being controlled by them.

Interestingly, there’s been some compelling research in concert with several personal practices that underscore the connection between EI and our creative endeavors. Let’s take a look.

What the Research Says

A large-scale meta-analysis conducted in 2019 (Xu et al.) synthesized findings from multiple empirical studies to clarify whether EI is reliably associated with creativity. The study concluded that EI is positively related to creativity, but the relationship is modest rather than strong. The authors suggest that emotionally intelligent people may be more creative because they are better at (1) using emotional information to generate ideas, (2) navigating affective states that support flexible thinking, and (3) managing emotional barriers like anxiety or rigidity that can inhibit ideation. They were careful to note that EI does not directly “cause” creativity but rather appears to be one contributing cognitive-affective factor among several.

A 2025 article (Borzée) contends that enhancing self-awareness, emotional regulation, and empathy provides the foundation for innovative problem-solving. The author points to four benefits of the EI/creativity paradigm: (1) EI enhances self-awareness, allowing one to channel feelings into creative expression; (2) emotional regulation helps one persevere through creative obstacles; (3) EI fosters empathy for diverse perspectives; and (4) EI helps one develop the resilience necessary to view setbacks as learning experiences.

A 2025 systematic review (Jalifi et al.) analyzed 23 research studies and found that EI is positively associated with creativity in adults, though results vary depending on how both are measured. The article concluded that stronger emotional skills likely support creative thinking and recommends more consistent methods and research to clarify this intriguing relationship. As the authors noted, “Implications of the study highlight the importance of developing emotional competencies to enhance creativity and personal success in social contexts.”

Research Into Practice

This research suggests that EI can be a “creative awareness system”—one that helps you sense social feedback and use it as raw material for innovative ideas. Also addressed is the process of adjusting your mindset so that emotions become a stimulant (rather than a barrier) for originality. Psychologist Daniel Goleman (the author of Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than I.Q) put it this way, “In a very real sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels.”

With that, let’s take a look at some sustaining EI activities that can have a positive effect on your overall creativity.

1. Identify a recent emotion or feeling (e.g., excitement, fear, frustration, loneliness). Spend a few minutes recording (in longhand) some of the specific details about that emotion (e.g., how it started, in what ways it changed you, where you were). Then, alter/translate that emotion into something creative (again in longhand). This might include an artistic image or drawing, the plot for a short story, one or more metaphors (“This feels like….’), or perhaps an innovative product. When done on a regular basis, this activity can not only strengthen your EI but also engage your brain in converting feelings into creative possibilities.
2. Recall a situation that involved other people (e.g., your spouse, a dear friend, a relative, a business associate). Write about that situation from your specific point of view. Next, rewrite it from the point of view of someone you know. Finally, write it from the perspective of a complete stranger (e.g., someone at the airport, a pedestrian in a crosswalk, a server at your favorite restaurant). Doing this regularly offers you an opportunity to enhance your overall empathy in concert with your creative thinking. In short, you begin to see new angles and new perspectives—the foundation of innovation.
3. Identify a slightly negative situation that happened recently (e.g., a late charge on a credit card, a bad word used by your child, a flat tire on your car). Record your initial emotional reaction on a sheet of paper. Then, reframe it in three different ways. For example, create a humorous version, detail it as a potential learning opportunity, and as a soliloquy by your favorite literary character. Over time, you may note improvement in your ability to regulate your emotions and build cognitive flexibility—both essential for any creative endeavor.
4. Take a current idea you are working on and record how different people might feel about it. For example, you are writing a novel about a widow and her dog living in the Alaskan wilderness. How would the story resonate with a corporate executive, a socially inept teenager, a person who is constantly negative, a retiree in Florida, and/or a single father with three children? This activity has the potential to sharpen your empathy and spark some original ideas.
5. If you record your daily activities in a diary or journal, make a slight change. Instead of writing what happened, record the top three emotions you experienced, what triggered them, and one creative way of expressing each (e.g., a cartoon, a book title, a painting, a toy, a billboard). Doing so helps you become aware of emotional patterns along with creative responses.

Emotional intelligence can be reframed as a “creative awareness system”—one that can help you notice, interpret, and work with your own mental and emotional patterns. While it doesn’t replace talent or skill, it is a way of accessing deep ideas, sustaining effort, and connecting creativity to personal everyday experiences.