Raise | Of the 272 Emotions, Most Parents Only Know 12 (w/ D. Earl Johnston)

In this episode of Chasing Excellence, host Patrick welcomes author Doug Earl Johnston to launch a new series called 'Raise,' focusing on how core personal development concepts apply to parenting, coaching, and education. Johnston shares the origin of his groundbreaking book, Choosing Emotions, which emerged from a personal moment when his daughter asked him about depression—prompting him to research the lived experience of emotions through quotes from real people who've endured them. Over 10 years, he compiled 272 emotions with 8,000 first-person quotes, creating what he calls an 'emotionary'—a unique blend of dictionary, encyclopedia, and thesaurus. The conversation centers on three key pillars: what we should model as caregivers (emotional agency), how to actually choose emotions through awareness, belief, and repetition, and how to talk about emotions with children using precise vocabulary. Johnston emphasizes that emotions are not passive reactions but choices, and that naming emotions ('name it to tame it') is essential for emotional intelligence. He shares powerful quotes from figures like Winston Churchill, J.K. Rowling, and Eckhart Tolle to illustrate how emotional granularity leads to better decision-making and resilience. The episode closes with a profound metaphor: emotions are like piano keys—limiting yourself to just 10 means limited music, but mastering the full range unlocks infinite potential for connection, growth, and joy.