what does a young child’s ability not to eat a marshmallow have to do with success in life? Quite a lot, as it turns out. The 4-year-old who is able to hold out in order to receive a second treat is demonstrating more self-control than will serve him or her well as an adult. This ability to control one’s impulses is just one part of what is called Emotional Intelligence. The children who demonstrate it will grow up to be better adjusted and more successful. Those kids who don’t have it are less likely to succeed when it comes to meeting challenges and dealing with life’s frustration. In the past, our concept of intelligence was mainly limited to the kinds of skills that enable one to do well in school. But Emotional Intelligence redefines what it means to be smart by focusing on how the mind processes _ feelings rather than ideas. There are many ways in which an understanding of Emotional Intelligence can be every handy . It can help parents raise their children, help corporations manage employees, and help solve many social problems. These ideas are not very controversial, but some other aspects of Emotional Intelligence are. For example, some scholars are offended at the idea that such a complex and abstract idea would be reduced to a simple numerical measure in the form of an “EQ”.