It is common to hear the word impulsive and attach a negative connotation to it. Making mistakes, acting without thinking, and saying or doing something that cross a line are obvious characteristics of impulsive behavior. If you search the word on old reliable (Google), impulsiveness is: “a problem with emotional or behavioral self-control.” While being impulsive all the time is bound to result in some issues, I personally believe there are benefits to acting this way — in certain situations.
I have always been a firm believer in living in the moment. It sounds cheesy, but you truly never know what could happen next in life. A friend of mine recently told me that he has a philosophy of planning his life as if he’ll die in three years. A little cynical? Maybe, but I think it’s a great perspective. He said that he thinks of all the things he wants to accomplish by age 24, for example, then from there, he’ll plan for age 27, and so on.
This mindset got me thinking of the way we live our lives and how the majority of people spend so much time and energy planning for the future. This takes us away from the moment and essentially curbs our ability to live fully. When we stress about the unknown or things that are out of our control, we spend so much time in our heads that we may forget about the things that really matter. We get caught up in how to craft the perfect resume, how to score the most high-paying job, how to look put together 24/7, how to please others and gain validation, and more. Through all of this, we tend to lose ourselves.
I think there are responsible and irresponsible ways to be impulsive. On the one hand, certain impulsive actions may lead to emotional and/or physical harm. They could also result in negative long-term effects — one small decision could have a snowball effect and create larger consequences. On the other hand, impulsive decisions that have positive intentions behind them can lead to amazing memories and build stronger relationships between individuals. They can also make you realize more about yourself; the way you act in moments of exciting uncertainty is different from the way you act on a day-to-day basis.
Impulsivity is something I have struggled with my entire life, like many other teenagers and young adults. It has caused me to spend too much money, say things I don’t mean, and even get myself into trouble. Acting without thinking took away my confidence because of the lingering effects of my negative decisions. However, as I have matured and grown over the years, I’ve learned how to manage my impulsive tendencies and use them for good.
In the past month alone, I have spontaneously gone to three concerts: Bruno Mars at the MGM Theater in Boston, Trippie Redd here at UMass, and Post Malone at TD Garden. I bought all of these tickets less than a week in advance — they were never things I had planned weeks or even months for — and I had more fun than I ever would’ve expected. The secret? There were no expectations in the first place. When you plan too much for the future, you subconsciously create expectations that allow room for disappointment if not met. When you live in the moment and act on positive emotions, you are living life to the fullest.
The key to knowing whether an impulsive decision is a good one or a bad one is the nature of the situation. Before doing something spontaneous, ask yourself: Will this hurt anyone, including myself? Will this have a negative impact on my life in the long run? Will this potentially make me more upset later on? If the answer to all of these is no, then go for it. You might just make the best memory of your life.
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