What role does setting realistic goals and expectations play in anger prevention?
Kerry Moles: It plays a huge role because if we have unrealistic goals and we don’t meet them, then we are going to feel disappointed. We are going to feel less than competent and are going to have all sorts of negative emotions that can lead to anger. GC: What about our expectations of other people? Kerry Moles: That is just as important. People get angry when other people don’t meet their expectations. Chronically angry people and abusive people often have too high expectations. They set other people up for failure in their eyes, then they get angry because the other person can’t possibly meet their expectations. GC: How can identifying triggers to anger help us to prevent ourselves from losing control? Kerry Moles: If we recognize our triggers and can sense our anger escalating early on while we are still thinking clearly, we have a better chance of staying in control. GC: Can avoiding our triggers help? Kerry Moles: Absolutely. If you know that a certain person makes you angry ever
