Anger is a natural emotion that can range from mild irritation to intense fury, while wrath is a more intense & destructive form of anger. In other words, you don’t control anger, but you can control your wrath, which is one of the seven deadly sins & counter-balanced with the virtue of patience.

Growing up, my dad had a temper. With age, he softened. Similarly, I was known to blow up occasionally when faced with injustice, hypocrisy, laziness, intellectual dishonesty. But I learned that “temper tantrums” were ineffective: I’d feel guilty & my anger would not elicit the change I sought in others.

As an entrepreneur, I emphasized empathy & understanding, balancing the impatience needed to tackle opportunities with the patience needed to achieve objectives. The proof was in above average retention & high job satisfaction.

But principles in practice meant that diplomacy alone proved ineffective; fear is motivating. This isn’t to say that management by fear is effective (diminishing return), but a child who does not fear his parents is prone to misconduct, employees who do not fear their boss are bound to act selfishly in destructive ways. Recently, someone said: you seem angry? Knowing the depths of my emotions & recognizing what the “wrath of Ash” looks like, I laughed & said I was not angry but just occasionally exasperated/frustrated.

Americans “now worship at the altar of innovation and youth, versus character or kindness” (in the words of Scott Galloway). In fact, we worship at the altar of wealth & fame (innovation was the path to achieve it). As such, as crass as it sounds, if I wanted to convince others of anything, I’d start by disclosing my net worth because that’s what attracts attention & commands authority. But as someone who’s never chased money for money’s sake, that wouldn’t be consistent with my values. I am no better or worse than anyone, though yes I displayed more ambition, vision, persistence, execution, resilience which combined with luck & timing led to our success. I’m the same person I was years ago, just evolved with experience, setbacks & successes. So when asked if I was angrier than normal, it’s because when I take the time to explain the “why” so that we can align on the “what, where, who and when,” I realize many people have zero context, don’t listen & lack empathy despite seeking it.

Children are born pure & good, but life renders them cynical & apathetic. One reason why WatchMojo seems to always be capped at 50 team members is because as an organization grows, the quality of its people suffers.

Anger, then, is natural & healthy though like many impulses, it needs to be managed to avoid wrath. Freud’s theories focused on dreams but apply to expression. If you don’t release your bodily waste, you keep the toxins inside & get sick. Having prioritized others’ mental well-being, I’m now prone to remind people that their mental health isn’t more vital than mine.

We are after all all equals.