The story of Dune opens up with our protagonist, Paul Atreides being tested by one of his superiors. He begins to fear: will he successfully pass this test? Paul rationalizes, and conquers his anxiousness by saying to himself, “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear” (Herbert 10). This motto lessens his fears, and allows him to take control of any challenge that comes his way.

In that moment, Paul Atreides learns how to rationalize his thought process (Herbert 10). The start of rationalization is to know your true inner feelings. Amy Morin, author of “How to Control Your Emotions so Your Emotions Don’t Control You,” stands with this statement. Morin lectures, “It’s important to acknowledge your feelings while also recognizing that your emotions don’t have to control you” (Morin 6). Emotions are able to easily take over a person’s mind; and if these emotions are toxic, they grow to be mentally harmful. To prevent this from happening, be aware of personal emotions, and then take the time to rationalize logically.

In the beginning of Paul’s test, he is aware of his apprehensiveness at the thought of failing; but he tries to subdues this apprehensiveness because he realizes that he has the ability at any time to combat this emotion (Herbert 10). Realistically, in Paul’s situation, he knows that there are no benefits in worrying, so he attempts to conquer his anxiety. From this scene in Dune, we can apply Paul’s thought process to the lives of real people. Morin shares in her article the way to convert emotional thinking into logical thinking: “Consider the emotional filter you’re looking at the world through. Then, reframe your thoughts to develop a more realistic view” (Morin 13). Transforming personal emotions into rational thinking creates a realistic mindset that enables people to carefully form wise decisions.

People should learn how to control strong emotions and realize how they can harmfully overtake a person’s mind. Morin explains that there are times where emotions can be hard to control, “But the more time and attention you spend on regulating your emotions, the mentally stronger you’ll become. You’ll gain confidence in your ability to handle discomfort while also knowing that you can make healthy choices that shift your mood” (Morin 22). Logical rationalizing comes with wise choices, that will lead to a healthy lifestyle, which is beneficial to not just one person, but the people around them.