Intuition comes from experience and instinct. As as young child we have only our natural instincts to guide us. As we age, we’re taught to ignore nature, and solely trust man-made cues for decision making. Undoubtedly we’ve all fell victim to the “why didn’t I trust my gut?” scenario. Although all man-made cues indicated safety, our natural instincts made us feel uncertain or uncomfortable with the decision.


In business, some people tend to follow their intuition, while many like to “jump the gun”, or go with their gut instinct. You must strike a balance between these two. In my business I have found that about 85% of the time, when faced with a choice, my “gut Instincts,” have pointed me in the right direction. Although, 15% have been way off, the accurate 85% will keep me happy with my decision making skills, and don’t allow me dwell on the inaccurate ones.


In one study, two groups of people were asked to pick out a poster to take home. One group was asked to analyze their decision carefully, weighing the pros and cons, and the other group was told to listen to their gut. Two weeks later, the group that followed their gut was happier with their posters than the group that analyzed their decisions.


Know when it is appropriate to follow your instinct. In the case of choosing a poster or a shirt, it’s often best. However, in more serious cases like “Should I take this medication to do this?” or “Should I quit my job to take classes here?”, you may want to contemplate. In short, decisions that will affect you and your life in the long run should be analyzed. Small decisions should be immediately decided upon. You’ll feel better and much happier. Practice trusting your instincts, it may feel risky at first, as you reach that 85% mark, it will become easier, and you will build more confidence in yourself.


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