How to Trust Your Gut and Make Better Decisions

Hey Fam!

Knowledge workers live in a data-driven world where every professional and business decision is supposed to be backed up by facts, figures, and hard evidence.

As a person who’s fully immersed in evidenced-informed decision-making, this certainly resonates with me.

But sometimes, the most important information we have access to isn't in a spreadsheet or a report - it's in our gut.

Our intuition is that little voice inside of us that tells us when something feels right or wrong, even if we can't explain why.

It's the unconscious pattern recognition that comes from years of experience, observation, and instinct. And while it's not always perfect, learning to trust your intuition can be a powerful tool for making better decisions, faster.

But how do you know when to trust your gut, and when to rely on more rational analysis?

The key is to develop a healthy balance between intuition and logic, and to learn to recognize the signals that your intuition is sending you.

It's about tuning into your inner wisdom, while also being aware of your biases and blind spots.

Tips for Trusting Your Instincts:

1. Listen to your body:

Your intuition often manifests as physical sensations, like a gut feeling, a tightness in your chest, or a sudden burst of energy. Pay attention to these signals and ask yourself what they might be trying to tell you.

2. Look for patterns:

Intuition is often the result of unconscious pattern recognition, based on your past experiences and observations. If you find yourself repeatedly drawn to or repelled by certain people, situations, or choices, there may be a good reason why.

3. Quiet your mind:

Intuition is easier to hear when you're in a calm, centered state. Take a few deep breaths, meditate, or go for a walk in nature to quiet your mental chatter and create space for your inner wisdom to emerge.

4. Test your assumptions:

Intuition is not infallible, and it can be influenced by our biases, fears, and desires. When you have a strong gut feeling about something, take a step back and examine it objectively. What evidence do you have to support or refute it?

5. Combine intuition with logic:

The best decisions often come from a combination of intuition and rational analysis.

Use your intuition to identify promising options or red flags, then use logic to evaluate the pros and cons and make a final choice.

Real-World Example:

Imagine you're an entrepreneur considering a new business partnership. On paper, the deal looks great - the numbers add up, the partner has a strong track record, and the market opportunity is huge. But something in your gut is telling you to be cautious.

Using the tips above, you take a closer look at your intuition.

You realize that you've had a few uneasy interactions with the potential partner that left you feeling drained and anxious. You also notice a pattern of them over-promising and under-delivering in their past deals.

You decide to take a step back and do some more research. You talk to some of their previous partners and discover that they have a reputation for being difficult to work with and not always following through on their commitments.

Combining your intuition with this additional information, you decide to pass on the partnership and look for a better fit.

Later, you find out that the partner ended up getting into legal trouble and the deal fell through - a bullet dodged thanks to your inner wisdom.

Remember, your intuition is a powerful tool for navigating life's complexities and making better decisions.

But like any tool, it needs to be honed, tested, and used in combination with other sources of wisdom.

By learning to listen to your body, recognize patterns, quiet your mind, test your assumptions, and combine intuition with logic, you can develop a more accurate and reliable inner compass.

So the next time you're faced with a tough choice, take a deep breath, tune into your gut, and trust that your inner wisdom will guide you in the right direction.

And if all else fails, just remember: sometimes the best way to succeed is to follow your stomach - as long as it's not just leading you to the nearest pizza place!

Thanks for reading. Be easy!🫡
Girvin