We named our company,
Waterloo Intuition & Technology Corporation
Some People Believe…
“Gut Feel” is when you have a strong feeling that isn’t backed by logic…like an instinct…a special gift arriving as an insight or intuition.
Beware: There’s a wide range of advice about gut feel…
- it’s the true key to success
- the gift of the creative and the entrepreneurial
- an overrated and flawed phenomenon
- something that’s likely to get you into trouble
“Gut Feel” & “Intuition”
The terms “gut feel” and “intuition” are often used interchangeably and can be subjective in their interpretation. However, they are generally understood to refer to slightly different aspects of decision-making or the cognitive processes involved. Here’s a general distinction between the two:
- Gut Feel: Gut feel, also referred to as a “gut instinct” or a “gut reaction,” is a term commonly used to describe a quick, intuitive response or feeling about a situation or decision. It is often associated with a sense of certainty or a strong hunch that arises without conscious reasoning. Gut feel is often described as an emotional or visceral response that emerges from the “pit of your stomach,” hence the term “gut.”
- Intuition: Intuition is a broader concept that encompasses various cognitive processes, including gut feel. It refers to the ability to understand or know something without relying on explicit reasoning or conscious thought. Intuition can involve a combination of unconscious processing, pattern recognition, prior experiences, and implicit knowledge that guide decision-making. While gut feel is a specific type of intuitive response, intuition can also involve more subtle and nuanced cognitive processes, such as recognizing subtle cues, detecting patterns, or making connections without explicit awareness of how this knowledge is obtained.
In summary, gut feel is often considered a more immediate, visceral, and emotional response, while intuition encompasses a broader range of cognitive processes that contribute to decision-making. Both gut feel and intuition can play a role in decision-making, but their exact mechanisms and reliability are still the subject of ongoing research and discussion in psychology and neuroscience.
There’s much to learn about Intuitive Decision-Making.
While some studies suggest that intuitive decision-making can be influenced by unconscious processes and provide valuable insights in certain situations. However, the scientific understanding of intuition is complex and not yet fully understood.
So, what should you do when gut feel or intuitions arrive?
Should you follow your gut feel or your intuitions? Should you be wary of these human phenomena? Should you choose when to follow and when to ignore your gut feel and intuitions? If that’s best then how do you go about doing that?
Some time ago, we spent time defining emotions.
Emotions, the way we define them, provide a clue on how to deal with gut feel and intuitions.
In summary, emotions are natural protective mechanisms – built-in genetic mechanisms. They are warning signals. They happen quickly and unconsciously. After they arrive, thoughts follow…either negative thoughts or positive thoughts…stronger rather than weaker thoughts.
If a gut feel is flavoured with emotion then we need to step back and think about why this is happening before we follow the gut feel. Intuition and insight do not have to be flavoured by emotion.
Intuition and insight can happen without emotion. So, when we have a special insight or intuition we need to consider whether or not it is coupled with emotion.
If the gut feel is coupled with emotion then it could be:
- A Hunger – simply put, it might only be something you crave. If your special insight or intuition is crave-based then you are likely to ignore facts, refuse intelligent input, and make decision errors.
- A Bad Habit – ask yourself if this gut feel is aligned with your long-term goals. If it is not then it is wrapped up in bad habit.
- A Gift of Insight and Intuition – however, that will be a rarity.
On the other hand, if your gut feel is coupled with a clear state of mind and feelings rather than emotions then give it your high-quality attention. It may be true intuition or true insight. Then you will want to heed it and let it add value to your life.