Honing Your Instincts

I always listen to my gut,
to my instincts,
when making a decision.
Sometimes I ignore them
(when, for example,
I know I’m operating
out of a place
of fear)
but I always listen to them.

But I’ve also worked on
developing my instincts.
I note when they’re wrong
and when they’re right,
when they are emotion-based
and when my brain
subconsciously picks up details
I can’t verbalize.

Seth Godin
shares a great way
to develop better instincts.

“Practice going with your instincts
in private.
Every day,
make a judgment call.
Make ten.

Make predictions
about what’s going to happen next,
who’s got a hit,
what designs are going to resonate,
which videos will go viral,
which hires are going to work out.

Write them down
or they don’t count.

It makes no sense
to refuse to practice your instinct
and to only use it
when the stakes are high.”

Work on developing
your instincts.
They are another tool
you have
at your disposal.