Trusting Your Gut: How Intuitive Decision-Making Works

-Shreya Prasanna

Intern, Mind Splatters, Jan - April, 2024

Making decisions is a complex process that involves various aspects like sensibility, emotion, memory, thinking, and focus. While some may perceive it as purely logical, intuition also plays a significant role. Intuition, also referred to as instinct or gut feeling, has an influence on our decision-making beyond conscious thought. In this blog, we will look into the science behind intuition and its impact on decision-making while exploring practical methods to effectively utilize it.

The word "intuition" comes from the Latin term "tuere," which means "to observe, watch over." Intuitions are not as strong as beliefs and may not always be completely true or justified. They arise from within us and often show up as hard-to-explain gut feelings. Because everyone's intuition is unique and shaped by their experiences, values, and biases, it serves as a highly personal guide for decision-making.

Intuition is very often seen as untrustworthy or driven by irrational instincts.

Yet, scientific studies indicate that intuition can be a helpful asset that offers valuable insights and steers us toward improved decision-making. According to research, the brain subconsciously processes information, identifying patterns and forming connections beyond our conscious awareness. This subconscious activity often gives way to intuitive feelings or hunches that influence our choices, drawing on a wealth of processed information such as past experiences, learned patterns, and emotional cues.

Psychological studies suggest that intuition is a real cognitive process where the brain relies on internal signals, past experiences, and external cues to make decisions. Relying only on intuition can be risky, particularly in cases with serious consequences. It's better to use intuitions for forming hypotheses rather than as the sole basis for claims. To make sound and practical decisions, it's important to also consider objective data and use logical reasoning.

Developing intuition involves trusting yourself, being aware of your body, and paying attention to your feelings. It means taking time for reflection and looking within oneself to make space for intuitive insights. To improve future decisions, getting feedback is important to refining intuition and checking how well it aligns with real-life results. While experts often have strong intuition in their areas, its accuracy can differ across different fields of expertise.

Using Intuition in Decision-Making: This method of decision-making relies on knowledge and experiences from the past, as well as gut feelings or instincts about a situation. It works well in situations where results have been successful in the past. Intuition can improve decision-making processes overall through cooperation, innovation, and self-discovery. But it's important to move forward with care and support intuition with reasoned analysis. Decisions made only on the basis of intuition may be counterproductive or even harmful if they are made hastily without considering all relevant factors.

When it comes to making choices, trusting your gut can be helpful as it provides a different perspective alongside logical thinking. Understanding the science behind intuition and learning how to leverage it can lead to more thoughtful decisions. It's important to balance intuition with reason for best results in decision-making, as using both logic and gut feelings can bring greater success, clarity, and confidence in navigating life's complexities.

Ultimately, the power of intuition in decision-making cannot be overlooked. While it is a valuable asset that can provide unique insights and perspectives, it is important to recognize the need for a balanced approach. Combining intuition with logical reasoning and objective data allows for more informed and effective decision-making. Embracing intuition as part of the decision-making process can lead to more thoughtful and well-rounded choices.