Abstract:

There are countless stories of people who had something bad happen to them and had a funny feeling in their guts just before. “If only I had listened to my intuition” is a common regret.

There is indeed good evidence that gut feelings are very real. However, there are also times when they might be misleading. The question is then: how do you tell the difference?

Your mission today is to learn when to trust your gut, and when to ignore it.

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Task 1: When to trust your gut

We’ve all had our stomachs turn at the thought of doing something scary. However, aren’t you glad you went to do that exam or the high-pressure job interview, because they got you something you really wanted?

At other times, gut feelings can be life saving. If you’re walking home at night and feel you definitely shouldn’t go down a particular street – listen. Take a different route. You have very fine senses that your mind can’t fully make sense of yet.

Another good place to trust your gut is when you meet people. Of course it’s nice to give people a chance, but if you feel your hair raising when a new colleague arrives, pay attention. A little extra caution might save you being taken advantage of later.

Task 2: How to tell the difference

So how do you know when to follow your gut and when to ignore it? As usual, I’ll respond with: Ask your body (in more detail).

Take a deep breath and place your hand on your stomach. Is the gut feeling a fluttering, a slight nausea, something that resembles excitement? Does it feel expansive? That means you might be scared, but really want and should proceed.

When your stomach feels like it’s tying itself into a not, when you can hardly breathe, watch out. If your feeling is contracting, it might be a warning.

Over time, you’ll learn to recognise the signs better, so have a little patience. Used regularly, this can become the most reliable guide you could wish for.