What’s a time you ignored your gut — and paid for it?

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Gut instinct is a funny one. People tend to think of it as a possibly unjustified, possibly irrational initial reaction to something.

But what makes up a gut feeling?

The answer is that every experience, thought or belief we ever had is thrown into this melting pot. We dip a ladle in… and instantaneously, we come out with a gut feeling. It’s an initial reaction, but it’s based on everything we ever experienced.

So gut feelings are instinctive, but that instinct is absolutely based on something concrete. Don’t underestimate them. In my professional life (which, very loosely, involved solving problems), I was often in a position where I knew some proposed solution was wrong, but I didn’t know exactly how until I’d had time to further think about the problem. But I could bet my bottom dollar, once I’d properly thought about it, something would turn out to be wrong.

To be honest, I’ve felt that way most of my life. Certainly, most of my adult life, so I don’t think I ignored my gut since at least then.

Before then? Well, there was one woman in particular, when I was a fresh-faced nineteen-year-old, who I became involved with, very much against my better judgement. My only excuse was testosterone. And yes, I ended up getting very burned.

But it’s all life experience. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?