Why your “gut feeling” can be your undoing, or your savior.

On a recent Scientific American blog, editor David Dobbs reviewed the idea that sometimes unconscious, “snap” decisions can be better than deliberative ones. It provoked a great discussion on the nature of “gut” decisions and whether or not they lead to good outcomes in complex, social situations.

I know from my work with BodyTalk and Heartmath, that intuitive decisions can be extremely powerful. However, you’ve got to be clear where the decision is coming from.

On the Scientific American blog I wrote,

‘Hi David,

Early on in the comments you brought up an interesting point about “gut” feelings.

You said:
“Say I grow up in a rough orphanage, where a raised voice usually precedes an assault. Depending on various variables, I may develop a gut reaction to rising that consists of lashing out viciously pre-emptively or, alternatively, one that consists of submitting and keeping a low profile. Either “instinct” — actually a learned behavior — might serve me well during my time in that Dickensian orphange. But when I’ve graduated to the larger world, either “instinct” would serve me poorly. I’d serve my cause poorly if I punched out a cop who got in my face for jaywalking; likewise if I reacted to rivalrous behavior at my new office job by being meek and lying low. I’d avoid conflict but lose promotions and influence to others more willing to assert their opinions and agendas.

So “gut” — even when or if it contains some innate instinct or (in the realm beyond the testable) some knowledge passed to in a spiritual realm — “gut” is often learned; and it pays to examine the knowledge therein.”

In my view, the instinctual response is a limited definition of the “gut” feeling or intuition. Certainly these fight or flight patterns (that are set up and processed by the amygdala, I believe) are a major part of our lives. And people who rely on this method of making decisions are often acting out of old fears and limiting belief systems. Your orphanage example was a good one.

BUT fear-based instincts are not the only way to make a decision unconsciously. Research has shown that when decisions are made in a semi-meditative state of love or appreciation, the amygdala response can be bypassed. (www.heartmathinstitute.org) I know from personal experience, as a high school teacher working with students, and as a physician, healthy (you could even say “good”) decisions flow effortlessly from this “heart-centered” process.

So, my two cents would be that thinking too much can bog down any complex decision-making process. The more knowledge we have about something, the harder it is to know what to do. That said, the alternative is not as easy as just “going with your gut.” If your gut-based decision is based on learned patterns based on fear, you will be in trouble. If your decision is from a place of love, you will soar.

-a hypothesis, but a testable hypothesis, nonetheless.’

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