Trust Your Gut Instincts or Obey Your Brain?

Posted: 12/02/2011 01:26 PM IST

Intuition. Sixth sense. Internal compass. No matter what you call it, gut feelings can be a pretty powerful tool when it comes to making important choices in your life. But in certain situations, it's better to disregard your gut and listen to your head instead. Use this case-by-case guide to help you decide whether your heart--or your mind--should have the upper hand.

When to Go with Your Gut

Making a Moral Decision

If you discover that your best friend's husband is cheating on her or catch one of your coworkers lying to the boss, your gut can prevent you from making an unwise decision. "You can't base a moral call on reason or logic alone," says Fiery Cushman, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology at Brown University. Situations that are highly personal in nature--not to mention emotionally charged--aren't always so black and white, he says, so consider the potential consequences of your actions. What impact will the news have on your friendship or working environment?

The strategy:  When you're sweating a moral dilemma, weigh the practical facts, but listen to your instincts as well.

Second-Guessing Your Doctor

Physicians often overlook symptoms because they dismiss fears as paranoia, especially in young (and otherwise healthy) women, says Judith Orloff, M.D., author of Dr. Judith Orloff's Guide to Intuitive Healing.

"Male doctors, in particular, write off women's intuition because they think women can be overly emotional and thrown off by things like PMS ," she says.

What's more, says Orloff, is that a lot of doctors tend to place too much emphasis on tests and data instead of paying attention to signals that a patient's body may be sending.

"Your body is wired for survival, and intuition is just one of the ways it protects itself," she says.

The strategy:  No one knows your body better than you do. If your doctor isn't listening to your hunch that something isn't right, reach out to another M.D. Having a tough time distinguishing between your inner voice and your inner hypochondriac? Orloff offers this advice: Tune in closely to what you're feeling. "Fear, in and of itself, has a much stronger emotional charge," she says, "while intuition comes across as information that often feels oddly impersonal."

7 Pains You Should Never Ignore

Making a Big Purchase

A study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that when buyers deliberated less before purchasing big-ticket items (such as a car or computer), they ended up being more satisfied with their new possessions. "Intuitive first impressions can be telling, especially when it comes to aesthetic purchases," says David G. Myers, author of Intuition: Its Powers and Perils. "For these, feelings--rather than reasons--are ultimately going to matter."

The strategy:  Simply put, if you can afford the item that you're coveting, you don't need to overthink the dollars and cents.

Playing to Win

No guts, no glory. Whether you're placing a serve in tennis or attacking on the volleyball court, the choice that feels right is usually the correct one.

"Intuition is basically your brain on autopilot," explains Cushman. A Michigan State University study found that chess players had similar results in "blitz chess" (a five-minute version of the game) as they did in a traditional game.

The strategy:  Resist the urge to overanalyze each move. Odds are, it won't improve your performance.

When to Obey Your  Brain

Hiring a Job Candidate

If a potential hire is agreeable and funny, your natural inclination might be to choose her over, say, an uptight candidate who is more qualified. That's understandable, but not always smart. "Most of us overestimate our ability to make gut predictions about someone's future job performance," says Myers, who explains that first impressions may reflect personal bias. (For example, you're more likely to find a candidate smart and personable if she reminds you of a close pal.)

The strategy:  Don't ignore good (or bad) chemistry; you do have to work with this person. Just put it on the back burner in favor of work samples and references, says Myers. Also, ask each candidate a few of the same questions so you can compare them in an equal way.

Investing Your Dough

Fight the urge to follow a hunch, says Mary Ellen O'Toole, Ph.D., author of Dangerous Instincts. Taking a leap of faith can derail your portfolio. Case in point: Investors who were overconfident and traded excessively had lower returns than those who held their investments for the long term, says a study from the University of California at Davis.

The strategy:  Even if you've had the "magic touch" in the past, "avoid hasty decisions, and stick with the goals you started with," says O'Toole.

Judging Sincerity

A pal promises she'll never deceive you again--and you want to believe her. But most people aren't very good at detecting lies.

"Studies show that when people are asked to guess whether someone is telling the truth, they're usually right only about 50 percent of the time," says Myers.

The strategy:  Whether it's a smooth-talking roommate asking for yet another extension on the rent money or a guy claiming he's done with his wanderin' ways, use your brain to avoid getting burned again. Looking at past behavior is the best way to predict future behavior, says Myers. If you want to give someone another shot (some people can change), wait for them to show you a pattern of accountability before trusting them again.

Read His Body Language

Quitting Your Job

Work miseries cranking up the headaches? You might be tempted to do something radical, like turn in your resignation. But ditching a less-than-desirable job just for the sake of "getting out"--especially if you don't have a better job to go to--can be a decision you'll regret, especially in this unstable economy, warns O'Toole.

The strategy:  Any career move needs to be considered carefully. Before you dump your day job for imagined greener pastures, try to envision how the decision might affect your life five or even 10 years down the road. "And really think about the reasons behind your wanting to leave," advises O'Toole. "If there's a chance the problem could follow you to your next job--say, long hours or high stress--think twice before bailing."

Source: Women's Health