MAYBE NOT

"Trust your instinct to the end, though you can render no reason."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) U.S. poet/essayist/lecturer

The fact that your instinct tells you to do/not do, say/not say something, may be reason enough to do the opposite.

Look to the past.

If your instinct guided decision making has too often led you down the wrong path, you may want to rethink what you initially think is the right course of action.

Best Of All, Months Of Eye Blinking

"There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis."

 

Malcolm Gladwell

Author

Yes, but the reverse is true as well and in neither case is the outcome certain.

The best of all worlds is a mind capable of operating on either level.

"Knowing" You Are Right Is Not Enough

"In art as in love, instinct is enough."

Anatole France
19th century French writer

But generally not in business.

Instinct has its place but only as one asset among many that are necessary to succeed.

Instinctive Management: Listening to Yourself

"Ideas pull the trigger, but instinct loads the gun."

Don Marquis
Author

Instinct, "gut hunch"; same thing?

I haven't thought about either in awhile maybe because other phrases and words are in greater use. Things like creativity, innovative and/or entrepreneurial. All good and probably more current than "instinct" and it's old school cousin "gut hunch". However there is a place in management for just "feeling" something is or is not right.

Can you cultivate "instinct"? For what it's worth, Ingrid Bergman thought so:

"You must train your intuition--you must trust the small voice inside you which tell you exactly what to say, what to decide."

Decisions based on data but not without listening to that inner voice.