Decision Making & Gut Feelings

In our day to day life we make numerous decisions. But are we capable of making concrete decisions or we need our gut feelings to play their part for the same? For that lets first discuss what is decision making and what we call Gut feeling.

In terms of psychology, the act of decision-making can be concerned as the cognitive process that results either in the selection of a belief or in a course of action among several possible alternatives.
Each and every decision-making act results in a concrete choice that may or may not prompt an action. Thus, decision-making can be considered as the study of identifying and opting alternatives on the basis of values & preferences of the one who is making that decision.

What are if you get stuck between options that hinders decision making. In such a situation you may wish for kind of psychic guidance. Trust me ,everyone does have an innate superpower that can be the psychic guidance you are looking for. We gave it a name , called intuition. Some of us also know it by name “Gut feeling”.

Intuition isn't magic; it's unconscious reasoning. A gut feeling comes in picture when our brain makes an instant connection between what is happening in present and similar circumstance from our past.
Intuitive skills depend on our experience and expertise.

Even in case of inexperience, intuition can be a useful decision-making tool, (How many of us are expert in deciding where to live? or picking a spouse. very few. )

A gut feelings are an intuitive reaction to something either positively or negatively. When we all experience a gut feeling it’s an indicator that we are on the right track or that something is going wrong.

Simple question Can we Trust our Gut everytime?
Answer is No.

Commonly we are using Gut Feeling as indicator but not as Decision maker. Because sometimes we come to know by our peer that He or she didn’t feel right.

We don’t know why we didn’t listen to ourselves ! ” When something does not feel right it means it is time to step back and take a look at what we are not aware.

What are we not seeing? What piece of information do we need to find?
When we experience a negative gut feeling we shouldn’t decide for or against anything. For we it is a time to find the missing information. Firstly we should look at the facts and the results to make sure that we are not missing something. Next we should meditate so that we can gain perspective, clear our mind, find neutrality and open our intuition to “see” in our mind’s eye what is really going on.
There is several level of Intuition: consciousness, sub/un conscious and supra-conscious levels of awareness. Gut Feeling is the basic level of conscious intuition. Mostly use this conscious level of intuition.

Sometimes those who only access the conscious levels can make incorrect decisions by not sorting intuition from logical or emotional reactions so it’ need to go through unconscious level also.
Intuitive processes happen automatically & very quickly so it is important to be conscious and aware of the level of intuition you are using so that you do not misinterpret your perception.
Effective use of intuition takes development and understanding of this ability so that emotions, logic, fear, desire don’t interfere each other.

Let’s see how we can follow our Gut to Make Better Decisions:
Step 1. Take a Piece of Paper and frame the Question or Problem in a Simple “Yes or No” Format.
Step 2. Now take a while, start answering in term of Yes/ No only by different level of intuition.
Step 3. Leave This Piece of Paper with a Pen Nearby, on Your Table .
Step 4. Go Do Something Else That’ll Distract You from This Question for 1-2 Hours.
Step 5. Next Whenever You find the Piece of Paper again, Grab Your Pen and Close Your Eyes.
If you were unable to keep away from above context till now then you should realize that you are not ready to face Gut or Yes/No situation.
Step 6. Open Your Eyes and, Without Hesitation Circle Yes or No.

Another very common approach which often used in movies as well as in real life:
Take a coin, toss this and be ready to congratulate your win or be slave of Loss.
Here gut’s choice is Head or Tail at the place of Yes/No.

Whatever you choose is your gut’s answer. Yes, it might be scary, hurtful and painful, but that’s clearly what your whole available options are telling you to do. Don’t regret. Just do it. If you’re anything like me, you’ll look back and realize you made the right choice, however hard or difficult it was.

At the last but not the least I would suggest:”Take your decision on basis of fact in case of unclear situation follow your Gut feeling” that’s it.

                                         “Whenever such a situation,
                                          That proceeds to formation.
                                          You have to make decision,
                                          Opt alternatives & follow the precision.
                                          When all your facts are unappealing,
                                          Friend just follow your Gut Feeling.
                                          Don’t let anyone else to ask,
                                          Coz it’s a too easy task.”

Happy Reading… :)