Following Your Gut Instincts

Every day we make decisions, some of them are trivial while others might impact the direction that our lives take. Compare the choice of eating a hamburger or bringing a salad from home. It might seem trivial, but if done consistently it will make a big difference in your life. Similarly, when it comes to making big decisions you may find yourself tempted to take the easy road, or to shrug off any possible consequences. Let me share a few examples with you.

When faced with a decision between two job or career path opportunities someone might be tempted to pick the one that gives them instant gratification. They may realize that there are more potential benefits in the long run with the less appealing option, but they might get side tracked into short term thinking. Saying things like “if I don’t like this job I can just do it for one or two years and then move onto something else.” But the problem with this type of thinking is that we tend to convince ourselves that the current situation is the only possibility. Have you ever started doing something, thinking you could stop at any point in time, but found that you’ve gone on doing it more than you ever imagined, simply because the years seemed to fly by?

Starting smoking comes to mind here. Some people take up smoking thinking that it is a habit that is fully under control, but then a few years go by and when they decide they want to stop, it’s almost impossible. I think smoking is just an example here, because there are tons of other things in our life that are like that. I think careers is definitely one of them. If you get into the groove and develop a habit of accepting your current job, you will stay there and let inertia keep you under control. You might even grow roots under your desk!

Sometimes it takes an outside circumstance to wake us up and to realize that we want more in life than a stagnant career or job. We are creative beings at our core, so it is crucial to make the decisions that do not box us in. Returning to the original example of choosing between two career paths: make the decision that makes your heart sing right now. Follow your gut instincts, and don’t listen to all of the people around you who might be doubting you. Sometimes other people do not understand your point of view, since they are not yet ready to realize they may be stuck in their own form of inertia.

So if you are currently stuck in an unfulfilled career, relationship, or addiction, it is time to take action. No one said it was easy to follow your gut instincts and do the things you know are right for you. There will always be people around you questioning and judging your actions. But remember that you are always loved no matter what, and let them keep talking.