> How often do you make decisions in your life based solely off of a "gut-feeling?"
>
> I used to pride myself on my logical rational for running my life. Always having a reason for doing things, or making sure something "made sense" before I was involved. I almost looked down on those people that made decisions based solely off of their emotions or let their feelings govern their lives, believing that doing so wasn't "logical" or "rational," and thusly not as good.
>
> Although I have spent the last two years or so totally reworking this missconcieved notion, it hasn't been until more lately that I've realized just how much better one's life can be by doing what just "feels right," regardless of whether it makes sense or not. Many times in my past I have gotten premonitions, or "gut feelings" about certain choices, but I almost always discarded them for the more rational choice. I'm learning now just how wrong I was about all of this.
>
> Half"Just *felt* like I should post something"Witt

When I read this, I wasn't sure what you were really asking, because I don't think "feelings" and "gut feelings" are exactly the same thing.

Feelings = emotions: sad, happy, worried, fearful, etc.

Gut feelings = hunches, intuition, perceptive insights

You have a gut feeling (hunch) that Highwire Delight is going to win the fourth race at Pimlico; that is a separate issue from feeling happy or sad about the fourth race at Pimlico*. Do you see what I mean?

So if you're saying, "I have a gut feeling (hunch) that this is a right decision" ...
that is a different thing than saying "I have a gut feeling (it makes me feel happy) therefore it must be a right decision...

Since others have responded to the "emotional feeling aspect", I'll throw in 2 cents to cover the hunch aspect, okay?

Making decisions based on rational thinking
is probably better described as as "linear" thinking:

Decision to make + Fact A + Fact B => Conclusion C

Whereas with intuitive thinking (gut feeling),

Decision to make => Conclusion C

I have also heard this called "global" thinking.
It's not that an intuitive thinker is discarding Facts A and B; it's just that they are considered together and at once or even at a subconscious level. I don't think intuitive = irrational, because there are definite *reasons* why you got to conclusion C--it's just that the reasons are just not as consciously apparent. Sometimes you know stuff you didn't really know you knew. If you know what I mean. :-)

So reading the question as "How often do you make decisions in your life based solely on gut feeling (intuition)?" my answer would be, probably not very often; and certainly not for any major decision. But when I do have a hunch, I pay attention to it. Because maybe there are little "clues" about the issue I've unknowingly/subconciously picked up along the way that may have bearing on the decision.

Whether *you* should base your decisions on gut feelings (as in hunches), I would have to leave up to you. Some people are just better at intuitive thinking than others**; whether you can *learn* to become more intuitive is an interesting question in its own right.
I believe erroneous or correct conclusions can be reached by both methods.


koala"Had a gut feeling you might be posting today"mom

* that probably depends on how much money you've bet and whether your gut feeling was correct :-)

**This reminded me of the math thread we had a while back, where it was discovered that some of us have to think out, step by step, and carry the one, every single last operation in order to get an answer (linear thinking), while others of us seem to be able to pick the correct answer out of thin air (global/intuitive thinking).