When to trust intuition and when to dig deeper

Intuition is powerful. It’s the nudge that guides us through uncertainty, the quiet voice that whispers, “This feels right so let's do it.”  

Often, we feel it in our bones—a gut reaction telling us the right path. And more often than not, it’s right. Intuition is your internal GPS, built on past experiences, knowledge, and patterns you’ve absorbed without even realising it.

But here’s the trick: intuition isn’t foolproof. Sometimes, what feels right in the moment isn’t the whole story.

Our biases often masquerade as intuition—like status quo bias, which keeps us locked in familiar patterns, or overconfidence, which leads us to trust our initial judgments too much. The framing effect can also shape our decisions based on how options are presented, not on their actual merit.

These biases can steer us in the wrong direction. When the stakes are high, or the consequences are significant, that’s when it’s time to dig deeper and move beyond intuition.

Ask questions. Challenge your assumptions. Take the time to explore the angles that don’t immediately show up. Trusting intuition is about knowing when to listen, but it’s equally important to know when to pause, reflect, and gather more information.

The key is balance. 

Use intuition to get started, but don’t let it be your only guide. Dig deeper when needed, but don’t second-guess yourself out of fear.

Trust yourself to know when to act and when to dig in. It’s not always an either/or, sometimes, it’s both.