Lessons In Business. #GutInstinct

I have worked in many roles during my career. Some were in-house, others in an agency. Some were held for years, others only for short periods of time. And while the roles and team dynamics have differed greatly, there is one main lesson I have learnt, to trust your gut instinct.

I recently read somewhere, you don’t fall for the person who gives you butterflies and makes you nervous, you fall for the person who makes you feel safe, comfortable, valued. The same can be said for your job.

I have since realised, with the benefit of hindsight (what a wonderful thing it is) that I don’t want the job where I feel nervous heading to work each day, worried I’ll be constantly critiqued for each piece of work I put forward. Nor do I want a job where I am constantly worrying, day in day out if I’ll be let go, what random tasks I’ll be given, or where my brain goes numb, and challenges are few and far between.

I want the job where I feel comfortable, where I’m challenged to think in new and innovative ways, where I can share my ideas freely without judgment, where my learning and skills are encouraged to grow and expand. I want the job where my gut instinct says yes.

And only now with retrospect and a lot of experience do I realise that if I had listened to my gut instinct and my body’s reaction to those roles I was offered, tactics others told me to use and lack of challenges given, I would’ve known it wasn’t a good choice for me.

So, my lesson is this, trust your gut instinct. Take note of those little warning signs that pop up – whether that be during an interview, when chatting with colleagues, carrying out your duties, or deciding the best approach to a task. Most of the time your body will know what’s best for you before you do. Sometimes you will doubt your gut instinct because you feel like the timing isn’t right, but there is never a right time – so seize those opportunities when your gut says yes.