I will be the first to admit that, up until recently, I used the terms gut instinct and intuition interchangeably throughout my adult life.

In the back-and-forth of personal reflection, common storytelling, and general socializing – perhaps describing a previous intense emergency or discussing what motivated you to walk away from something that wasn’t serving you well – it’s easy to see how the terms seem similar to the untrained ear and mind.

But I recently felt inclined to do some research into both of these “sixth sense” phenomena and find out whether they are indeed similar.

Turns out that, although the terms are used interchangeably, they each come from different parts of us as human beings – one learned and one primal – and that scientific and situational differences do exist.

GUT INSTINCT

According to this article by the team at Restorative Therapeutic Counselling, instincts are primal reactions to stimuli that aim to ensure survival and propagation. The key words here are survival —meaning physical and behavioural changes that bypass conscious thinking and are reactive to perceived threats or opportunities in your surroundings. Any logical reasoning doesn’t apply.

I don’t know about you, but that did clear things up a bit for me!

WHEN DOES INSTINCT APPLY?

For hard and fast examples of when gut instinct is doing its job, think of situations when your body is prompted to act first rather than mentally processing what may actually be occurring. Fear is typically a major driving factor in the experience and the subsequent reaction.

For example, you’re walking down a quiet street at night when you suddenly feel your stomach drop as someone follows too closely, and you cross the street without analyzing. That’s instinct protecting you.

“Fight or flight” responses typically refer to gut instinct.

INTUITION

In contrast, intuition is a learned response built over time, evolution, and mental maturity. The feeling of “inner knowing” encompassing insights, perceptions, and past lived experiences is what intuition relates to.

According to this article, unlike instincts, which are essentially hardwired and immutable, intuition can be cultivated and refined through practice and self-awareness.

Voluntary practices such as mindfulness cultivated through meditation or other self-reflective activities, or even through creative practices, help us tune into our “inner guide,” also known as intuition.

The feeling tends to be calmer, clearer and more persistent than raw instinct.

WHEN DOES INTUITION APPLY?

For contextual situations in which intuition is our guiding “master”, any time you have found yourself listening and then reflecting, followed by the decision, it is likely intuition over instinct.

Moments when you need to contemplate a next step, a changed direction, or make an important decision. For example, you meet a potential business partner who says all the right things, but something in their tone or timing makes you hesitate. You can’t articulate why — yet your intuition is flagging inconsistencies your conscious mind hasn’t processed.

In conclusion, understanding the difference between instinct and intuition helps us navigate life with both courage and clarity. Instinct keeps us safe, and intuition helps us grow and move forward with heightened belief and conviction.

Both are valuable in their own right, but the wisdom lies in knowing which one is speaking. The more we slow down to listen to our bodies in moments of fear, and to our inner voice in moments of choice, the more skillfully we can move through life’s crossroads with both grounded safety and self-trust.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope what you have read has somehow educated, informed, or inspired you.

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