Two quick things! Don’t forget I recently opened up my 2025 Producing Groups. Also, I did this interview with life coach Jackie De Crisnis about grief in the workplace on The Overthinker’s Guide to Joy. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Check it out!
People say trust your instincts. I completely disagree. Trust your intuition.
There's an important distinction between instinct and intuition. If you're trusting your instincts then you’re listening to and acting on fear. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re out in the wild and come up on an unknown creature. However, if you’re allowing your instincts to guide your career choices, then you’re probably missing out on opportunities for growth and advancement.
Intuition is a deeper knowing. It taps into your unconscious mind and functions as your personal AI by instantaneously analyzing a situation. It relies on your ability to notice patterns and take in data from previous experiences using all of your senses. Your intuition may tell you to do or not do something, but it is not rooted in fear.
Listening to your intuition when it comes to career choices keeps you aligned with your vision, values and purpose.
Case Study
“Jenny” is a project manager who had the opportunity to be promoted to a director of operations role at an outside company. It came with a significant raise and a fabulous benefits package. Her instinct urged her to run and reject the offer, while her intuition told her there was something in the opportunity she shouldn’t gloss over.
In unpacking the conflicting feelings, Jenny discovered the intense fear was related to an experience she had in college overseeing the school’s spring festival. It involved entertainers, food trucks and coordinating the safety of about 500 people. The event did not go over well due to bad weather and Jenny’s lack of experience in coordinating large-scale events.
Turns out the director of operations offer had triggered a primal, instinctual response of “danger, danger, danger.” As we talked through the differences between this situation and the college experience, Jenny saw how prepared she truly is for this new opportunity because she's developed more skill in dealing with the unexpected. Her fear about the new role abated.
When Jenny got curious about the intuitive hit, she made a big discovery. She found a friend of a friend who had worked at the company. The person gave more details about the culture, explaining that people who thrived there were the ones who were able to “fail fast.” The CEO came out of tech and expected employees to assess thoroughly and pivot quickly. He would become frustrated with what he perceived as analysis paralysis.
This insight was exactly what Jenny needed. She had been craving a bigger challenge and the chance to grow professionally, but her current job had been stifling. Every idea she had to streamline processes got stuck in layers of approval. The fast-paced, results-driven culture of the new company felt like the perfect antidote and honored Jenny’s evolving values. The idea of moving quickly, taking risks, and learning on the go energized her. Jenny knew it would push her to adapt fast and step out of her comfort zone, but that’s what excited her most—it was the kind of bold, dynamic environment she’d been longing for.
Jenny accepted the opportunity, and our coaching work progressed to helping her learn to deepen her intuition — which was helpful in making quick decisions.
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