A colleague recently shared advice about trusting her gut when making decisions. It got me thinking about the balance between intuition and analysis.
I’m naturally indecisive, so I’ve spent time reading about decision-making approaches. What works for me? Listening to my gut and balancing it with rational analysis.
I get it, the gut processes patterns and information in ways we don’t always consciously recognize. But it can also be overly emotional or misleading depending on the situation.
For example, “follow your passion” sounds inspiring as career advice, but it needs context. I followed my passion into writing, which has been great. But if I’d followed it specifically into poetry? I wouldn’t be making a sustainable living.
Career choices
When I advise students on career choices, I call myself a bit of a dream crusher because I encourage both passion and practical thinking. I ask them, Are you 100% obsessed with this path? Because you’ll be competing with people who are.
If not, is there a way you incorporate your passion in other elements of your life—volunteer work, side projects, different applications of the same interest?
As complex people with multiple interests, we can be passionate and practical. I write on poetry and fiction in my off-hours, while my nonfiction writing career enables the financial freedom to pursue those other passions without straying too far from my overall interest in writing.
The key isn’t choosing between intuition and logic, or between passion and practicality. It’s finding the sustainable blend that works for your life.
How do you balance passion and practical?
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