Have you ever been on a blind date or even a first date, and 5 minutes into a 90-minute dinner, thought, “How can I get the hell out of here?” That’s your gut screaming: wrong partner! The same thing happens in our business. We hear about a great new opportunity, and we chase it, ignoring what our gut is telling us most: run!
Trusting My Gut Has Done More for My Business Than Any Pros and Cons List
There is actually science connected to why our gut reacts the way it does. Within the digestive system walls is a “little brain” researchers call the enteric nervous system (ENS), and it’s changing the way medicine looks at digestion, mood, health, and the way we think.
The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system. When either the big brain in our head or the little brain in the gut experiences an emotion or feeling, there’s a reaction in the other. Modern science is learning that our gut can produce feelings and our brain can react, which is the opposite of what we initially thought. When our gut experiences a feeling, such as irritable bowel or butterflies, our brains trigger an emotion, such as depression or love. In the past, researchers believed that depression led to irritable bowel, and love caused butterflies in our bellies.
New research at Johns Hopkins looks at the link the digestive system plays in cognitive thinking and memory — that gut reaction that says: run! (I love this, and wish I had known this sooner, hellllooooo!??!?)
Let Your Gut Answer the Next Time Opportunities Knock
As high-achieving entrepreneurs, we’re constantly presented with possibilities, such as partnerships, acquisitions, speaking gigs, press opportunities, and shiny new revenue streams. Some are solid gold. Others are glitter bombs in disguise.
Let your gut always weigh in first. That subtle sense of unease, the tightness in your chest, the immediate rush of energy or dread you feel when someone pitches you an “exciting opportunity” is your internal compass trying to do its job.
I’ve said yes to things that checked every logical box and still felt like sandpaper once I was inside the deal. Why? Because I overrode my intuition in favor of optics or ROI. And every time, I paid for it, either in time, stress, or repair work.
Opportunities should feel right. When you get that immediate yes in your body that feels like lightness, clarity, even a little thrill, that’s your gut giving you the green flag. But when your stomach clenches, your calendar suddenly feels heavy, or you find yourself stalling the decision? That’s your cue to pause.
Timing matters. People matter. Alignment matters. And your gut is often the first part of you to detect misalignment—long before the whole picture comes into focus.
Next time, instead of asking, “Is this a smart move?” try asking, “Does this feel like the next right step for me?” Your gut always answers. The real power move is learning to listen.
…. The next time you have a first date, grab a coffee and go for a walk. It’s much easier to either duck out or take your new friend by the arm and walk another mile.
