“They” say to trust your instincts.
True enough, but which ones?…
Second instincts
View more presentations from Tamsen McMahon.
“They” say to trust your instincts.
True enough, but which ones?…
Love it. Thanks for sharing and providing. Do you think there’s a balance in there somewhere? Like needing to listen to the caveman when things have to change? Or giving too much credence to the second instinct when thinking too much bogs down action?
Absolutely! That’s why I suggest we still listen to the caveman – sometimes our first instincts are right. But even then, we’re better off for knowing what we’re about to do… and why.
Absolutely! That’s why I suggest we still listen to the caveman – sometimes our first instincts are right. But even then, we’re better off for knowing what we’re about to do… and why.
Artfully done, thoughtfully written.
Your presentation makes me think of a process that figher pilots describe as the OODA loop: Observe–>Orient–>Decide–>Act. There are fewer people with higher stakes (survival of you and your squad, battles won/lost, millions and millions of dollars of equipment wrapped around you, etc.,), but they still take the time for those middle steps.
Nice reminder for a stressful time of year, when that inner caveman can be quite loud and insistent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop
What a great acronym! My father was a Navy man, so I’m a bit out of the fighter pilot loop. But yes, that’s exactly the type of thoughtful hesitation I’m talking about. That hesitation often reveals our bias, and that recognizing that can make a world of difference on the effects of our actions — and even the actions we choose to take in the first place.
Thanks for commenting, Mike!
Genius. You my dear are on a roll.
It’s a very slow roll, apparently. 😉 But thank you – this one was born out of frustration from seeing a lot of thoughtless action recently. Rather than another rant, I decided a friendly reminder might be more useful.
We run into problems when we trust our thoughts (or our “inner voice”) implicitly and treat thoughts as truth just because they happen to occur in our mind.
The best term I’ve heard for that in-active observation is “thought surfing”: watching the wave of a thought come in, break, and fade away.
Nice. Also heard it called “Witness State”
Hence, the difference between Instincts and Intuition.
This is a conversation I have a lot with clients and friends. Often, before we can trust, we must discern (one of my favorite words) where that “voice” is coming from. It takes practice to get good at it. What a sweet little presentation you did here. I love it. Thank you for reminding us to be our bigger, more evolved selves.
Interesting – as I think of intuition as a largely hard-wired thing too, but one based on feelings and acquired, though often internalized, knowledge.
I tend to stop and listen to my intuition, too, though I often trust it more than my instincts. The more I listen to my intuition, and note when it’s on- and off-target, the better it gets over time.
(And I *love* “discern.” Love.)
Hubba-Hubba. Excellent. If anyone can make having voices in our head be a good thing, it is Tamsen. Many thanks and now I am off to have a conversation with myselves for the new year.
Fantastic!
And a great time to become aware of the necessary process. As we all hibernate and make sweeping generalizations about what the next 365 days should bring, I officially resolve to listen to my second instinct.
My Dad, Old Father Geek, always said you don’t have a choice in how you react, but you have a choice in how you respond. Not only have you put it better, but you’ve also explained the evolutionary context. And managed to seamlessly integrate a “hubba hubba”. I’m in awe. Seriously.
It’s also a pretty mindblowing presentation (in terms of style as well as content); I’m a pretty good public speaker, but that presentation was jaw-dropping.
Wonderful. Thank you.
Hey Tamsen
I have to say the first couple of slides threw me as I very rarely have those thoughts as my first instincts – they sound very negative in many ways. I get it in the context of the presentation which is very well done and flows well. My `first instinct’ though was who thinks like that unless they’re being attacked themselves?
However in the online world I can see what you’re referring too. I’m glad it was a preso not a rant – although rants can be useful sometimes. And to stop, listen, engage and then act is oh so wise.
Like Mike I also enjoy using acronyms, mine is:
Be LARGE – Listen, Ask, Respond, Give, Engage
Cool ideal, great graphic presentation, but less listening to inner voices & less thinking is better
Cool ideal, great graphic presentation, but less listening to inner voices & less thinking is better
Loved, loved, loved this presentation Tamsen!