POWER OF THE INSTINCT
Nature’s Gift
An instinct can be described as an inborn pattern of activity or tendency to act in common to a given biological species. it is also known as a natural aptitude, gift and intuitive power. Any behavior is instinctive if it is performed without being based upon prior experience and learning.
Significantly we can say an instinct is a gift bestowed on us by our creator which is above any level of experience that we may acquire during the course of our lives, this enables us to make quick and important decisions which mostly turns out correctly. It’s rare to hear someone say ‘‘oh how i regretted following my instinct.’’
If there should be such a resort that is always so efficient, i guess it should be very powerful. Scientists have struggled to fully understand the mystery behind the instinct, for it is no myth nor magic that the human instinct can function so powerful as it does, It is just nature’s wonder.
Clearly instinct have been differentiated from acquiring knowledge and understanding through experiences or senses.
A typical example is an infant (baby) locating the breast nipple of it’s mother for suckling, apparently the baby do not require any form of teaching to achieve this, but it’s natural intuition guides it towards that particular spot. Fascinating isn’t it?.
More so, instinct govern behavior for which an organism needs no training. Have you ever wondered why chicks constantly run towards their mum (hen) for cover when it’s about to rain?. If you observe keenly you will notice how hilarious it looks when every single chick tries to force it’s way into the comfort of their mother’s wings to avoid being drenched.
What amazes me is, despite the tender age of this chicks, something innate tells them of how safe they will be inside their mum’s wing
Environment is an important factor in how instinctive behaviors has evolved, Imagine placing a young plant in a closet to sprout, you will notice day by day of how the plants tends to grow in the direction of a little access to sunlight, the plant’s survival instinct enables it to detect the rays of the sunlight and then sprouts further towards it.
However instinct in relation to humans is very different from other organisms, those organisms rely on the reflex action of their instinct generated from their nervous system, while humans as unique as we are, rely so much on our intuition through our gut feelings, emotions, body language and thoughts or ideas generated from our subconscious.
As stated earlier the instinctive power is not surreal or a mystical force, rather it is the way we translate our intuition into judgement and actions.
Dr Gray klein studied how professionals such as fire fighters and emergency medical personnel make instant life or death decisions, he found out that they were able to size up situations quickly by picking up skillful patterns and anomalies, enabling them to take decisive actions without having to stop and conduct deliberate analysis which mostly turns out right.
How is such a feat achieved successfully? one may ask, it is definitely the power of the instinct in action. In our daily lives we will eventually be fazed with difficult situations needing of us to make that quick and big decision, this could either be in our careers, families, relationships or even life/death scenario. The ability to consult our instinct at that point will play a vital role in determining the success of such decision.
It is therefore pertinent we try to connect with our instinct occasionally, this can be achieved by having deep reflections and thoughts about how we’ve handled past events and the result thereafter, It could be done at our quiet and private times or even while we’re walking down the street or in our dreams.
Thinking is a process vital in creating a relationship with our intuition.
A lot of people today have developed some level of trust with their instinct in handling their personal lives and relationships, this is common to the female counterparts.
According to a study, it was revealed that females choose male partners by consulting their gut feelings. In addition to this, Marilyn Monroe once said;
‘‘a woman knows by intuition or instinct what is best for herself’’
During interviews some recruiters or HR managers decides to pick a candidate for a job position by quickly consulting their intuition, especially when they must decide from a limited amount of choices, a powerful visceral feeling and voice grips their head and tells them to ‘‘hire that guy’’.
In some cases when you ask these professionals about the toughest part of their job, they will tell you is the constant need to make quick and big decisions without the proper informed and analytical approach. What ever decision they decide to take will either make or break their entrusted organisation.
I remembered asking a HR friend of mine on the choice of decision he will take between intuition and analysis, whenever he’s fazed with a desperate decision, he answered me straightaway: ‘‘my friend, i don’t have time for analysis.’’ Such swift response should imply that he has developed a high level of trust with his intuition.
Over analyzing a situation sometimes can be a weakness and needs to be mitigated. In us there lies an inherent mysterious power given to us as a gift by nature and that which accesses scenarios more quickly and accurately, we should try and use it more often
In conclusion a 2016 study revealed that using an instinct or non conscious emotional information can help one make better and more confident decisions. This can be applicable in our relationships, careers, families etc.
Ultimately we are driven by some powerful triggers in our subconscious of which we shouldn’t try to suppress but enquire more to understand. So use more of your instinct today and see the power of the nature’s gift. Barbara Corcoran stated thus;
‘‘Don’t you dare underestimate the power of your instinct.’’
- Ebuka Nwafor
- Medium member since Oct 2018
- Creative writer. Passion and Affiliation for Articles and Inspirational stories. “I want to work with the best, beat the best and become the best”.
