Intuition And Instinct: Different, But Equally Important

Intuition and instinct are not the same thing. Instinct controls behaviors that help you survive, while intuition describes a more complex human perception. Intuition gives you an inner voice that helps you make better decisions. Both help you better respond to life’s daily challenges.

Do you want to understand the difference between intuition and instinct ? We will help you by using two wonderful literary characters as examples. Robinson Kruse was a brave sailor from York who was stranded on an island for 28 years. He used his most basic instincts to survive a dangerous and complicated situation. Sherlock Holmes, on the other hand, is the best example of a mind trained to use its intuition as a detective. His conclusions are quick and precise. With his excellent and finely honed intuition, he manages to solve the most difficult puzzles.

What is most interesting about intuition and instinct is that we use both of us almost unconsciously on a daily basis. However, only intuition is a human trait. If we learn to use them in an effective way that benefits us, this can be very beneficial. It helps us to be more confident and gain a better understanding of how we should deal with fear and stress. In addition, it will be easier for us to use our experiences and skills, so that we can live more meaningful lives. Let’s take a deeper look at this.

Intuition and instinct are not the same thing, although the terms are often used as if they were interchangeable. It is also very common for them to be used in contexts where our emotions steer us in one direction or another. Phrases like “My instincts tell me…” and “My intuition reveals…” are clear examples of this small conceptual mistake. Clarifying this confusion provides a better understanding of exactly how intuition and instinct can be useful.

From a biological point of view, instinct is an innate behavior. It encompasses all the inner needs and behaviors that enable us to survive in our environment. Instincts such as self-preservation, protection, social relationships, reproduction, cooperation and curiosity are basic qualities that define humans as well as other animals.

Strangely enough, the concept of instinct became an undesirable feature during the 20th century. It was the link that connected us to the primitive version of ourselves. People thought it was better to suppress or hide this aspect of ourselves with other terms. Andrew Maslow, among others, began to popularize expressions such as “desire” and “motivation”, as a way to avoid talking about instinct.

This idea has completely changed during the 2000s. Now society again values ​​intuition and instinct. The reformulation of the concept of instinct is particularly interesting. People like Dr. Hendrie Weisinger, an influential clinical psychologist and author of  The Genius of Instinct,  explains that our instincts are not dark or primitive. They are not something we should suppress.

If you learn to use your instincts to your advantage, you will have an easier time dealing with stress and fear. What’s more, when you develop instincts such as compassion, care and kindness, you enrich your surroundings and make life more meaningful. After all, compassion and kindness are something that is present in everyone. Although you may have a hard time believing it, this was revealed in a study by Dacher Keltner at the University of California at Berkeley.

Some people claim that intuition is a variety of emotions that give hints about something. However, intuition is not a magical process or sensory perception. Intuition should rather be defined as “cognitive perceptions”. Carl Jung himself said that intuitive people are those who can predict certain events or situations by using their own unconscious information.

• Jung claimed that this unconscious information is the sum of what you are. It is everything you have experienced, seen and experienced. The unconscious is the core of your being, a collection of compressed information that the brain examines to get quick responses that do not pass through the filter of an objective analysis.
• Although it may seem remarkable, experts say that people should follow their intuition. In fact, researchers at the University of South Wales conducted a study in which they showed that our inner voice can help us make decisions.
• Psychologists Galang Lufityanto, Chris Donkin and Joel Pearson published their findings in the journal Psychological Science. They came to the same conclusion as the scientific and psychological worlds had already put forward: when you use unconscious information, you can make quick decisions. It also helps you to live a life that is better suited to your needs and your personality.

In summary, we can state that intuition and instinct do not have the same origin. Instinct has a biological basis, while intuition is the result of our experience and the development of our consciousness. However , they both undeniably have a common goal: to give us the opportunity to better adapt to our reality.  They help us to survive, to anticipate risks and to live a life with greater connection and satisfaction. Listen to your intuition and your instincts and make them work to your advantage!