Trust Your Gut!

Except for driving directions (I have the worst sense of direction!), I always rely on my gut feelings when making important or risky decisions. Some call it premonitions, others, well, think it’s nonsense. But there’s research to prove that people who have “interoception,” or the ability to sense subtle physiological changes can help in making tough decisions.

John Coates, a former derivatives trader who is now a neuroscientist, conducted a study that found that London traders (stock market) who could more accurately detect their own heartbeat were more likely to thrive in financial markets. In other studies, researchers also found that people who could detect their heart rates performed better in laboratory studies of risky decision making. By noticing rapid and subtle bodily responses, these people gravitated away from unprofitable trades and toward profitable ones.

Sounds like it’s time to start listening to our bodies, and specifically to our heart rates!