Train Your Gut

Just as a quarterback must trust his intuition and make split-second decisions to win, we must act decisively on our intuitions to be effective in the world.

But how effective is the quarterback’s intuition if he is not trained? Imagine putting a random person in the quarterback position and telling him, “Trust your gut! Do what feels right!”

Without training, what “feels right” is actually wrong. A quarterback can’t just trust his gut. First he has to train it.

It is the same for us in the world. Our culture tells us, “Do what feels right! Follow your heart! Trust your gut!” But without first training your gut (in life, we call this “building character”), what “feels right” is often wrong.

How do you shape your character?

First, you must know the goal and rules of the game, and then you must shape your character to play the game well. At the largest scale - life - the goal and rules of the game are the domain of faith and philosophy.

If you want to be powerful and effective in the world, you must act decisively on your intuition. But you can’t just trust your gut - first, you have to train it.