Training Our Instincts

Whether you are a dog lover or not (just don't admit it if you're not, 'cause that's as bad as wearing a Patriots jersey to a Colts home game) - you have inevitably heard or seen how dogs seem to sense good people from bad.  It's true.  They can do it.  At least the bigger friendlier ones, from my experience. (Sorry small doggers; the smaller the dog, the less I trust their human instincts as typically, they're too busy yapping and getting all crazy.)

In any event, big or small, dogs seem to have a sixth sense to smell out the people who more likely than not, aren't liked by other people all that much.  Its a canine thing.  That said, imagine if us humans could smell out the good people from the bad people (and especially without having to use the rear end, to do so; butt I digress). 

My oh my - how much time, energy and frustration we would save in business, work and life if it were only that simple.  Bummer, it's not.  Be that as it may, what if we tried to at least use a little bit of that ol' Lassie magic, and trained ourselves to hone our instincts and perceptive abilities so that we could get a leg-up (yes, pun totally intended) on our human encounters.

Now, my guess is that most people think that a dog-like "sixth sense" - let alone a "Benji sense" - comes from DNA; either you have it, or you don't.  Personally, while I think Mother Nature plays a big part - I also think you can gain better instincts over time by "training" your brain/gut through a combination of book smarts, real-world learning and a boatload of focused effort.   

But it takes all three, and maybe even a fourth or fifth - to really feel confident that your schooled instincts can be trusted.  Especially if those instincts are going to make or break an important decision and/or action.  After all, being wrong might turn out to be really really bad ... while being right turns out to be, well, right.  Either way, by inserting some trusted instincts, IN ADDITION TO as many tangible facts and figures as you can muster - makes for better confidence, all around.  You smell me?

Training Our Instincts is Good.