When it comes to making decisions about work and life, there are usually two directions in which you can go. Decisions made by the "head" or those made with the "heart."
The head loves facts and figures. It is fairly linear, dealing with logic and probabilities. It likes listing out the pros and cons and playing endless "what if" scenarios. The head is usually more ego-driven.
The heart, on the other hand, is where our intuitive senses lie. It is creative, open and passionate. It sees potential, when facts would dismiss an opportunity. It also inherently knows what is best, from an emotional perspective, in a situation. Heart decisions nourish the soul.
Now don't get me wrong, with two science degrees and an MBA, I obviously like facts and figures. I find it amazing sometimes as you delve into the detail of numbers what a story they can tell. And the good news is that most often the head and the heart are not conflicted. But when they are, I will choose the heart each and every time, because it is sensing something that the head would not be able to rationalize.
Think about hiring decisions you've made. The resume, the interviews, even the references indicate that this is a good person for the role, so you hire them, only to have them flame out pretty quickly. Earlier in my career, I made these "head" decisions in hiring, even though my heart (or as some people say "gut") was telling me there was something missing, something not apparent. Inevitably after a few times of doing this, I refused to hire anyone, regardless of the pedigree, if my head and heart weren't in agreement.
Creative ideas, that come from the heart, are often shot down because the numbers, those facts and figures, don't support an innovative approach. Facts and figures are limited, as they live in the today, or in the past. If Steve Jobs had made his decisions based on the "head" naysayers many of the innovations which we take for granted today would not exist.
What about deciding your career path in life? You can often get sidetracked by naysayers who would say following your passion is foolish, there is too much competition in that field, or not enough money to be made. But if you love what you do, you will make it work. Again the head may say no, but the heart is speaking to you truthfully
Relationships is probably where we have the most head/heart conflict. We can agonize over what direction we should follow, and find ourselves twisted into a virtual pretzel. Sometimes it may be the head saying "yes" because if you created a spreadsheet, all the boxes, the pros/cons line up (don't laugh, I know someone who did this). But when the heart says yes, it comes from a totally different place. It acknowledges the emotions, the passion and the soul nurturing that occurs. It is where people are willing to take that leap of faith. And I will offer the opinion that the happiest relationships are those which came from the heart, not the proverbial head driven "suitability."
If the head is in conflict with the heart, try to figure out why. I've noted above that I do like facts/figures and analysis. Yet when it is unclear, and the heart is still pulling you in a direction, follow it. Don't let the disparity paralyze you to the point of avoiding the decision.
Let your intuition, your soul, and your heart guide you. And let your head figure out how to make it work.
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