About Purpose: Instinct: An Overlooked Business Tool

Instinct: An Overlooked Business Tool

You know the business person who seems to have the Midas touch? You know – the one who can do no wrong; whose every project turns into a money machine. A person who seems to have unerring instincts; a gut feeling that never fails. Did you ever wish that was you? Well, I don’t know about the Midas touch part, but you can do a lot to improve your instincts.

What is “instinct?” Merriam-Webster defines it as “a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity.” While there are, undoubtedly, people with an instinct for business, I believe it’s misleading and unfair to see them as having an “inherent aptitude.” Instinct is fostered and developed through the application of three competencies. If you want to improve your instinct for business, apply yourself to these areas.

Clear Personal and Organizational Goals

The most important characteristic of people with good instincts is that they have clear goals. They know and can articulate where they are going and why they want to get there. Notice the inclusion of personal goals. Decisions for action will always be affected by our personal goals – whether or not we are aware of them. Successful people consciously consider their personal goals. Without clear goals, any action you take is a shot in the dark and a positive outcome is random – not the result of good instinct.

Knowledge and Experience

Don’t kid yourself. Success is rarely the result of “dumb luck.” You can improve your instincts by mastering knowledge in your area. Stay on top of the latest trends. Develop some depth in addition to the breadth of knowledge you have. Experience is the application of knowledge. If you haven’t failed, you probably haven’t tried. There is risk in most worthwhile undertakings, but the more experience you have in an area, the less the risk.

Accurate Data

Data comes in two forms – historical and predictive. The better you get at mining data and projecting it into the future, the better your instinct will be. Acting in ignorance of or in opposition to past history is very dangerous. Being able to make realistic projections of future success depends on the accuracy of historical data, coupled with the application of knowledge and experience to achieve personal and organizational goals.

Good instinct isn’t a fluke, nor does it belong to a select few. It is something you can foster and develop. Look at your own basis for decision making. Do you know where you’re going and why? Do you commit yourself to learning and practicing excellence? Do you keep and use good records? Apply yourself to consciously doing these things and you will add a powerful business tool to your arsenal.

About Purpose is about your purpose.

Aim: Identify and articulate your purpose.

Arm: Shape yourself around your purpose.

Act: Achieve your purpose.

Instinct: An Overlooked Business Tool