We talk about "trusting our gut" as if it's a single, reliable compass. But Anne-Laure Le Cunff, founder of Ness Labs, makes a crucial distinction. Our "gut feelings" stem from two very different sources: instinct and intuition. Because they feel so similar (fast, automatic, sometimes emotional), we treat them the same. But overlooking the difference can lead to poor decision-making.

Organizational psychologist Karl Weick studied the Mann Gulch disaster extensively. He discovered something profound: the smokejumpers didn’t die because they lacked training or courage. They died because they couldn’t drop their tools. Their shovels and axes were more than implements; they were anchors of identity. To abandon them felt like abandoning who they were.