The Mindful analyst

We’ve all been led astray by our gut.

At Tesco: “That self-checkout queue looks quicker.” – 15 minutes later, you’re still behind someone wrestling with an “unexpected item in the bagging area.”

On a date: “They’re definitely into me.” – then your WhatsApp ticks stay stubbornly grey.

At work: “I’ll just blag this presentation.” – cue you saying “moving forward” six times in a row while your boss starts steaming from the ears.

Gut feelings are confident, loud, and not always right. They’re like that mate who swears they know a shortcut on the M25 and lands you in standstill traffic by Watford. They’re only as good as the inputs you’ve trained them on. Intelligence analysts don’t just trust their hunches. They enhance them with structured thinking. And you can, too.

Let’s break it down with some everyday scenarios:

The “Friend Drama” Situation – Your best friend texts: “We need to talk.” Your gut immediately screams, “Oh no, they’re mad at me.” But here’s how an analyst would handle it:

• Gather intel: What’s the recent context? Did you cancel plans on them one too many times? Could they have just been dumped? Or did they just have a stressful day at work and they need a friendly ear to bend?
• Challenge assumptions: Just because you use the phrase “we need to talk” as a warning shot for others, doesn’t automatically mean your friend does.
• Consider alternative hypotheses: Maybe they need advice. Maybe they won free Glastonbury tickets. Maybe they’re feeling sad or lonely. Maybe they just want to debate the superiority of Yorkshire Tea versus Twinings English breakfast!

Your gut spins drama. Your brain adds perspective. Instead of spiralling, you pause and weigh the evidence. Suddenly, your gut isn’t just reacting – it’s working smarter.

The “Office Politics” Trap – Your manager gave Dave the big project that you had your eyes on to help catapult your career.

Your gut says: “It’s favouritism. Dave’s the golden child. Time to polish the CV.”
Your brain says: “Or maybe he just actually knows how to use Excel formulas without crying.”

An analyst would Red Team it. It goes like this: imagine you’re the manager. Maybe Dave’s less busy. Maybe he asked. Maybe (and this is a tough one to hear) Dave is the right person for this particular project. Or maybe the boss is under pressure to spread opportunities around.

Your gut panics. Your brain reality-checks. Your gut isn’t necessarily wrong – but before you post that passive aggressive LinkedIn post, you’ve at least tested other possible explanations.

The “Buying a Car” Choice – You stroll onto the forecourt on a random Sunday, spot a shiny hatchback, and feel an instant connection.

Your gut says: “Yes. She’s The One. I’ll call her Beryl.”
Your brain says: “She’s done 120,000 miles, that ticking noise sounds like trouble and she smells faintly of wet dog.”

An analyst would hunt for:

• Competing hypotheses: Is Beryl really the best choice out there; I mean, there are literally thousands of cars available for sale? Is Beryl looking shiny against the others just because she was the only one that wasn’t parked under a pigeon?
• Disconfirming evidence: check the MOT history, run insurance quotes, enquire about the actual running costs and see if anything in there raises a flag.

Your gut makes you fall in love. Your brain demands a service history. Together, you may still fall fast – but with intuition in the driver’s seat and logic checking the mirrors.

The “Netflix Spiral” – You’ve spent 25 minutes scrolling and the popcorn is already half gone.

Your gut says: “That crime drama looks good.”
Your brain says: “You’ve said that about seven shows. Just pick something before you end up re-watching Friends for the hundredth time.”

An analyst prioritises by setting decision criteria: Are you looking for something short? Funny? A tearjerker so you can really lean into the heartbreak of Bob not calling you back after the first date. Background noise while you fold the washing or write your next blog post for your website?

Once you know your criteria, your intuition gets restrictions. Suddenly, decision-making feels less like aimless wandering and more like clarity.

So How to Upgrade Your Gut (without firing it):

Think of your gut as the office joker: funny and quick, but in desperate need of an effective manager.

• Listen to it – it’s fast.
• Supervise it – test its assumptions.
• Pressure test it – what would prove me wrong?
• Stay flexible – analysts don’t get precious about their first hunch, and neither should you.

Gut feelings are brilliant starters but dreadful finishers. Like karaoke: great fun to start, but it goes downhill when the key change kicks in and you’ve got to channel your inner Adele to find those high notes.

When you bring in some simple intelligence analysis tricks, you give your instincts structure. You stop making snap decisions based only on vibes and start making decisions that feel both smart and confident.

So the next time your gut whispers, take a moment to pause. Treat it less like your boss and more like your brainstorming buddy. Because the real magic happens when you turn instinct into strategy.

Until next time, think sharper, live smarter.

Natalie, The Mindful Analyst x