Gut Feelings, Intuition, and Unconscious Decision Making

Have you ever known you just don’t like someone and you can’t explain why? You have a gut feeling that you must do something? Or made a split-second decision that felt right, even though you couldn’t explain why? These moments reveal how much of our decision-making happens below the surface, beyond our conscious awareness.

It’s easy to assume we’re rational beings, carefully weighing options before making choices. But research shows over 90% of decisions are made unconsciously. Often, what feels deliberate is a choice made before the conscious mind even considers the question. Afterward, the conscious brain swoops in to justify the decision, pretending it was in charge all along.

So what’s really going on? How do gut feelings, intuition, and unconscious decision-making relate to each other?

Gut Feelings

Gut feelings are exactly what they sound like—a visceral, physical reaction that seems to come out of nowhere. That buzz of anxiety in your stomach when something feels off? That’s your body signaling danger or opportunity before your conscious brain has caught up.

This isn’t magic. It’s your subconscious processing patterns and signals from your environment—things you’ve noticed but haven’t consciously registered. It’s raw, fast, and emotional. 

Most stimuli never reach the rational, conscious brain. Research suggests over 90% of sensory input is processed unconsciously, with less than 10% breaking into conscious awareness. Your unconscious brain sorts and filters, keeping you from sensory overload while ensuring what’s relevant or urgent gets your attention.

Why can you hear your name in a noisy room or recognize your child’s cry in a playground full of other screaming kids? That’s your unconscious brain prioritizing, cutting through the noise.

But here’s the thing: gut reactions aren’t always accurate. They’re shaped by past experiences, instincts, and biases. They’re powerful, but often biased by emotion.

Intuition

If gut feelings are primal and immediate, intuition is their wiser, more refined cousin. Intuition taps into the same unconscious processing but builds on experience and knowledge. It’s less about raw emotion and more about subtle, nonverbal cues.

You might meet someone and instantly sense they’re trustworthy. Why? Maybe you picked up on their open posture or the warmth in their tone of voice. You didn’t consciously analyze these details, but your brain did—and intuition delivered the verdict.

Unlike gut feelings, intuition improves with practice. Intuition is developed through analyzing past decisions: observing what we know, what we notice and how we have made decisions in the past. Through conscious observation of patterns and subtleties we sharpen split-second decisions without overthinking.

Unconscious Decision-Making

While gut feelings and intuition pop up into awareness, unconscious decision-making often doesn’t. It’s the silent operator behind the scenes.

Your brain constantly processes an overwhelming amount of information—most of which never makes it to your conscious brain. It filters, prioritizes, and decides based on patterns it recognizes. By the time you’re “aware” of a decision, it’s often already made.

Here’s the twist: much of this processing happens in areas of the brain without verbal connections, like the basal ganglia. That’s why unconscious decisions often feel impossible to explain. You just know.When someone asks you why you made a choice, you might stumble. The truth is, your conscious mind wasn’t in the driver’s seat, and it doesn’t have access to the full map.

Even more surprising? Most of us don’t realize how much happens unconsciously. We feel like we’re making deliberate choices because our brains are so good at weaving a story after the fact.

How Unconscious Observations Shape Your Choices

The unconscious mind isn’t just reactive; it’s observant. It picks up on things you don’t even realize you’ve seen—fleeting facial expressions, subtle shifts in body language, or the undertone of someone’s words.

When you met someone and immediately felt something was off and you couldn’t pinpoint why: your unconscious was at work. Maybe it noticed a micro-expression of irritation or a hesitation in their voice and flagged it for you.

Over time, these observations add up. Your brain builds a reservoir of knowledge that feeds both intuition and gut feelings. The more you tune in, the sharper your intuition becomes.

What Does This Mean for You?

If most of our decisions happen unconsciously, are we just on autopilot? 

Understanding this dynamic helps you take back some control and helps you work with your unconscious mind instead of against it. Here’s how:

• Trust, but verify: Gut feelings are powerful, but they’re not always right. They’re influenced by past experiences and biases. Pause to ask: Is this based on the present moment or past baggage?

• Sharpen your intuition: Intuition improves with experience.Reflect on past decisions—especially the ones that worked out. What patterns or cues were at play? The more you reflect, the stronger your intuitive “muscle” becomes.

• Get curious about your unconscious: Pay attention to moments when you’re drawn to or repelled by something without knowing why. Ask yourself, “What am I picking up on here?” You might start noticing subtle cues that were previously invisible. This helps bring unconscious patterns into awareness.

Gut feelings, intuition, and unconscious decision-making are all part of the same ecosystem—your mind working hard to navigate a complex world. While you can’t control everything your brain processes, you can learn to recognize and refine how it informs your choices.

Next time you feel a strong gut reaction or flash of insight, pause. Pay attention. What is your brain trying to tell you?

Are you interested in working on your personal development? Are you looking for a life coach or a life consultant? Are you feeling stagnant? Do you want to jumpstart change?

 My transformational approach is a process where awareness, alignment, and action work together as catalysts to create momentum for change. 

*Awareness is knowing what you genuinely want and need.

*Alignment is the symmetry between our values and our actions. It means our inner and outer worlds match.

*Action is when you are conscious that what you say, do and think are in harmony with your values.

Together we build an understanding of what you want to accomplish, and delve deeply into building awareness around any thoughts and assumptions that you may already have. To truly transform your life, I will empower you to rethink what’s possible for you.

__

Learn more about my approach to life consulting and relationship coaching here or get in touch for your free 30-minute consultation here! Don’t forget to follow along @LilyManne on social for more regular updates!