The Instinctual Edge: Tapping Into Your Inner Wisdom To Excel In Work And Life

The word instinct is often used loosely and confused with one or both of two very different automatic actions: intuition and learned behaviors. When a person masters mechanical actions such as typing, cycling, dancing, etc., and does them without conscious thought, people sometimes say that he or she is acting on instinct. However, this is not instinct at all, but rather automatic behavior that has been learned and stored in a person's memory. Instinct refers to an innate and natural tendency to behave or react in a certain way, without prior experience or conscious thought. When a person quickly jumps to a conclusion without thinking or reasoning, people may say they are acting on instinct. However, this is not instinct but rather intuition, which is defined as the immediate apprehension of knowledge by the mind. For example, when someone has a gut feeling about a situation or a person, it is often called intuition.

On the other hand, take the example of young birds building their nests. They have never seen a nest built and learned the skill. However, when the nesting time comes, they instinctively know how to do it. Instinct is an innate and automatic behavior that is present in animals and humans from birth, without the need for prior learning or experience.
It is interesting to note that one bird species will never make a mistake and build another species' nest. For example, sparrows will never construct nests like swallows, nor will swallows make nests like myna. This is a remarkable ability that demonstrates the species' innate knowledge and behavior.

Similarly, migratory birds are aware of when to leave England and fly to Europe's south for the winter. They also know when to return for nesting, through a combination of innate knowledge and environmental cues. They also know where to look for a warmer climate. This is based on their innate ability to sense changes in the environment, such as temperature changes and daylight hours. Although we cannot fully explain animals' and insects' actions, it is widely accepted that these behaviors are driven by innate impulses or instincts. These impulses are not based on reasoning or conscious design, but rather the result of millions of years of evolution and adaptation to specific environments.