Trust your gut. Listen to your inner voice . Follow your instincts. If you’ve ever faced a big, difficult-to-make decision , you’ve probably heard comments like these. The advice to tap into your intuition or gut response is often intended to “help guide decision-making, so people can sort of use their own internal cues,” says Kristen Lindquist, a professor in the department of psychology at The Ohio State University. There isn’t scientific consensus on what intuition is, exactly, or even how reliable it is. But many people believe their inner voice is worth paying attention to: A 2026 survey conducted by Talker Research found that 71% of adults report listening to their intuition at least some of the time.  However, anxious or intrusive thoughts can also show up as inner voices, making it hard to decipher whether you’re experiencing anxiety or clear awareness. “It’s very common for people to mistake them,” says Dr.…