Today, someone asked for my perspective on the future. I gave it to him, adding the caveat that I can’t make sense of a lot of things happening right now because I lack the experience. He also wanted to share his thoughts about a new venture he’s considering.

As we talked, I learned more about this potential business, his evaluation, and his timetable. He’s sought the perspective of other entrepreneurs, researched the space extensively, and seriously thought through how to make it work with his personal situation. I was impressed.

I described how I started CCAW. My analysis wasn’t sophisticated. I had knowledge about a space and relationships in it. I saw a problem I thought I could solve. I tested to see what would happen and started the company when my hypothesis was confirmed.

To be fair to myself, I was only a few years removed from being a broke college student. I didn’t have any real responsibilities. My evaluation could be simple because the risk of ruin wasn’t a big deal. And I believe I did one critical thing right: I trusted my gut. I didn’t overthink and overanalyze. (I actually didn’t analyze much at all.) My gut said it was a good opportunity, so I ran with it. CCAW eventually reached eight figures in revenue (while turning a profit), so it worked out in the end.

At the tail end of our conversation, I asked, “What does your gut tell you?” His reply? “I should wait. There’s too much uncertainty in the business model and the timing doesn’t feel right.” I didn’t tell him this, but I agreed 100%.

The next time you’re trying to make an important decision, before you analyze, before you seek opinions, be honest with yourself. Listen to your gut first.

Has your gut helped you in your decision-making?