My definition of gut-check is anything that you don’t want to do but know you should. So with that interpretation in hand, I have to admit that the spectrum of ones abdominal scrutiny can range from getting up in the morning, to deciding whether to run toward or away from a housefire.
Essentially, every meaningful moment in our lives should involve a pause to reflect on the consequences of action or inaction. The potential consequences should in theory determine the intensity of the required gut check. At least for persons capable of conceptualizing ramifications.
Most people have some level of awareness around inaction. Even the most challenged among us can string together a thought process that identifies the drawbacks of not getting out of bed in the morning. Self evident and detrimental consequences like being unemployed, missing breakfast or pissing in the bed. These effects of inaction are hard to miss. You’re either hungry, broke or wet, and so at a minimum people tend to manage this daily gut check moment and haul their asses out of bed.
Action is another matter altogether. Doing nothing means there are generally a set of predictable reactions that involve awkward explanations. But doing something changes the dynamic and expands the realm of possible outcomes. However, it should be noted that a poor choice of action will also require awkward explanations. But, doing something strategically expands the realm of favorable outcomes, and minimizes the awkward explanations.
Thinking strategically does however manifest an existence where a person is in a perpetual state of heightened awareness, as they examine cause and effect for each action worthy of consideration.
Regrettably, awareness leads to anxiety and anxiety is uncomfortable, so most people don’t bother unless they’re compelled.
I understand waiting until you’re compelled though. Being uncomfortable isn’t a sought after circumstance, and so we wait in the hope that the situation requiring the gut check will resolve itself. The majority of adults know that wishful thinking isn’t particularly effective, but we still delay until we accumulate enough anger or frustration to necessitate an action. Assuming the wishful resolution doesn’t materialize.
I think that most non-life threatening gut checks occur when confronting bullies. Bullies don’t disappear after high school. They just take their malignance to another location and we’re still forced to deal with them. The workplace bully is the best example, but it’s certainly not the only place where the high school troglodyte still lurks.
They’re everywhere.
They’re in social circles, they’re on Facebook, they’re on school boards and they’re on Fox and Brietbart. They’re on podcasts and worst of all, they’re in politics. And collectively we wait until they’re out of control before we gut check the assholes and do something about the situation.
We wait because challenging bullies is painful and sometimes perilous. It depends on the bully. But regardless of whether you’re dealing with the Nazi’s or some asshole in your office, I think it’s safe to say that a delay in confrontation is only going to make the situation worse.
But, you have to be prepared. That means having the correct amount of ammunition, allies and a battle plan. So, you need to identify a gut feeling as a harbinger that a gut check is coming, and you need to start devising an appropriate response.
Before you’re absorbing a gut punch.