The Algorithm in Your Chest

Do what your heart says. You must have heard it a thousand times by now. But nobody explains what it means. So each of us fills in the meaning. For some, the heart stands for instinct. For others, it means doing what you love. Intuition versus emotion. The brain naturally emerges as the rational candidate. Almost too rational, because nobody enjoys what the brain has to say. It is more pragmatic. More outcome-driven. Less swayed by feeling. Or so the interpretation goes. So should you follow your heart or your gut? Or should you lean on the pragmatism of your mind? The answer lies in your experience. Someone who hasn't explored the world enough shouldn't rely too heavily on what the heart says. A kid fresh out of college, for instance, shouldn't place too much weight on what his heart says. That intuition hasn't developed yet. It can develop, but only through broad enough exposure. For your gut or your heart to know what is right, it needs a reference. It needs enough data to draw a…