Trust your gut. You know yourself, so don't let somebody else
Hear, O seeker of identity, the voice of Tatiana Maslany, who has walked the path of many faces and many roles, and who declared with clarity: “Trust your gut. You know yourself, so don’t let somebody else tell you who you are.” These words are not merely counsel for actors upon the stage, but wisdom for every soul who journeys through life. For in a world filled with voices that command, define, and label, there is one voice above all that must not be silenced—the inner voice, the gut, the deep knowledge of the self.
What is this gut but the ancient compass of the spirit, the instinct that whispers before thought, the truth that lives beneath masks and noise? To trust it is to honor the wisdom written into your being, the truth of who you are before the world’s expectations were draped upon you. When Maslany says, “You know yourself,” she reminds us that no teacher, no parent, no critic, no crowd can see as clearly into your soul as you can. To surrender that knowledge to others is to become a stranger in your own skin.
Consider the tale of Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who, against all reason and against the voices of kings and priests, trusted the fire within her. They told her she was nothing, they told her she was deluded, they told her she could not lead. Yet she trusted her gut, and through that trust she carried a broken nation to hope and victory. The world called her mad; history remembers her as saint. Her story cries aloud that identity is not given by others, but discovered within.
Yet history also warns of those who allowed themselves to be defined by others, who traded their true selves for the approval of the crowd. Many kings and leaders, swayed by flattery or fear, betrayed their own principles, and with that betrayal lost both themselves and their nations. To deny the inner voice is to live a lie, and lies, no matter how gilded, crumble in time. Without authenticity, there is no strength; without self-knowledge, there is no peace.
O children of tomorrow, let this teaching be your shield: do not let the multitude define your worth. The world will try to tell you who you are—too weak, too strange, too unworthy, too small. But remember: you know yourself. In silence, in reflection, in the beating of your own heart, you will hear the truth. Trust it, follow it, and it will not lead you astray. To live otherwise is to drift like a ship with no anchor, at the mercy of every storm.
The lesson is eternal: strength begins with self-trust. When you know yourself, you can withstand criticism without crumbling, and praise without losing your way. You can walk into the world with steadiness, for no mask is needed, no performance required. The one who trusts their gut carries freedom within, unshaken by the shifting opinions of others. This is the foundation of courage, the essence of integrity, the beginning of wisdom.
Practical action lies here: spend time in stillness and listen to your inner voice. Test the counsel of others against the compass of your own spirit. Do not surrender your identity to trends, to peers, to the fleeting judgments of society. Trust yourself in the small things first—your choices, your tastes, your values—so that when great trials come, your trust will be strong enough to stand. Build your life upon authenticity, and you will never be lost.
So let the words of Tatiana Maslany resound in your soul: “Trust your gut. You know yourself.” Guard this wisdom, for the world will try to drown it in noise. But if you carry it faithfully, you will walk in truth, you will stand in strength, and you will live not as the shadow of another’s voice, but as the radiant light of your own.
THDinh thi hanh
This quote really resonates with me because it emphasizes the importance of self-awareness. But sometimes, we doubt ourselves, right? What if our gut is wrong? Can we trust it if we’re unsure about our instincts? Is it possible to overthink or second-guess our inner voice, and if so, how do we strike that balance between trusting ourselves and being open to feedback?
LTTRÀN VŨ LÍ THIEN
Tatiana Maslany nails it here. Trusting your gut is so important, but what about situations where your intuition isn’t clear? How do we navigate times when we feel uncertain about who we are or what direction to take? I’d love to hear how others have learned to trust themselves when things aren’t as obvious, or when outside voices are particularly loud and persistent.
MNTran Thi Minh Nguyet
I completely agree with this quote, but there’s something to be said about how hard it is to trust your gut sometimes. I feel like we’re often taught to seek validation from others, which makes it harder to rely on our own judgment. How do we retrain ourselves to be confident in trusting our instincts, especially when they might go against what others are telling us?
HLHyung Lyu
Tatiana Maslany’s words hit home. It’s a reminder that we are the experts of our own lives. But I wonder, is there ever a point when the advice of others should outweigh our gut feeling? Can we ever be too close to a situation to trust ourselves completely? It’s easy to say ‘trust your gut,’ but how do we learn to do so when it feels difficult?
DMNguyen Thi Diem My
I really like the sentiment behind this quote. It’s empowering to think that we have the ability to trust our instincts and define ourselves. But sometimes, isn’t it hard to separate your true self from the opinions of others? How do you distinguish between genuine intuition and the influence of others, especially when they’re people you trust? It’s something I constantly struggle with.