When I get logical, and I don't trust my instincts - that's when

Hear the voice of Angelina Jolie, who has walked both the path of art and the path of service, and who once declared: “When I get logical, and I don’t trust my instincts—that’s when I get in trouble.” These words sound like rebellion against reason, yet they are in truth a defense of a deeper wisdom—the wisdom that rises not from books or calculations, but from the marrow of our being. For there is a knowledge older than thought, a compass placed in the human soul, whispering in moments of choice. To ignore it is to drift from the path; to follow it is to walk in harmony with life itself.

The ancients understood this well. They called it the daimon, the inner spirit that guides each person toward their destiny. Others named it intuition, or the voice of the gods within. They knew that pure logic, though sharp, could be deceived, tangled in arguments and appearances. But the instincts—the deep pulse of knowing—sprang from something eternal. Jolie’s words remind us of this ancient truth: the mind may falter, but the soul rarely lies.

Consider the story of Joan of Arc. She was no scholar, no tactician trained in war. By the rules of logic, she should have had no voice among soldiers, no place among kings. Yet she trusted her instincts, the inner voices that compelled her to lead. Her faith carried her to victories that baffled generals. When she listened to that inner voice, she rose to greatness; when others pressed her into the confines of logic at her trial, she was ensnared. Her story shows the power—and peril—of choosing between instincts and logic.

Jolie’s words do not condemn the mind. Logic has its place, as fire has its uses. But just as fire can warm or burn, so too can logic guide or mislead. When used without the grounding of instinct, it may lead us astray—convincing us to make choices that seem wise in calculation but feel wrong in the heart. Many have walked into ruin not from ignorance, but from silencing the whisper within that said: do not go this way.

The lesson here is balance. The ancients would say: let the mind be your servant, but let the instincts be your guide. The head can measure distance, but the gut knows which road leads home. When you face choices, do not lean solely on arguments or the counsel of others—pause, listen inward, and ask: Does this feel true? Does this align with who I am? The instincts may not give you reasons, but they will give you direction.

Think also of the explorers who sailed across unknown seas. By logic, their ships should have turned back, for no maps assured them of land. Yet their instincts told them the world was larger, and their courage gave them the will to continue. Those who trusted only what was rational remained behind; those who trusted the pull of instinct discovered new worlds. Thus, human progress itself is born of daring to follow the unseen.

So, children of tomorrow, take this teaching to heart: do not betray your instincts for the cold comfort of pure logic. Let reason refine your path, but let instinct set your course. When you feel the whisper of truth rising within you, honor it—even if it makes no sense to the world. For in trusting yourself, you align with the deeper rhythm of life, and avoid the trouble that comes from ignoring the wisdom of your own spirit. This is the strength of Jolie’s words, and it is a guide for all who would walk boldly in the world.