Young people often act on instinct and energy, and for a while that carries them. As the years pass and vigour fades, careful reasoning becomes something to lean on, supplying the judgement that energy once made unnecessary. Calling reason a crutch carries a little mockery, and you may well think it the better way to walk at any age.

Wherever you are in life, notice what you rely on when deciding: impulse or deliberation. Each has its season and its uses. If you are young, borrow some reason before you need it; if you are older, remember that instinct still has something to tell you.