There's something to be said for trusting your instincts...sometimes. If you're in a situation where nothing makes sense, learning quickly and thinking on your feet might be the only way out.
But if you're about to tackle something major, it usually helps to think about how you're gonna do that first. I apologize if this seems a little patronizing. Like I'm suggesting that you would approach every situation by swinging wildly until everyone else has a black eye.
And yes, I'm sure you're not the one I need to say this to. But if the pictures you're about to see are any indication, a lot more people need to hear it than you might think.