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Quote of the day by Cillian Murphy: 'Believe your instincts. Instinct…If you feel it, then it's right', when the 'Peaky Blinders' actor detailed the importance of trusting your gut instincts rather than always listening to your brain
ETimes | July 5, 2026 9:39 PM CST

We have a tendency to often let our brain take over in certain situations, even though our gut feeling may be screaming at us that it is wrong. Today’s quote is from Cillian Murphy , who has always been about trusting his gut, though at a young age, he was in the same place that many of us are right now.

This quote from the ‘ Peaky Blinders ’ actor is from his 2024 interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation ‘Conversations’ podcast. At the time, the ‘ Oppenheimer ’ actor had been asked about what he feels he would like to tell his 21 year old self if he had the chance to do so. After much thought and contemplation, the actor had detailed how he wished his younger self would understand that his instincts about things were correct.

The quote for the day by famed actor Cillian Murphy reads: “Believe your instincts. Instinct, instinct, instinct over intellect. Always instinct. Just because you can rationalise it doesn't mean it's right. If you feel it, then it's right."

What Cillian Murphy’s quote really meansMurphy is emphasizing that your own instincts are one of the most important aspects that can get you far in life. He tells us through this quote that while intellect is a good thing, it cannot always be right in every situation, and when you are feeling something ‘in your gut,’ it is best to listen to the feeling rather than rationalize everything.

It's in our human nature to look for things in scenarios to help rationalize situations and bring some form of sense to things. However, the quote instead shines light on the fact that even if your brain is telling you that something is correct, your gut may be telling you something opposite, and it is highly important to be critical in that matter and go with your instinct.

He concludes his quote by saying, “If you feel it, then it's right” providing a reassuring sense of relief that you do not always have to make sense of things for them to be right or wrong; sometimes all you have to do is listen to yourself and trust yourself in situations. These crucial moments in life can get you quite far in life.

About Cillian Murphy’s early lifeCillian Murphy was born on May 25, 1976, in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland. He had a knack for the arts from an early age and was playing and writing songs by the time he was 10 years old. It was in his later years while attending Catholic secondary school Presentation Brothers College that he developed a love for acting. After starring in one of the plays in the school, his English teacher at the time, William Walls who is a published author, was the first one to encourage his choices and tell him to pursue acting as a serious career path. However, he still began his career in the entertainment industry as a musician. Alongside his brother, they formed the band The Sons of Mr. Greengenes and performed under the name, inspired by the likes of Frank Zappa and The Beatles.

Years later, after a failed attempt at studying law, the actor landed a role in his debut theatre play called ‘Disco Pigs.’ In the late 1990s and early 2000s, after dropping out of college, leaving his band, and hiring a talent agent, he ended up landing quite a lot of stage and theatre productions, as well as films and shows.

In 2002, Murphy landed the lead role in ‘28 Days Later’, which helped him skyrocket to fame and helped him become a more well-known actor in the industry. With this role, the actor landed two big nominations, namely: Best Newcomer at the Empire Awards and Breakthrough Male Performance at the MTV Movie Awards.



The actor has always been an extremely private person, and after spending a few years in London, he shifted back home to Dublin with his family to lead a quieter life. He has also often talked about how he tries to lead a life that is not interesting to the media, and would not attract as much fanfare.

The ‘Peaky Blinders’ actor, according to Celebrity Net Worth, has a net worth of USD 20 million. Over the years, he has worked on quite a lot of shows and films, which have helped him develop his name in the industry.


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