* Practical intelligence: This refers to the ability to solve everyday problems and adapt to new situations. It's about understanding context and applying knowledge effectively.
* Decision-making skills: This involves weighing options, assessing risks and benefits, and choosing the best course of action.
* Problem-solving skills: The ability to identify a problem, analyze its causes, develop solutions, and implement them effectively.
* Working memory: The capacity to hold relevant information in mind while performing a task. This is crucial for planning and executing actions.
* Experience and learning: Past experiences and accumulated knowledge provide a framework for understanding current situations and choosing appropriate responses. The more you encounter similar situations, the better you become at knowing what to do.
* Emotional intelligence: Understanding and managing your own emotions, as well as understanding and responding appropriately to the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence can significantly impact decision-making in social situations.
* Intuition: While difficult to define precisely, intuition plays a role in quickly assessing situations and choosing a course of action. This often stems from unconscious processing of information accumulated through experience.
In short, "knowing just what to do" is a multifaceted skill, not a singular faculty. It's a product of cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence, and experience working together.