It's a difference of attitude more than subject. In a way, your emotions are your instincts, but that's a bit like saying that your brain is your mind. While that may be true, there's a big difference between talking about brains and talking about minds.
When someone says, "Follow your instincts," they're saying "Be very aware of the information that your emotions are providing to you, because it'll often be the most useful information you have."
When they say "don't get too emotionally involved," they mean "If your emotions start screaming at you, don't freak out and start acting stupid."
Take Jack Bauer from 24. He acts quickly, and is very aware of the information his emotions tell him, but he also is rational and careful, which is why he sees the way out of every situation. The similarity is pretty striking, actually. In a startup, you're in a situation with high stakes where decisive action is crucial, the stakes are high, the odds are stacked against you, cracking under the pressure is a sure-fire way to fail, and you never sleep.
Be like Jack Bauer. (He's also got some good lessons on dealing with troublesome investors ;)
off-topic: I don't know how people can watch the show weekly. Get the DVDs, and start at season 1. You won't regret it. Careful, though, it's a terrible time sink.
When someone says, "Follow your instincts," they're saying "Be very aware of the information that your emotions are providing to you, because it'll often be the most useful information you have."
When they say "don't get too emotionally involved," they mean "If your emotions start screaming at you, don't freak out and start acting stupid."
Take Jack Bauer from 24. He acts quickly, and is very aware of the information his emotions tell him, but he also is rational and careful, which is why he sees the way out of every situation. The similarity is pretty striking, actually. In a startup, you're in a situation with high stakes where decisive action is crucial, the stakes are high, the odds are stacked against you, cracking under the pressure is a sure-fire way to fail, and you never sleep.
Be like Jack Bauer. (He's also got some good lessons on dealing with troublesome investors ;)