You’ve spent years honing your skills and, sooner or later, you’ll need to test them in the real world. Very few people see themselves clearly so sharing your work with others will help you learn what it is that you do, and don’t do, well. Asking for and accepting feedback isn’t easy but you’ll learn a great deal if you pay attention to what others have to say and how it makes you feel.
Not every feedback interaction needs to be combative but let’s use martial arts as an example: in some schools a student trains and studies technique until they’re eventually tested by fighting another person. Confrontation is what exposes strengths and weaknesses. If they’re dedicated they’ll go back to training with this knowledge. They’ll build on their strengths and fill in the gaps where they are weakest.
Train, test, train, test, train, test. This is where instincts come from and the only way you’ll learn which instincts serve you best.