Intuition: an answer coming straight from our body before we even formulate a logical opinion. How does this happen?
Our gut is lined with a vast neural network and works closely with your brain. It’s a shortcut to past learnings, preferences and personal needs.
Studies show that pairing analytical thinking with intuition helps you make better decisions. However, we often repress it, dismiss it, sometimes don’t trust it. So if we’ve spent years silencing our intuition, it’s likely we don’t know how to use it.
Luckily, intuition is like a muscle that can be strengthened with intentional practice.
Executive coach Melody Wilding has identified five strategies you can use to hone your intuition, and make effective decisions that connect your mind with your body.Discern intuition from fear
1. Fear-led decision making has a pushing energy, guided by panic and dread.
Intuition-led decision making has a pulling energy, guided by anticipation and clarity.
Sense-check your gut-feeling. Be clear on the difference and steer away from fear-led decisions.
2. Make minor decisions
Use your intuition to make small decisions with small consequences. Intuitively pick an outfit. Take a stand on a light argument with a friend.
Get comfortable with it, and build up your inner trust for bigger decisions.
3. Test drive your choices
Instead of overthinking, role-play your decision. For 2-3 days, act like you went with Option A. Then do the same with Option B.
Simulate an outcome to really understand how you sit with a decision and gain clarity on what is right for you.
4. Try the snap judgment test
Write a question on a piece of paper. List YES and NO below the question. After a few hours, go back to it and immediately circle your answer.
It’s likely you’ll respond honestly, especially if it’s a big question.
5. Fall back on your values
Use your values as litmus paper. Take a quick personal values test. Measure up your decision against your top-three values.
Does it align or clash with any of them?
Want to learn more about this topic? Watch/read/listen to this enlightening talk/article/video with Esther Perel
