How do you make intuition work for you, not “against you”?
It does not matter whether you consider intuition of biochemical or spiritual origin. It is a natural ability we all possess. However, it is often hard to discern its signals for lack of practice and noise of cognitive distortions.
Functional intuition requires the following three components:
1. Clear neutral inquiry
The question. What do you want to know?
It is better to be precise and have minimal steering by our desires. Sometimes, we are already rooting for a specific answer or a max-yield outcome.
Or, we do not really want the solution we are inquiring about. Say, I am choosing a day for a meeting I do not want to have — I might not like the answer.
Check your motivation. If you can take a step back from the context and remain neutral — good for you. If emotions do arise…
2. Emotional independence
Check your emotional dependency from the outcomes of the inquiry. The higher it is, the more distorted your “gut feeling.”
If you maintain mindfulness and introspection, it is easier to make sure your inquiry is clear, and undisturbed by destructive emotions and thoughts. If you notice an obscuration, delay the inquiry until clarity and independence are restored.
Remember, intuition cannot serve an egocentric mind. It is by definition skewed by cognitive distortions.
Emotional finesse is important at all stages:
- the process of inquiry (receiving insights)
- further execution (making decisions, acting, following your intuition)
Treat intuition like a butterfly that landed gently on your open hand. If you do not crush it, it will come back again.
3. Practical skill
It is hard to expect a functional intuition if you never used it. So train your intuition muscle:
- Listen: start considering subtle signals in addition to concrete evidence and logic
- Follow: if you only listen but never follow intuition — your mind trains the “do not use intuition” muscle.
Following intuition does not guarantee the expected result. But do not get discouraged, keep observing. The outcome you were worried about yesterday may not be your preferred choice tomorrow.