YoIt’s common to confront the idea of intuition by rolling your eyes. We tend to value reason above all else, using expressions like “think before you act,” “think twice,” and “look before you leap.” We don’t trust intuition. In fact, we think it’s magical, flawed, vaguely crazy, or downright stupid thinking. After all, good decisions must always be reasoned.
However, what we don’t realize is that intuition is a form of cognition that can actually improve our decision making.
What is intuition?
You can think of it as an instinct or a gut feeling. An inner knowledge or wisdom. The internal compass that guides you. Our instincts are meant to keep us away from danger and close to safety in a complex world, and even save your life.
It is an elegant, fine-tuned and incredibly fast form of perception. Intuition is a form of cognition intended to guide us and alert us to things we might not otherwise see.
When we talk about our intuition, we often talk about it as a feeling. Something “feels” wrong, although we can’t necessarily explain why.
We’ve all had good feelings that we can’t explain. Sometimes a decision you’re making seems reasonable but doesn’t feel right to you. Conversely, you may feel compelled to do something that seems unreasonable but feels right to you. The brain is always receiving, perceiving and processing information that leads it to acquire knowledge that our logical mind does not always understand or to which it does not always have access.
The science of intuition.
Joseph Mikels, a professor of psychology at DePaul University, has researched intuition as an emotional process that can lead to better decision making, especially when issues are complex. His research shows that when one makes a complex decision with a lot of information to weigh, he is more likely to choose the right path if he consults his intuition (his feelings) rather than debating the matter with reason alone. He found this to be especially true for older adults whose cognitive faculties may not always be as sharp as those of younger people, showing that intuition is even more critical with age.
The US military, always trying to find ways to maximize human performance, has been researching intuition for decades under various names. Commander Joseph Cohn, a research psychologist at the Office of Naval Research, describes why soldiers’ experiences inspired the military to continue researching intuition: “Field reports often detailed a ‘sixth sense’ or ‘spider sense.’ that alerted them of an imminent threat. attack or improvised explosive device or that allowed them to respond to a new situation without consciously analyzing the situation.” We don’t always have time for lengthy deliberations, especially in critical or life-or-death situations. Sometimes we need to access information at lightning speed.
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There were so many accounts from soldiers returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq reporting how good feelings helped them save lives that the military continues to investigate the phenomenon to this day. The Department of Defense has opened several new research projects under different names, such as the Navy’s “sense,” to look at this phenomenon.
Intuition is nothing new, of course. “Many indigenous communities in the Americas and Africa have relied on intuition to survive: intuition about the environment, about the land, about threats to humanity,” says Dr. Dena Simmons, education scholar, author and founder of LiberatED, an organization that develops school resources to promote social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing. “It is a shame that this wisdom is no longer respected and that we do not turn to the knowledge of those before us for guidance.”
How to develop your intuition
Consciousness is key to sovereignty. As you begin to make room for intuitive ideas, you will find your awareness deepens even further. By making time and space for intuition to arise, you will have greater insight into yourself and the world.
Contemplate
Think about the decisions you made where you ignored your instincts. What were the consequences of those decisions? What about the times when you followed your instinct? How did you feel about it? You got scared? How did others feel about it? What were the consequences? You learned? Journal or reflect on these questions.
Check your good feelings
When you need to make decisions, get used to also consulting your feelings about it. How do you do that? When you need to make a decision between options A and B, for example, sit with your eyes closed for a moment. How do you feel about each option? You may notice that one makes you tense while the other makes you feel relaxed. This will take practice. You may not notice much at first. Try it in different situations, for example when you are dealing with people.
Make space for silence
Our intuition is dulled when we constantly listen to news, opinions and entertainment. Turn off the noise for a while. Extend the time to listen to something other than the noise and strident sounds of everyday life.
Schedule downtime
Instead of always trying to be productive, having the music on, scanning your phone for news and notifications, and interacting with someone or something, take some time to allow your mind to daydream, be in an unfocused space. You don’t need to set aside special time for this. Simply choose not to take calls or listen to podcasts while driving, walking your dog, or shopping without your phone to give yourself time to be, rather than focusing on the screen. Go on hikes without your technology. Allow your mind to be in a gently unfocused state that is receptive to new ideas, insights, and innovation.
Extracted with permission from Sovereign: Reclaim your freedom, energy and power in times of distraction, uncertainty and chaos by Emma Seppälä, Ph.D.