I don’t trust my gut: how do I know that I can?

How do you know when you can trust your gut in decisionmaking?
How do you tap into your intuition and balance it with your critical thinking?

A conversation with one of my clients stimulated the writing of this reflection. I realise that what people frequently say they want is facts that can be measured, recorded, verified—It’s the culturally approved method for making important decisions. We are comfortable with that process.

But trusting your intuition can be more enlightening than following the brightest map, because in the quiet whispers of your gut, you may discover the uncharted territories of your true potential.

Intuition is the sixth sense that helps us respond to a question, although sometimes the question is not that explicit and posed; it can be part of the background of the conversation.

A rational mind is weighted toward analysis and logic, which we all agree can be very useful in business and in life. Gut feelings are weighted toward creative possibility and innovation—thinking outside the box—a resource that is also very useful in business and in life. As human beings, we have been given the gift of both approaches. We can be thoughtful and we can be inspired. We are most effective when we have access to both approaches and have the creative capacity to navigate between them.

The point is that there are many ways of knowing. One of those ways is scientifically verifiable evidence, but there is also “just knowing.” When you look at the list of your possible answers, you might want to ask: which source is right? A different question would be: which one do I trust?

One way of looking at intuition says that it is neither right nor wrong—it’s more like a nudge we receive. In order to express our intuition in words, we make an interpretation. It’s our interpretation of the intuitive nudge that can be off-target. The intuitive impulse itself is neither right nor wrong.

Now, how do I need to be to have access to both rational mind and gut feelings and have the creative capacity to navigate between them? And what can I do to be more on-target with my interpretation of my intuitive nudges?

Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are the foundation for integrating rational and intuitive thinking. We want to strengthen our emotional intelligence to better recognize and interpret our emotions and gut feelings. This involves understanding the connection between emotions and intuition.

Cultivate creativity and an open-minded approach to problem-solving. Sometimes, creative thinking is the bridge between rational and intuitive insights.

Practice Decision-Making: Make decisions regularly and deliberately, incorporating both rational and intuitive aspects. Review the outcomes and learn from your experiences

Journaling: Keep a journal where you reflect on your decisions, both rational and intuitive, and the results. This can help you track your progress and improve your decision-making over time.

Mindfulness and Meditation: Regular mindfulness and meditation practices can help you stay grounded and in touch with your emotions and bodily sensations, making it easier to access your intuition.

Trust the Process: Understand that it's a process to balance these two faculties. Sometimes it may feel like a tug-of-war, but with practice, you'll become more adept at navigating between them.

How can you determine whether you can trust your intuition in a given circumstance?

• Assess Your Emotional State: Start by assessing your emotional state. Are you feeling calm, balanced, and not overly stressed? In high-stress situations, your intuition may be clouded by fear or anxiety, so it's important to calm your emotions before relying on your gut feeling.

• Reflect on Your Past Experiences: Think about previous situations where your intuition proved accurate. If you have a history of trusting your gut and making good decisions, this can boost your confidence in your intuition.

• Consider the Complexity of the Decision: Some decisions are more straightforward, while others are complex and require careful analysis. For straightforward decisions, trusting your intuition may be more suitable. Complex decisions benefit from a combination of intuition and logical reasoning.

Trust your intuition incrementally. Start by using it as a complementary tool in less critical decisions and gradually build confidence in your ability to trust your gut.

Evaluate Results

After you've made a decision based on your intuition, evaluate the results. If your gut feeling led to a positive outcome, it reinforces your trust in your intuition. If it didn't work out, consider what you've learned for future reference.

Pay attention to physical sensations in your body. We develop our ability to access our intuition in the same way we develop talents or build muscles. Intuitive fitness is just as possible as physical fitness.

Ask yourself: "What does my intuition tell me about this situation?" Allow yourself to sit quietly and listen for the answers that come to mind.

Over time, you'll become more confident in recognizing when your intuition is guiding you in the right direction.