America’s Business Etiquette Expert Says Learn to Value Your Own Intuition

Make Your Best Impression Blog   ·   December 23, 2009

Ever wonder how animals know when to run for cover? They sense that danger is present. You have that sense as well. You won’t be running from bloodthirsty lions but your intuition will benefit you in life.

Intuition is essentially instinct. It comes from past experiences. If you learned that a stove is hot when the burner glows red, then you will stay away from stoves when you notice they are hot. That is a simplified explanation but the point is that experiences drive your intuition.

Another aspect of intuition is learned behavior. Here’s another simple explanation. Think of a deer hunter. You can’t just go out and find a deer; you need some pointers. Those lessons teach you to hear sounds and look for signs that you never knew existed before. It’s actually pretty amazing.

With each new experience and learned behavior you acquire new skills. Now, every time you make a decision you don’t consciously run through everything that you know before you say “yea” or “nay.” But, that information gets processed unconsciously and results in a feeling.

You might not want to use your intuition because it is based on a feeling. That’s what many people think. But, really, intuition may come across as a feeling but it is backed up by a lifetime of experience and learning.  So, you really don’t just trust a feeling or a hunch.

With that said, intuition has to be practiced just like anything else. The hardest part will be recognizing it. Think about how you would feel walking down the street at night. You wouldn’t go down a dark alley or a dimly lit street. Why? You have learned that there is inherent danger in these places.

Use that same process to conduct your everyday life and goal setting. When you identify a goal you want to achieve, use your instinct to decide how best to achieve it. You can take suggestions from others but only you know the best way to proceed. When one path doesn’t pan out, your intuition will help you decide the next course of action.

Most of all don’t be afraid to trust it. Your intuition can not only save your life in certain situations but will also enhance your life. One reason we don’t always achieve our goals or even pursue a goal in the first place is because we trust someone else’s intuition.

Don’t let those feelings pass you by. It is your unconscious mind trying to give you a lift in the right direction.