Intuition in Business: Trust Your Gut; It is More Insightful Than You (Can) Think

Intuition is helpful in business success on several levels, not to mention its usefulness in everyday living. It can help you with innovation, hiring, and even choosing your ideal clients or whom you should take on as a client.

It is being studied more in science and this is a great idea – finally progress! I notice that some people prefer the term “gut instinct” and this is fine, whatever suits you. Language can often get in the way of innovation when people have to be “right” as much of how we communicate is really quite subjective and based on our own perceptions.

I like the term intuition or “I gotta feeling” – it just works for me. Within your gut, you have a “brain” which means your gut is intelligent. Actually, let’s take it a step further – your cells are all intelligent, it is a type of “body mind”, as Dr. Candace Pert references in her series of books.

Now, let’s go even further – the “mind” is beyond the physical body. Some quantum physics call mind, “Divine Mind”, the “Holographic Field” and even “Consciousness”. I’ll take all of the above depending on the audience you are addressing; I’m flexible. Dr. Daniel Siegel defines the mind as “the process of the regulation of energy and information”.It is not the same as the brain. This is all just a bit of “Science 101”, now let’s move on.

What is interesting about intuition and insight is that it is really creative, “new” information; it is not just the routine logic that you pull up out of the file cabinets of your brain. Logic is important, yet it has its place. If you only use logic in business, you will severely limit your innovation as when the mind is in high gear, looking for “logical answers”, which is just another way of saying that you are looking to make the evidence that is before you fit into one of your “safe” little boxes or paradigm, you shut down intuition.

Intuition and insight, essentially the same thing to me, is that “still small voice” emanating from within. It comes from the essence of you, the authentic “real” you and is different than the chatter of the “mental me” or ego part of the brain. You can often feel it in the area of the gut, though this is not universal. And, it is more insightful than just thinking – that is for sure.

You will gain more insight and creative ideas when you learn how to be present and quiet the mind than by trying to only "think your way out" when problem solving. Logic is great at implementing ideas once there is clarity. Logic helps us to put form and structure to our creative ideas.

Haven’t you known people who are “insight” machine creative types who just seem to not be able to make anything actually happen? And, haven’t you seen left-brained intellectuals who would not survive a day outside of their boxy little world of academia because they lack vital business and people skills? They can’t feel, they can only “think”?

Well, I’m here to show others how to integrate BOTH. You put yourself at a disadvantage if you are not willing to integrate your mind and heart (body/spirit) systemically. You are at your most powerful self-expression when you are in touch at an “intrapersonal” level – spirit, mind, emotions and body. Intuition is not only a great skill in business; it matters to your life in general. Have you had any situations where using intuition made a difference in your business? I’d love to hear your comments!