Do you use it and would you admit you do?

Do you get instant hits of knowing something to be true without even knowing why? Have you ever had a gut feeling to do something, couldn’t explain why you needed to do it, and when you did it you were so glad you listened to your inner voice? This is your intuition speaking to you. It’s a very powerful tool that we all possess, but not everyone uses.

Why is this? We’re taught in business that when making decisions we need to look at the data. This is sound advice but only half the picture. Using our intuitive and rational mind together is what distinguishes great business leaders from merely good ones.

When we tap into our intuition, we’re rewarded. For it’s these messages we receive, these nudges, that bring us down our path of success.

If this resonates with you, let me share with you the benefits of trusting your gut, ultimately leading to your business and professional success.

First, there are many benefits for trusting your gut. From a business perspective I list a few critical ones that can benefit your organization, your team and most importantly, you.

Benefit #1:  Your intuition helps identify your ‘true’ sense of mission and purpose. Following your dreams, and being clear in what you want will move you faster to your definition of success. Your intuition is the laser beam that will get you where you want to go quickly.

Benefit #2: When you listen to your intuition you become open to new ideas that your rational mind may not be open to. Listening to your intuition will stop the limiting patterns the rational mind can give you, leading to missed opportunities. Your intuition helps you see new things you otherwise would have been closed off to.

Benefit #3: Using your intuition allows you to sense when things are off with your co-workers and/or clients. Sensing this allows you to tweak your approach or tactics based on how people are behaving vs what they’re saying. When working with people this is critical as it can make or break a successful deal or relationship.

Benefit #4: Using your intuition allows you to hear the voice of caution. Understanding risk is critical to business and following your gut when it tells you to steer clear of something is priceless.

We all have a story of when we have experienced a decision that was based on a strong sense of know and yet we couldn’t explain it. In the words of Oprah Winfrey…

For all the major moves in my life—to Baltimore, to Chicago, to own my show, and to end it—I’ve trusted my instincts. I take in all the information I can gather. I listen to proposals, ideas, and advice. Then I go with my gut, what my heart feels most strongly. And I often tell friends: When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Get quiet so you can hear the still, small voice—your inner GPS guiding you to true North.

Let’s stop believing that only the rational mind exists. Be open to the possibilities that we are equipped with other powerful forces that can direct our decision making and lead us down our path of success. For more information on intuition, check out my book, Intuition at Work.

Do you use your intuition when making decisions? Feel free to leave a comment below or shout out to us on Facebook or Twitter. Of course, you could always write your own blog post on the subject and share it with us… We’d love to read it!

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