The Importance of Intuition and Trust in Personal and Business Success, Part I

I recently had to make a decision on a business deal. Looking purely at the numbers my decision should have been straightforward, especially since I'm usually quick at making decisions. Yet I hesitated. You see my intuition or my gut feeling was not in agreement with the outwardly, more logical decision that analysis of the numbers was leading me to.

Offer A was more lucrative but I felt that the person making it would change their mind at a moment's notice leaving me high and dry. I had more trust and respect for the person making Offer B. I felt that they would behave in a more trustworthy manner and that it would be a pleasure doing business with them. Through a mix-up in communications, although I didn't know it at the time, while I was considering these two offers, the person making Offer A had already rescinded their offer. My intuition had been proved right. Fortunately, it was early enough in the deal that no irreparable damage had been done.

Intuition is often viewed more as a feminine trait but men use their intuition as well. Best-selling author, Marc Allen, reflecting on one of his mistakes regarding a business deal that went sour, said in a recent teleseminar,

"My first gut impression when I looked in his eyes was "Don't trust this guy". That was my initial intuitive impression and ever since then I've never denied that intuitive impression. I always wanted to meet people face-to-face. Just look in their eyes and you get a lot of intuitive information."

Allen's intuition was proved right when the company that this guy was brought in to manage went belly-up.

Some people underestimate the power of their intuition but it is not just a whim. Intuitive thought or a hunch is often the result of, among other things, our senses taking in and analysing a mass of data and helping us to formulate an opinion on the subject and assess a situation in a uniquely insightful way manner.

So as Dr Joyce Brothers said,

"Trust your hunches. They're usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level."

However, like most things intuition is a skill that must be honed so here are five ways to improve your powers of intuition:

1. Accept that intuition exists and is a gift that can help you to reach your goals faster;
2. Discover what fears you have that prevent you from using your intuition fully;
3. Follow your intuition - when you hear that quiet voice, when you have inspired thought, ACT on it;
4. Practice extreme self-care - take care of mind, body and spirit by exercising regularly, eating healthily, drinking plenty of fresh water and getting adequate rest this will make you more receptive to intuitive thoughts; and
5. Keep a journal - you may be able to see patterns that emerge when you have intuitive thought.