Being a business owner and entrepreneur requires a lot of decision-making capacity and capability. We are faced with decisions at every turn. Entrepreneurship is inherently risky and sinking or swimming can be determined by the choices we make every day. So how do we make great decisions? How do we ensure that we maintain the energy for making the ‘right call’ when faced with tough choices?
In my humble opinion, it all comes down to what we base our decision on and where we draw that strength from. For me…it’s intuition. There are those in popular mainstream business media that claim that intuition is only ‘helpful’ in decision-making. I believe it is not just ‘helpful’, but rather mission-critical. I believe if mastered it does more than play a role in decision making but can BE the very backbone of the decision-making process.
Alongside those who claim intuition merely ‘helpful’ there are also those that say relying on it can be dangerous in complex situations in business. I could not disagree more. I find in the most complex, high stakes, and fast moving situations intuition plays the most vital role and should be relied on most. In my experience when a complex decision is to be made the weighing of data and the seeking of more and more data with the hopes of gathering enough to make the ‘right’ decision leads to not only further complexity but greater indecision.
What exactly is intuition?
I encounter people all the time who do not recognize they have this gift. We ALL have it. Within all of us there is a powerful subconscious process, which works to sift huge amounts of information, blend data, isolate telling details, and come to astonishingly rapid (and accurate) conclusions. It is omnipresent in us as children. As we grow, we are taught to value logic and reason over ‘gut’ and intuition. We are taught that we should lead with our heads and not to trust our hearts. Regardless, despite the silencing of that internal voice, we all have it. Sometimes when not listened to…it can grow as quiet as a whisper, but it never leaves us. We CAN call upon it now and turn up the volume on it.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” — Albert Einstein, 1879-1955 Physicist, and Nobel Laureate.
Why is intuition specifically so important in business?
It helps us make better decisions.
In a world of information overload, it is easy to become paralyzed by analysis. When we have so much information it is easy to not know where to start. When we do not know where to start we tend to take no action. I am in no way implying data is not important. As a high fact finder and lifelong learner I LOVE (and I mean LOVE) data. I collect information like people collect unicorn figurines. Intuition is a powerful tool to sift through data, simplify complexities and get to the heart of the issue so we know we are making decisions for the bigger picture beyond this moment ( long vs short term).
It keeps us connected.
Our connection with ‘all that is is another important factor in decision-making. Knowing where we fit into the architecture of the Universe and answering our calling within it carries tremendous responsibility …and freedom. When we are tuned in, tapped in, and turned on, we have access to a knowing that goes beyond the day-to-day. It is a trust within ourselves that allows us to act with confidence and conviction. Some call this God, Spirit, The Universe, Source Energy…there are many names… I invite you not to get hung up on the vocabulary I use, but rather what it is for YOU. Spirituality and Faith are personal endeavors. This connection is a direct path to connecting with our intuition. Faith and trust are required to hear what it has to offer and take action accordingly.
It sets us apart.
Accepting intuition as a valuable asset to how you approach decisions in business is also a differentiator. In short, it sets you apart from the rest. When you use intuition as a guiding force you harness the powers of both being and doing/ soul and strategy. The unification of these two energies is tremendous and allows for a balanced approach to creating space for bold action and the most aligned outcomes. It gives you an edge that others don’t have when they are focused only on the ‘doing’ or data aspects of the world.
Now that we have identified a few of the reasons why it is important, how do we use it?
I am not saying this is true for all…but here is how I like to do it:
I like to pose questions or dilemmas. In seeking the answer, I like to listen first, then feel, trust that my body does not lie, and then allow my brain to integrate that data. This allows me to proceed with clarity and confidence, feeling connected to the outcome with a solid strategy and actions to back it up
This skill comes from experience. The more experience one has in using intuition to make decisions the more historical reference points you have to increase your basis of trust in yourself; the more confidence you build and the easier it gets each time. You will see that when you listen, trust, and take faithful action you feel more solid and aligned in your truth than ever before.
A big part of intuition is trust. Trust in yourself, or in my opinion trust in your ‘higher self’. Your ‘high self’ is where I believe your strongest intuition comes from. Your high self is that part of you that is connected to the force bigger than yourself (reference the above list of things you might recognize it as).
If you find you are struggling to access that connection it may be time to put a spiritual practice into place. This can be but does not have to take any ‘religious’ form. It can be as simple as spending time getting quiet each day in a form of meditation, or journaling, or engaging in nature to create space for that whisper to turn into a roar. The more time you spend following the bread crumbs of your own internal voice the more experiences you have to build trust.
My particular intuitive gifts allow me to tap into the high self of those I serve and help them connect with their own wisdom and guidance and hear what it wants them to know. In taking action and creating strategies based on this ‘knowing’, we find that they are more aligned with their purpose and calling and thusly their business. In being more aligned they are better able to answer that call and do so from a place of being pulled toward it and internally driven by it vs externally pushing, driving, forcing, and relying on willpower at every turn.
In short, we go with the flow of life, trusting our calling and that The Universe has our backs because we are following our own north star and answering the call….vs being out of alignment, pushing the river, and swimming upstream.
In closing,
You have an internal divining rod for a reason. It is there with the intention to be used as your own personal GPS to find your purpose, follow your path, and live your best life. Listen for the little voice. Allow it to become louder…and LOUDer….and LOUDER! Recognize it for the gift that it is. Let it speak!
We would love to hear from you! How does this show up for you? Share in the comments below!
