INNOVATION BLOCKERS INTUITION that elicited either a positive emotion or a negative one ( such as a puppy for positive or a gun for negative ). These images were meant to act as a subconsciously-perceived bit of information and spark the participants ’ intuition .
The results ? The researchers found that participants who were shown the positive images made faster and more accurate decisions . They were also more confident in their decisions .
TRUST YOUR INTUITION MINI FAQ Can your intuition be wrong ?
Yes , intuition can be wrong due to our cognitive biases . For example , if you strongly believe in your gut that your partner is going to leave you , you might start “ seeing ” patterns — like spending more time out with their friends or random texts on their phone from an unknown number .
These patterns might mean something , but they could also just be your brain ’ s way of trying to accumulate as much information that proves an already-existing belief . For example , game show contestants often “ feel ” their choice is right — however , in many cases they are wrong . Check out this example of a game show contestant from the show Deal or No Deal who ends up risking it all .
Knowing whether your intuition is leading you to the truth or leading you astray often comes with practice and a deep knowledge of the self .
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON ’ T TRUST YOUR GUT ?
Here are some problems that can arise from ignoring your intuition :
1 . People pleasing 2 . Having trouble setting your boundaries 3 . Not feeling a “ spark ” for life 4 . Difficulty interacting with others
WHAT ’ S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTUITION AND INSTINCT ?
Instinct is a natural-born tendency , such as the instinct to eat food or avoid bugs that crawl around on eight legs . Intuition , on the other hand , is often learned knowledge and accumulates over a person ’ s lifetime .
WHAT IS AN INTUITIVE PERSON ?
An intuitive person can be described as empathetic and even as a mind-reader . Intuitive people can often tell what others are feeling and have a good sense of doing what is right in a given situation .
Intuitive people can also be adept not only at people skills but other skills as well . A person who is said to be an intuitive guitar player , for example , may have a good understanding of the fretboard and might be able to even “ hear ” the sound of the notes before they are even played .
WHERE DOES INTUITION COME FROM ?
Intuition comes from learned experience throughout one ’ s life . The better a person is able to learn from their experiences and gain insight from them , the more likely they are to have greater intuition .
INTUITION TAKEAWAYS
• Tune in to yourself . Try spending some alone time meditating or going for a walk to drown out the noise .
• Pay attention to your body language . Open body language generally means agreement , while closed body language indicates the opposite .
• Reflect on the past . Think of situations where you listened to your intuition in the past , and when you didn ’ t . How did you make your decisions ?
• Name your emotions . Personifying your emotions can help with clearing your head and revealing your intuitive thoughts .
• Take a personality test like the Big Five Test to understand yourself better .
• Learn about different subjects to train your mind to see different connections .
• Flip a coin to make a tough decision . Before it even lands , you ’ ll likely “ know ” the right answer .
• Visualize different outcomes and see which one “ feels ” right . +
Vanessa Van Edwards is Lead Investigator at Science of People . She is the best-selling author of Captivate : The Science of Succeeding with People , translated into 16 languages . More than 50 million people watch her engaging YouTube tutorials and TEDx Talk .
Vanessa shares tangible skills to improve interpersonal communication and leadership , including her insights on how people work . She ’ s developed a sciencebased framework for understanding different personalities to improve our EQ and help us communicate with colleagues , clients , and customers .
Vanessa works with entrepreneurs , growing businesses , and trillion-dollar companies ; and has been featured on CNN , BBC , CBS Mornings , Fast Company , Inc . Magazine , Entrepreneur Magazine , USA Today , The Today Show , and many more .
Vanessa is renowned for teaching sciencebacked people skills to audiences around the world including SxSW , MIT , and CES .
She regularly speaks to innovative companies including Google , Facebook , Comcast , Miller-Coors , Microsoft , Amazon , and Univision . She has been a spokesperson for Dove , American Express , Clean & Clear , and Symantec .
Read more at : ScienceOfPeople . com
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