“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

Just what is Intuition?

Here are some definitions of intuition as we know it today.

• Intuition is “knowing without knowing when you know it (K, 2017).”
• “Unbounded extended awareness.” This comes from the research that shows that we share a universal consciousness or as Larry Dossey, M.D. writes about the One Mind, “a collective unitary domain of intelligence, of which all individual minds are part (Dossey, 2013).”
• Intuition is similar to psychologist Carl Jung’s term the “Collective Unconscious,” which resides outside of our brain and from which we can tap into and gain knowledge and insight.
• Intuition is outside of and beyond our brain, and uses the brain as a filter to understand its’ message. This is known in quantum physics as “nonlocality.”
• Biologist Rupert Sheldrake researches extended consciousness and calls communication that takes places intuitively as “morphic fields,” which acts as strands of consciousness between two or more beings (Sheldrake, 2009)

“I’ve trusted the still, small voice of intuition my entire life. And the only time I’ve made mistakes is when I didn’t listen.”

– Oprah Winfrey

Benefits of Intuition:

Listening to and tapping into our intuition is a way to access universal intelligence. We can ask a question and be open to receive an answer from our intuition. Intuition is a way we can acknowledge there is knowing beyond the self. Intuition can complement and enhance our rational brain-based critical thinking. After taking our logical thought process as far as it can go, we can be open to any intuitive insights that come to us. For example, ask “What is the next step I can take in my career journey?”

“Often you have to rely on your intuition.”

– Bill Gates

Distinguishing Intuition from Thinking

Intuitive messages are neutral in tone, short and to the point, non-judgmental, symbolic, fleeting and subtle (Lisa K, 2017).  If these characteristics are missing, then our thinking brain is taking over.

Intuition is more than the Myers-Briggs and Jungian type description of intuition (N); although it’s similar. Intuition is closer in description to our right brain hemisphere characteristics of – seeing the big picture, conceptual, abstract, symbolic and insightful. Intuition is also being receptive to messages that can come up after we ask a question to our intuition.

We can create a partnership between intuition and intellect.

We can distinguish our first intuitive impressions from our biases. Biases are learned and conditioned. Our challenge is learning to distinguish the differences between the two. This takes time, sensitivity and ongoing practice.

How Intuition Works:

Intuition is information and knowledge from universal consciousness that we can learn to listen to.  We ask a question and are receptive to intuitive messages. These messages can come in fragments of words, images or symbols. These are called intuitive “pop ups (K, 2017).” We can continue to ask our intuition what these fragments mean and start the process over again until we have more complete and useful information or image that addresses our original question.

Learning to listen, develop and work with our intuition takes practice and is similar to learning any skill and can improve over time.

Intuition is very close to what Kathleen Mitchel and John Krumboltz writes about in his Planned Happenstance Theory of Career Development (Mitchell et. all, 1999),  A large part of Planned Happenstance is about following your curiosity and seeing where it leads you. Curiosity can correlate easily to following our intuition and trusting our insights.

“I research new ideas very thoroughly, asking a lot of people about their experiences and their thoughts. But on many occasions I have followed my intuition: you can’t make decisions based on numbers and reports alone.”

– Richard Branson

Ways We Can Utilize our Intuition

I suggest the following process in preparation . Start with a brief meditation at start of your work day. This can be as brief as a minute or two and can benefit you by relaxing you and placing you in the proper mindset for becoming receptive to your intuition.

Set your intention to be open to your intuition as you ask relevant questions related your your career.

Take a deep breath, release any preconceptions, and ask you intuition for guidance on your question.

Be open, be curious and take note of any impression you may get. Write them down.

Questions to ask your intuition

• What am I missing that may benefit my career search
• What people can assist me?
• What is one thing I can do today to move myself forward in my career.

If information you receive from your intuition is incomplete ask, follow up questions.

Test for accuracy. Check your notes and see how your intuition responses unfold over time. This takes repetitive practice; we get better with concerted efforts and time.

Screen for biases. We can distinguish our first intuitive impressions from our biases. Biases are learned and conditioned. Our challenge is learning to distinguish the differences between the two. This takes time, sensitivity and ongoing practice.

Mentally stand back and note what internal messages are coming up and ask yourself if these may be biases or if they may be true intuitive insights. Take a deep breath when doing this. Research shows intuitive insights are more neutral in tone and do not carry an emotional charge like biases can.

Keep an intuition notebook or journal and take notes on any intuitive hits you receive for the students you meet with.

“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs (2005 Commencement Speech at Stanford University)

It’s time we acknowledge that we all use our intuition daily. Bring it out of the shadows and utilize it for the incredible gift that it is. By integrating intuition into our work we are being open to our intuitive insights. As we are coming out of these post pandemic challenging times that lie ahead as the world of work is getting re-invented; using and developing our intuition will be essential to effectively address all the global changes to come in our career and life.