The Truth About Intuition

Intuition is the ability to understand something immediately without conscious reasoning. Those gut instincts we have from time to time. But how do we know when to trust these immediate reactions, or when to realize that these are based on preconceived bias or even prejudice that we have? Well, let’s explore that in this third episode in this series. 

We’ve all had moments where we’ve needed to make quick decisions and snap judgments. Sometimes we don’t have time to ponder about a situation or have enough information about it. This is when we rely on our intuition. That small voice in our head. Those gut instincts. These could be moments when we’re stuck in a dilemma, especially one that will impact our future, like a potential job or impending move. Other moments are when we need to rely on instincts and first impressions when meeting others. 

Some people would call this a “sixth sense” and I believe that in a way it is. Trusting that little voice in our head is valuable and sometimes even life-saving. However, we run into problems when we attach deeper meanings to these hunches. We can misjudge people unfairly when in reality they’re simply not a match for our personality. Perhaps we felt the new job wasn’t a fit for us, but we ignored that feeling and accepted the position anyway, only to be miserable within months of starting. Either we ignore those intuitive hits, or we put way too much emphasis on it. Let’s explore these two concepts on a larger scale.

Part 1: Indoctrinated Beliefs 

Sometimes, these intuitive notions can come from our experience. A mechanic can diagnose a car issue based on the sound it’s making. A nurse or doctor can diagnose an illness based on the how a patient looks. These are times when a professional is using their expertise and experience in their craft. But remember when I said we can attach too deep of a meaning to our intuitive hits? Sometimes we think our first impressions tell the full story, when in actuality, we don’t have enough information to come to an in-depth conclusion. It’s like the doctor prescribing you medication without doing a proper check of your symptoms and medical history. I see this on social media all the time, where people will make these judgments and in-depth analysis based on a tiny clip of someone’s life. And more often than not, those elaborate conclusions are wrong.  

Unfortunately, we see this all the time in society offline. Instead of judging a person based on their behavior, we’ll instead attach harmful stereotypes simply to a person’s features or identity. This is how things like homophobia, racism, and misogyny continue. People continue to judge others based on indoctrinated beliefs that aren’t rooted in fact and or even reality. But these can become ingrained so deep that they become part of those intuitive hits and snap judgments. 

We’ve heard of horrifying examples of black men being racially profiled by the police despite not exhibiting any threatening behavior. Men who exhibit any sensitivity or behavior that society has coded as “feminine” are quickly deemed to be gay. It wasn’t 1973 that the American Psychiatric Association stopped listing homosexuality as a mental illness. And at one point, being gay was a crime that could get you thrown in jail and your rights stripped away. So you can see how threatening these preconceived notions can be.

But there’s one more example that’s even more immediate. Abortion is a current hot button issue in America. Based on my research, the reason certain groups of people support restricting access to an abortion is based on indoctrinated beliefs of woman’s sexuality and the assumption that all women should be mothers. Regardless if the woman simply doesn’t want or can’t take care of a child. These same groups of people don’t seem to account for the psychological and financial resources that are needed to raise a child. Unfortunately, these indoctrinated beliefs have resulted in laws being passed that restrict a woman’s agency over her body. 

I know these are extreme examples, but they show the dangerous situations that evolve when we our beliefs are so firmly ingrained that we reject the reality that contrasts what we believe.  

Part 2: Self-Doubt 

But let’s swing the pendulum to the other side of this concept. If our gut instincts are not always right and they don’t tell us the full story, should we trust it at all? Some people believe that if science can’t prove it, then it doesn’t exist. That could be ghosts, God, or anything spiritual. But science can’t explain everything. We don’t have a quantifying way of measuring emotions. Scientists know what the body does during sleep and the effects of not getting enough sleep, but we can’t figure out why we sleep. There’s much of outer space that has not been explored, and therefore astronomers continue to craft theories based on the knowledge we have. In fact, many scientific advancements have happened because we explored beyond what we thought we knew.

And yet there are people who are taught to doubt themselves. That all the answers are in some authority figure, be it a preacher or our parents. We become afraid to progress in life, getting caught up in “analysis paralysis”. Instead of asking questions to explore more of the world, we ask questions out of fear of being wrong. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make an embarrassing mistake? This constant monitoring and worry can cause stress and even depression. We stop listening to that little voice in our head that tries to steer us in the right direction.  

I’ve said before how life is about change. Life is also about taking risks and accepting the mistakes along the way. We learn to apologize without letting guilt stop us from trying again. We reach out for help when we’re stuck in a challenging situation. Take the mistakes as a lesson learned, and over time you’ll learn to trust those gut instincts again. 

Part 3: The Truth About Intuition

So to my last point. Life is about balance, and so is intuition. Sometimes these intuitive hits nudge us in the right direction. But sometimes these can be snap judgements born from ingrained biases. Knowing the difference takes time and some internal inquiry. The more we explore beyond our beliefs, current knowledge, and past experiences, the more we understand the world around us. Just like the mechanic who has worked on enough cars to know when something is wrong by sound alone. Just like the nurse who has worked on enough patients that she can sense when someone has an illness by a quick observation. But remember, those gut instincts don’t tell the full story. We still need to gather more information if we want to be sure. And if you make a mistake, apologize, learn how to fix it, and take it as a lesson learned. Have faith that you’re doing the best you can with what you have at the phase of your life. In the next episode, I’ll explore what to do when you’ve stumbled upon a setback and need to slow down.