“It is by logic that we prove, but by intuition we discover” Henry Poincare
We don’t need to have a “sixth sense” to have intuition. Intuition is our own gut feeling or perception that something is right or wrong. For example, if your intuition is telling you that the process or product idea you are working on is flawed, you need to have the courage to act on that intuition and explore why it is wrong.
There are two key parts when using your own intuition about people, events, and processes in your entrepreneurial small business projects:
- the first is to trust your intuition.Without trust in your intuitive process, you may not have the courage or conviction to follow through with your gut feelings and end up with a project you personally feel is not up to your usual standard
- the second is to explore and act on those feelings. Even if you trust in your own intuitive feelings about something, if you do not explore those feelings and take appropriate action, you may as well not have trusted your intuition.
Small business owners who can both trust their own instincts, and take appropriate actions on an intuitive perception about something are more likely to have a successful buisness. It all begins with yourself and your own reactions to your intuition and perceptions.
Trust In Your Intuition
Trusting in your intuition is not always easy. If you have a low level of self-confidence, you tend to avoid trusting in your own perceptions and will more likely take advice from others first. However, even those with high levels of self-confidence can find it difficult to trust something as vague as a feeling or even a niggling doubt that something is just not quite right.
The easiest way to learn to trust your intuition is to take some action on the niggling doubt instead of just leaving it to annoy you. When you get a gut feeling that something is wrong with the project you re working on, don’t ignore it. Instead, take the actions you would take if you trusted your intuition. If you explore the issue and discover that others felt the same way, or validate your intuition, it is easier to trust your intuition. The next time your intuition starts ringing those alarm bells, you will listen because it was right the last time.
Act on Your Intuition
When you take action on your intuition, you not only validate your gut feelings, but you work to improve the project. Allowing your intuition some input into the project allows you to explore and improve the project where it needs to be improved. Nothing is perfect, but when your intuition tells you that something is wrong, you can take the appropriate actions to make improvements.
So next time you get that nagging feeling that something is not quite right, listen to it and take the time to explore the reasons why.
Photo Credit: 
photo credit: swanksalot
