Intuition: The Inner Voice That Guides Our Decisions

In today’s session, I’ll talk about one of the most mysterious and misunderstood human abilities: intuition. I invite you to explore how your mind works when you’re not consciously thinking. Because that’s what it’s all about. And I’ll warn you right now that intuition can be your best ally or your worst enemy. Either way, it’s an essential human capacity that shouldn’t be underestimated. Since a good portion of the decisions we make are intuitive and linked to our emotions.

With real-life examples, references to experiments, and a scientific yet accessible approach. We’ll discover how the intuitive system works and why, in certain situations, it’s more effective than rational thought.

About a Harvard Study

In a Harvard University study, a group of students were shown short video clips of professors giving lectures. Afterward, they were asked to evaluate these professors by answering questions such as: Do you like them? Do they seem like a good teacher? Are they academically well-prepared? The most interesting thing is that the opinions formed after just a brief glance coincided in 85 percent of the participants’ opinions with those formed after six months of the course. Sometimes what we feel in an instant is as accurate as what we think after months of analysis.

Intuition is a human faculty that has fascinated philosophers, psychologists, and thinkers throughout history. It refers to that kind of immediate knowledge. Without the conscious use of reasoning, that allows us to make quick and often correct decisions in complex or ambiguous situations. Although it has sometimes been considered a mere hunch or a feeling, it is much more than that. It is a form of mental processing that combines past experiences, subconscious patterns, and accumulated knowledge.

It is a cognitive process that occurs quickly and automatically, without the conscious intervention of reason. When we face a decision or a problem, our brain implicitly evaluates all the information stored in our memory. Identifying patterns and relationships that may escape our conscious analysis. Thus, intuition functions as a shortcut that allows us to act in fractions of a second. Especially in situations where time or information is limited. For example, a doctor can quickly detect an illness in a patient, not always because they rationally analyze each symptom. But because they have internalized patterns and signals that their brain automatically recognizes.

It is knowledge reached through a non-rational path. Therefore, it cannot be explained and sometimes cannot even be verbalized: “Why did I decide that? I don’t know, it was intuition,” “Intuition led me to leave that place.”

But there is a problem, because this incredible mechanism can fail. It is time to also understand the great dangers of intuition. In what situations we can fail and follow the wrong impulses.

Let’s return to the Harvard University experiment. How is it possible that students who watched only a few seconds of a professor’s lecture in a video could predict whether they would like a professor or not? The answer is simple: reading others is key to survival, and we’ve been doing it since we were babies. But that’s where an imposter can appear: prejudice. Because in addition to experience, we accumulate preconceptions that are often presented to us as certainties, even though they have no basis in fact. Imagine you have to interview someone for a job. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, certain physical, cultural, or racial traits can influence your perception. And that’s not intuition; it’s prejudice.

Intuition: The Inner Voice That Guides Our Decisions 0

Besides our prejudices, there’s another problem: cognitive biases.

A cognitive bias is a psychological effect that produces a deviation in mental processing. Leading to a distortion or inaccurate judgment of reality. There are many types of biases. One example is the halo effect, which leads us to consider only one aspect of a person or product to form a general opinion. You see an attractive person and, without realizing it, you begin to attribute other virtues to them. You assume they are trustworthy, intelligent, happy. And the opposite also happens. Based on one trait you don’t like, you unconsciously label a person with other negative characteristics.

Another example is confirmation bias, which describes our tendency to focus on and give greater credence to evidence that fits with our beliefs. It’s the preference for information that is consistent with what we think, with what we believe, and against data that contradicts it. In other words, starting from that first impression based on certain biases. So you begin to see all the signs that confirm what you believe and ignore the signs that contradict it.

There are three conditions that must be met for intuition to be reliable.

The first is experience. If you’ve been in a similar situation many times, your brain has accumulated wisdom. And when it speaks to you, it doesn’t necessarily do so with words. Sometimes it does so with feelings.

The second is that there are clear rules. Chess, music, an emergency room—these are environments where there is feedback, and mistakes teach you. There, intuition is trained, adjusted, and refined. But in unclear situations, without clear results. That same intuition can be completely lost and appear as a hunch. Leading you to make mistakes with the confidence of someone convinced they are right.

The third has to do with your emotional state. Good intuition needs a calm mind. If you’re angry, anxious, or euphoric, what you’re feeling isn’t wisdom from the unconscious; it’s an impulse. So before following a hunch, ask yourself: Do I have real experience in this? Are the rules of the game clear, and do I understand them? Am I emotionally stable? If all three answers are yes, then listen to that inner voice. That’s where your intuition can shine and lead you to make better decisions than if you rely solely on logic. But if any of these fail, be wary and don’t use intuition as an excuse. Don’t invoke it to justify laziness in not analyzing things deeply, to ignore evidence, or to validate your beliefs. Don’t say “I have a hunch” just because you’re afraid to examine your own biases.

Intuition as a Compass

It’s clear that intuition is a quick way to decide what might be brilliant or a trap. And often, that intuition manifests as an emotion. A sign that appears before you can explain it. Studies in affective neuroscience by Harvard professor Arthur Brooks show that emotions act as robust shortcuts for anticipating how satisfied we’ll be with a decision in the future. Brooks suggests we pay attention to three very specific signals.

  • The first is enthusiasm. Does imagining that future energize you? Does it excite you? Does it make you want to get started? If it doesn’t excite you, be careful.
  • The second is fear, but not just any fear. Productive fear, the kind that arises when something pushes you to your limits, can be your best compass. The other kind, the one that paralyzes you and warns you of a danger that overwhelms you, is a red flag.
  • The third is the most subtle: emptiness. That feeling that everything seems in order, but something doesn’t quite fit. You can’t explain why, but something doesn’t add up. If you feel that, trust that feeling and adjust the plan.

I suggest that before making an important decision, you do a thorough análisis. Such as making a list of pros and cons, but don’t stop there. Then imagine what your life would be like after choosing that option. In addition to thinking about it, feel it. Learning to listen to your emotions isn’t just about following your heart. It’s about adding listening to and giving importance to what resonates within you, alongside rational analysis.

In conclusion, we all experience intuition in our daily lives. It acts as a silent companion that helps us navigate the world and has many advantages. Speed in decision-making, the ability to act in uncertain situations, and a deep connection to our personal experience. However, it also presents risks, as it can be biased by prejudices, emotions, or limited experiences. Therefore, it’s advisable to complement it with rational analysis. Especially in important or complex decisions. Research suggests that practice and experience strengthen intuitive ability. Intuition is an invaluable tool that, when listened to and balanced with rational thought, becomes incredibly powerful.

Intuition is an invaluable tool that, when listened to and balanced with rational thought, can enhance our decisions and creativity. Understanding how it works allows us to trust that inner voice that, on many occasions. It guides us down paths that logic has not yet explored. Cultivating intuition, therefore, is opening a door to a deeper and more enriching way of knowing ourselves and the world around us.

Israel Manuel Fagundo Pino
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