Should We Trust Our Intuition? The Power of the Hunch

Why Should We Trust Our Intuition?

Many dismiss intuition as it does not rely on conscious premises or rational thinking. It is far removed from rational thought based on the laws of logic and does not stem from pure empiricism or sensory experience. Yet for others, it represents a vital way of perceiving the world and other people. But what exactly is it? A flash of insight, a subconscious emotion, or perhaps a glimpse into oneself and others from an entirely different cognitive plane?

Steve Jobs (1955-2011), the American entrepreneur and former CEO of Apple Inc., highlighted its role and significance in his June 12, 2005 commencement address at Stanford University: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

The 21st-century individual cannot escape reflection on the role and significance of intuition in the modern world. To attempt to do so might mean voluntarily forfeiting a valuable guide in shaping one’s life.

Trust Our Intuition. What Does it Mean?

Delving into the linguistic roots of the term “intuition,” we find its origin in the Latin intueri, meaning to look at or observe. However, our modern understanding of intuition stems from the medieval Latin intuitio, signifying a hunch or premonition. The Polish Language Dictionary also identifies intuition as a premonition, the ability to foresee, or creative imagination. Thus, for contemporary individuals, intuition represents an inner insight, a sudden conviction appearing out of nowhere as a flash of thought, often colloquially termed an “epiphany.”

What is the source of intuition? Theories abound. Some argue that it results from unconscious processes within an individual. According to this theory, intuition would be the product of all activities occurring within a person beyond their control, such as emotions, convictions, premonitions, and sensations. Recognizing intuition requires pausing and acknowledging a voice that does not originate from the realm of rationality – a skill not everyone possesses. Another theory posits that intuition is a blend of life experiences and knowledge that organizes these experiences. This perspective suggests that the older and more experienced a person becomes, the better they become at detecting their intuitive voice. Based on reflected-upon experiences, individuals develop an increasingly refined “foresight” of possible solutions and consequences to their decisions as they age, with intuition playing an invaluable role.

First Thinkers. Trust Our Intuition

One of the first thinkers to treat intuition seriously as a valuable cognitive faculty was the French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941). He openly appreciated the power of intuition, drawing on premises timidly proposed by earlier thinkers such as Plato, St. Augustine, and Blaise Pascal. Acknowledging intuition’s unique power, Bergson wrote in his book “Introduction to Metaphysics”: “By intuition, we mean the kind of intellectual sympathy by which one places oneself within an object in order to coincide with what is unique in it and consequently inexpressible.” These words emphasized the supra-rational dimension of intuition, inexplicable to human reason. While common-sense analyses reduced everything we experience to shared experiences and terms that exclude the individuality and uniqueness of one’s own experience, intuition transcended these concepts and respected each person’s internal experience. 

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The Modern Understanding of Intuition

In the 21st century, intuition has gained particular prominence. An increasing number of researchers, primarily psychologists and philosophers, recognize its profound significance. How often do we sense that we should (or should not) behave in a certain way? How many times does a conviction arise in our minds that a specific decision is right or wrong, even though we cannot provide concrete arguments? We simply “know it from somewhere” or, as we often say, “feel it intuitively.”

Psychologists highlight the role of our subconscious, which continuously processes and updates information within us that we are not aware of, both during sleep and while awake. Our intuitive hunches emerge when our logical mind finally learns something that our subconscious mind knew long before. In this sense, intuition could be defined today as a match between our past experiences and knowledge and the events we currently face. One could visualize our subconscious as a sponge, absorbing everything we experience on our life journey, retaining it, and at the appropriate moment in the present, using patterns and matrices from the past to overlay on current experiences.

Female Intuition: Myth or Reality?

This term, according to many researchers, is not at all exaggerated. Of course, both women and men possess intuition, and everyone can benefit from its promptings. However, psychologists point out that women have developed a much stronger emotional sensitivity through the evolutionary process, geared towards the ability to read various internal human states.

This is inextricably linked to women’s biological predisposition for life-giving and caring for the vulnerable, which in turn leads to a greater emphasis on interpersonal relationships and communication skills than in men. Women, naturally inclined towards deeper empathy with others and care for children and the elderly, more easily perceive the needs and shortcomings of others, simply because they focus more attention, time, and engagement on these aspects than men do.

This explains women’s ability to use intuition more flexibly and to have better instincts based on its promptings. However, it is important to note that this is a generalization, and individual differences can be significant regardless of gender. 

Cultivating Intuition

Intuition is an inherent capability in every individual, but it can and should be developed. For modern humans, the ability to listen to both oneself and others often proves too labor-intensive and demanding, yet it can be indispensable for greater functional comfort. Psychologists emphasize the importance of practicing concentration and mindfulness, aided by quiet spaces, avoiding external stimuli, and the ability to “switch off.”

Polish reporter, publicist, and poet Ryszard Kapuściński (1932-2007) highlighted this valuable skill in his book “Christ with a Rifle on His Shoulder”: “People […]  devote too much attention to so-called loud moments, and too little to examining periods of silence. This is a lack of intuition so unerring in every mother when she hears that her child’s room has suddenly gone quiet.”

In the daily rush of ordinary duties and obligations concerning work, family, and acquaintances, it is easy to lose the ability to quiet oneself to gather new energy and listen to one’s inner voice. Władysław Tatarkiewicz (1886-1980), the famous Polish historian of philosophy, warned against this in his work “On Philosophy and Art”: “Practical life constantly forces us to focus on it and react to it if we do not want to lose our state of possession.”

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When Not to Trust Our Intuition

However, there are situations where intuition does not help and, on the contrary, following it may prove to be a mistake. The voice of intuition is not always accurate, and its suggestions are not always correct. What events should make us cautious about following the voice of intuition?

Being under the influence of strong emotions certainly does not favor making accurate decisions, and intuition is even less able to help because it does not belong to the rational voices in a person. It is better to wait until excess emotions subside, one returns to stability, and can think rationally.

Similarly, in cases where we must make serious decisions that have consequences not only for ourselves but also for others around us, caution is warranted. Financial investments, taking out loans, lending money – these are typical circumstances related to financial management that require hard calculation rather than intuitive prompts. It is about responsibility for oneself and others, and consequences that will be borne for a longer time.

It also happens that we must make decisions in situations that require specific knowledge in a given field – legal, medical, administrative – and we may not necessarily have sufficient preparation. The voice of intuition may not be useful then, and rather the opposite: it can do more harm than good. It is better to focus on gathering appropriate, professional knowledge or consulting a specialist rather than listening to what our inner conviction suggests. 

Translation: Klaudia Tarasiewicz

Read the text in Polish: Nie jest traktowana poważnie, a może warto jej słuchać. Tajemnice intuicji