Recently, during an on-camera audition for the W Network’s Expert Search, I talked about how often I encourage my clients to follow their intuition and how I am more aware than ever that intuition is an incredible source of information that can supersede logic, facts and reason.

But intuition and gut feelings often get a bad rap, and indeed many scientists dismiss intuition as being too “woo woo” and just not reliable. And yet every great discovery, including the theory of relativity, and Einstein’s major contributions to quantum physics, both came from the fact that he was an intuitive genius. Einstein had an inner vision, or intuition, about what was and was not a good fundamental theory. Intuition and imagination played major roles in his remarkable discoveries, and to quote Einstein, “imagination is often more important than knowledge.”

So don’t discount this powerful resource of information, as it can be a huge key to your success in your relationships, your career and your life. I guess the real question is, how do we tell the difference between a feeling or hunch that is accurate and reliable and one that isn’t?

A fascinating article in Psychology Today, called Gut Almighty (in the May/June 2007 issue) makes the case for trusting intuition. Carlin Flora wrote that there are times when trusting your gut is the smartest move and times when you really should think twice.

“Intuitions or gut feelings are sudden, strong judgments whose origin we can’t immediately explain. Although they seem to emerge from an obscure inner force, they actually begin with a perception of something outside, a facial expression, a tone of voice, a visual inconsistency so fleeting, you aren’t even aware you noticed,” she said.

The best explanation psychologists now offer for this is that intuition is a “mental matching game.” So the brain absorbs and takes in a situation, and searches through its files and finds the thing that is similar in all of its stored memories and knowledge. This all happens in a matter of seconds, and even though there may be no logic or reason, you just know something. That is intuition at play, and when you listen to it, it can be a very powerful resource.

You know the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you are auditioning for something or at a job interview, or meeting someone that you really like. Well, according to cognitive scientist Alexandre Linhares of the Brazilian School of Business, “that visceral punch in the paunch is testament that emotions are an intrinsic part of all gut feelings.” So the theory is that “if you witness something while your adrenaline is pumping, it will be remembered very vividly. He said, “Intuition can be described as almost immediate situation understanding as opposed to immediate knowledge. Understanding is filled with emotion. We don’t obtain knowledge of love, danger or joy – we feel them in a meaningful way.”

The best part of intuition is that it at least compels us to act in specific ways and make a move. It can be used as the first step in solving a problem or deciding what to do. Also, the more you sharpen the skill, the more reliable your intuition become. Having said that, it is best to test out your hunches, as you can easily latch onto the wrong detail and pull up the wrong web of associations in your brain.

Fine-tuning your intuition will help you make better decisions, whether you’re buying a car, making new friends or solving problems at work. Here are some tips on how to get started.

Turn the sound off of a movie and try to imagine what the dialogue is or guess what the person in front of you at the line at Starbucks is going to order. Then test your hunches by turning the sound of the movie on or listening to which coffee the person actually ordered.

What it comes down to, is when we are agonizing over a decision and we are  struggling with too much information or too many choices, sometimes we ought to go with our first best instinct or feeling.

So the next time you’re really stuck, tune in to your intuition. I have a hunch it might just work for you!

Judy Siblin-Librach is an Adler-trained coach. Website: www.findingyourbliss.com; e-mail: [email protected]