The Questions of Intuition

The two questions that will help you know what you know

There is a subtle power in this set of questions. I call them the “intuition” questions. My mentor and friend Ray Rood shared this set of questions with me many years ago. (Interested in hearing Ray and I talk? We are hosting a podcast together, check it out on iTunes or listen to Episode 1 here.)

Intuition is being tuned in to what is happening in any given situation. It is the result of careful, thoughtful observation of what has happened and predicting what could happen. It is something (I believe) that happens more subconsciously than with our active involvement. Nevertheless, it is available to each of us.

This power question set is a tool to help clarify and articulate what we know. It is being tuned into what is happening just below the surface. Often times we “know” but we don’t know that we know or we are unwilling to trust what we know. The simple question, “what do I know” helps create a pause to listen, really listen, to our hearts.

If we were sitting over coffee I bet I could ask you to tell me about a time that you “knew” you needed to make a change, or you felt like something good or bad was going to happen, but you didn’t act on it because “I didn’t know . . but I kind of knew.” Asking ourselves: What do I know, reminds us that often we do know more than we give ourselves credit for. It is a tool that helps us perceive what is happening around us.

What am I going to do about what I know is the second and equally important part of this question equation. Knowing what we know is good, but taking the next step and acting on what we know is where the power comes.

I have had moments in my life where I knew I needed to move in a new direction. I needed to quit a job, or shift a friendship, or move in a new direction. It’s not always easy to listen to those “heart promptings.” There have been times in my life where things “aren’t bad” and yet I know that I need to move forward. It’s when things “aren’t bad” that it’s hardest to listen to our heart’s guidance. (Or at least that’s been my experience.)

It works the other way too. Years ago I saw a poster of a teacher laughing with a Chinese student. I knew at the moment that would be me. It took months for that knowledge in my heart to work its way to my head. But it was there, and following that path to China was life-changing.

Taking action is where things get a little riskier and scary. It is also where things get a whole lot more interesting. What do I need to do about what I know calls us to movement. Acting on what we know challenges us to be active participants in our lives rather than passive receivers. We always have a choice between reactive(acting on what is happening as it happens) or being proactive(predicting what will happen and acting to be prepared and/or ready.)

These are not easy questions. They may call us to scary and hard things. They are worth asking. The questions are worth following to see where they lead. Let’s tune our ears to hear.