One day a young woman convinced the world she was the next Steve Jobs, claiming to have invented a new blood testing technology. Her name was Elizabeth Holmes, and she had the world in the palm of her hands, wining and dining the top of society. Fast-forward to today, she turns out to be just another con artist.
By convincing rich investors she had access to game-changing technology, along with plenty of charisma, she pulled the wool over their eyes. But while she tricked many, some people felt something was off, long before any proof of the deception was out there. These people simply had a gut feeling. Sometimes our intuition works like a radar, warning us of inbound dangers. Other times, it’s like a navigation system, telling us where we should be headed.
Intuition is a pretty useful tool, but I’ll be the first to admit it: it goes counter to our usual, rational mindset. In recent years though, I’ve found something which has put my mind at ease to go with my gut. And I’ll hope it’ll do the same for you.
See, any normal person would consider chess to be one of the most rational activities out there. People view it as a game of analyzing every move and countermove. Only, that’s not the whole truth. Gues what hapens if you’ve only got one minute left on the clock? Well, with not enough time left to calculate every possibility, you start to play the move that ‘feels’ right. And if you’re at the highest level in chess, playing alongside grandmasters, nine times out of ten you’re probably correct.
Seems strange at first, doesn’t it? According to experts, this is pattern recognition at work. Great players have been at it for so long, that their brains have stored an array of useful chess patterns. Meaning, when they get into a similar situation, they often just know what to do – long before they’ve done the necessary calculations to verify their intuition.
Obviously, I’m not telling you to disregard all logic. Intuition isn’t always perfect, so combine it with reason. Still, it’s a valuable asset and you shouldn’t throw it away, just because you view yourself as a rational person. If it’s pattern recognition, it’s perfectly reasonable to keep in mind when making decisions. So, don’t be afraid to trust your gut. It might just surprise you. Food for thought!
Kind regards
Vincent J. Dancet