Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Analytical Versus Intuitive Decision Making.

Interesting article I read sometime ago.
In it, the writer says, that most of us, given the chance to live life again, would end up as we already are or in a similar position.
Why?
Because most of us, will not recognise the life changing moments when they come along next time around. Or if we do, we won't have the courage to seize the opportunity, and change our life.
We're timid. We're creatures of habit. We like our known comforts. Given the same opportunity, we'd err on the cautious side and make the same choices again. The known is always more comforting than the unknown.
Very few of us break out early. Most of us settle for the known. And some that do , don't do enough preparation and find things don't work out, find disappointment, and slip back into their old pattern.
And most of us don't think about HOW we make our decision.

So how do we know how to choose the correct way, or make the right decision? How do we change our lives for good? How do we get out of that cubicle and take make that critical step on your big journey?

Google 'intuitive decision making' and you'll come up with many sites that discuss Analytical thinking and Intuitive thinking.
Social conditioning ,education, peer pressure etc,teach us to use analytical thinking. Because how can you teach intuitive thinking or using that gut instinct to best advantage? Those of us who do make gut instinct decisions, are often making analytical decisions, because what we think is our gut instinct is often just the sub conscious use of all our accumulated wisdom and experience or knowledge gained.
But true intuitive decision making , is a method I believe more of us could practice as a guide for life.
So when you're asking yourself the question "Should I toss in my job and change my life?" analytical thinking often won't give you the correct answer for yourself. It'll probably tell you to get stuck in and earn more dollars to pay that mortgage! LOL.
But Intuitive decision making will often provide an answer which is completely in conflict with an answer derived from the analytical approach. But it will be the correct answer for yourself!
The Intuitive approach, once you have 'mastered' the method can only provide the correct answer. How?Well, if you have the confidence to use intuitive thinking, every decision you make will be the correct one for yourself.
Whereas, analytical decision making may give you the correct answer based on the known facts. But it can still be the wrong one for yourself,because it doesn't answer your hidden needs or feelings. And often these needs are more overpowering in the longer term, than the need to pay off that mortgage.
So the point I wish to make is this-
It is how you decide! How do you make that decision?
I've been in that position 27 years ago. And made an intuitive decision to throw up a high paying corporate management career, to become a cobbler in my garage, against all the facts,all the rules, and social expectations.
But I 'knew' it was the correct decision.
So how did I know it was the correct decision? How could I have known that when I have a wife, 3 children under 5,a huge mortgage,bills to pay, etc, that I should walk away from a high paying but disastisfying management  career, to obscurity making a few shoes in my garage? And when I finally tell my wife what  I have done, you see her worry so much, she goes and gets a job washing dishes at a local restaurant to ensure some money comes in. Oh what a big heel I thought I was. But yet, inside me, another voice was saying,you stick with it Jim. And just a few months later, enough money was being earnt to provide, as a husband  and father should! And a few years later,life was sweet!
I have long pondered that decision. But it boils down to knowing that instinct was telling me what to do, and having the guts to go do it. Intuition,foresight or psychic perception, whatever was telling me the way forward for my future and my family's. That intuition proved correct and in facing any future dilemas or crisis I began to trust it.
Long afterward , facing up to another awkward situation, someone asked me how could I make such a tough decision so decisively. And the guy remarked how others just couldn't make such a decision. My answer was, that years ago I made a very tough decision. Having made that, no situation I could ever face, would ever be so tough to decide. Everything else came easy.
The toughest decisions, faced up to early and resolved in accordance with your intuitive responses pave the way.Life is now easy. We still cherish each other,have 3 fine grown up children,we both have occupations we love,and we have the means to travel when we want.





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2 comments:

Debra said...

Jim, thanks for sharing your experience with the intuitive process. Fellows like you are rare, as most are molded and shaped by the value system of the world, rather than inner wisdom. I’ve had many such experiences in my own life which have led me to go against mainstream thought. Those who truly are thinkers for themselves, and not blind followers of the herd, tend to take that road less traveled. I’m so glad we did.

Jim said...

Thanks Debra, I could go even deeper with this, as I tend to think that intuition can be developed .Or it may be that with time we remove more inhibitions from utilising it fully.
Check this out-
http://holesinmysoles.blogspot.com/2010/06/just-back-from-exploring-kimberly.html