Using your intuition in business can be powerful.

What would you say your top business skill is? If you’re like many people, you might rattle off your ability to listen, or your marketing skills, or even your creativity. 

But what about your intuition?

Intuition is one of the most important skills in your business. But seemingly invisible and often intangible, we often take this superpower for granted. 

The more you listen to your intuition in your business, the more you strengthen it, and the more you can make powerful decisions that support your best interests.

The power of using intuition in business

Think of your intuition as your inner guidance system. Intuition can come from a feeling or sensation, a knowing, or even a clear message. Intuition is more than just a gut feeling, though that is part of it.

Everyone has the power to tune into their intuition, but it can take some practice and patience.  

When you are feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or confused, instead of seeking external advice, you can learn to seek the answers within.

Your intuition or inner guide already knows what to do, and is communicating to you, even though you might not be listening.

Many people choose to focus their attention on taking action. But even though we might not see the results our intuition produces, they are definitely there. 

Why you want to tune into your intuition before taking action

Taking action is key to getting where you want to be in your business, but when you  ensure the action you take is aligned with your intuition, the result is alignment.

Intuition can be the difference between:

• Signing a problem client vs. choosing to decline when something seems “off”
• Choosing a program or coach who feels exactly right for you vs. one who looks good on paper
• Passing on an opportunity because it doesn’t feel aligned vs doing it anyway and getting lackluster results

When you listen to your intuition, you get clues to help support you in your decision-making.

Intuition is a powerful tool for decision making

When thinking of the tools we use to make a decision, we think of a pro and con list, or maybe the pain-gain model. But this black and white thinking is not always in our best interest. 

Even more often, we’ve done the pro and con list until we’re blue in the face, but we’re still spinning our wheels trying to figure out that decisions. (Ever been there?!)

Intuition can be the tool you use to help you finally make a choice.

It can be the tie-breaker in your pro and con list. And sometimes, it can be the easiest path to deciding if something is right for you.

When to use your intuition in your business

Here are some examples of when you might call on intuition in your business decisions.

• When deciding to sign a particular client
• When choosing who to partner with, what course to take, or what expert to hire
• When considering what podcast to pitch or what to write about
• When choosing between two  different directions in your business
• When deciding where to put your focus
  
• When working with your clients
  

Basically any time is a good time to tap into what your intuition is telling you.

The more you cultivate and use your intuition, the stronger it becomes, and the more natural it will be for you to experience receiving intuitive information.

7 ways you can use your intuition in business to make better decisions

It’s likely you are already making intuitive decisions. But if you want to strengthen your intuition when it comes to making business decisions, start with these 7 tips:

1. Know yourself.

A wise person once said, “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.” Knowing yourself means knowing what you stand for: your values, your convictions, your deal-breakers. It’s commendable to be flexible and to go with the flow, but if you don’t know what you stand for, you can be pulled in any direction, and not necessarily the one that best serves you. The more you know about yourself, the more your intuition can be attuned to what you need at any given time.

2. Listen to your inner voice.

It’s only natural that we reach out to others for advice when we’re confused. But ultimately, no one knows you better than you. Trust that you already have the answer. Listening to your intuition is often easier when you can quiet your mind. Allow yourself to spend some time alone in thoughtful reflection or meditation. Ask any questions you have and listen to what comes up. Be willing and open to receive the answers that come to you.

3. Tune into your body.

Our body experiences visceral reactions. These reactions can go unnoticed when we are in our heads trying to “figure things out.”  Next time you find your mental wheels spinning, try this: Lie down in savasana and take a few long slow deep breaths. Imagine making a specific choice and notice what you observe in your body. Repeat the same process with a different choice. Which option feels lighter/heavier? Which makes you feel tense/relaxed? What feels expansive/constrictive? 

4. Trust yourself.

To really hear your intuition, you must be able to trust yourself. That means paying attention to any red flags and not discounting them. It also means willing to lean in if you feel a strong call to something. Intuition doesn’t always seem rational, but the more we can tune into it, the more we can learn to follow the signs and trust the path. Be open to receiving the signs without judging. Trust that you can handle anything that comes up.

5. Be patient.

If no answer comes to you clearly and immediately, don’t stress about it. Simply practice remaining open. (I like to say, “When in doubt, wait it out.”)  Allow things to unfold in their natural time. Sometimes the answer is not urgent. If it feels like it is, question that assumption. Answers may reveal themselves when the time is right for you. At the same time, ask yourself if there’s a chance you already know the answer. You might be surprised.

6. Release control and need to be right.  

People have a tendency to focus on making the “right” choice and put a lot of pressure on themselves to do so. We assume that one choice will automatically lead us down a path of sunny skies and rainbows, and that the other path will ultimately lead to despair and depression. Let go of that pressure to make the right choice and commit to an aligned choice. Anytime we make a choice, we leave behind the road not taken. When you trust that the path you have chosen is the one that’s best for now, you can let go of the other choices and move forward. 

7. Continue to pay attention to what happens when you listen to your intuition.

Practice awareness. Recognize when you are using your intuition to make a decision. Be willing to admit when you made a choice that went against what your intuition told you. Reflect on what the results were in either case. What were the signs that you paid attention to? Which did you miss?

Using your intuition in your business is a practice

Ultimately, using your intuition to make decisions is a practice. It’s a practice that can be especially effective when you find yourself…

• Over-efforting
• Stuck, not moving forward
• Questioning things or in analysis paralysis
  

The more in tune you are with your intuition, the more confident you can be that you are making business decisions from a place of true clarity and personal power.