The scientific community has long regarded intuition as metaphysical malarkey, woo-woo pseudoscience or simply anecdotal, yet unprovable. Much of the frustration in attempting to verify its existence is the demands of science that something be repeatable, measurable and identifiable to be examined. It’s a tough concept for which to design practical experiments.
Nonetheless, from disparate institutions as religious associations to the US military, intuition — whether defined as the still, small voice of God or a “gut feeling” that provides the final piece to the makeup of an outstanding leader — is a concept that most of us believe in, and many of us believe we have experienced, at least on occasion. Moreover, those who believe in intuition recognize its interrelatedness with creativity. Artists, musicians and writers speak to creative bursts coming from unknown sources. And even esteemed scientists such as Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla “knew” that insight for solving problems came from other realms than the ones in which the dilemma had presented itself.
Researchers have designed tests that purport to measure the level of a person’s intuitive sense. On the November 10th Life Outside the Box radio show, the magic man (a.k.a. Michael Babiarz) and I had some fun with these tools. [to catch the podcast, click here: LOTB. ] But of more import is the seeming connection between intuition and creativity. If you intend to beget something — be it a poem, a sculpture, a song, a software program — stories abound that you need to develop your intuitive side to achieve success.
So if you’re creative, or you want to be, perhaps pondering intuition isn’t a bad idea. And you never know. Maybe you will hear a still, small voice that will inspire you.