It was a sunny morning in California, summer 1992. I was on a road trip visiting friends when, for reasons I couldn’t explain at the time, I decided to leave a day earlier than planned. Later, I learned that two of the strongest earthquakes in southern California had hit that very morning. Had I stuck to my original schedule, I would have been right in their path. At the time, it felt like luck, or a coincidence—but in hindsight, it was intuition at work. That quiet, inner voice nudging me toward something I didn’t consciously understand

Intuition is often confused with instinct, but they are very different. Instinct is automatic, a survival mechanism. It’s the rush you feel when you step back from the curb to avoid an oncoming car, or the jerk of your hand from a hot pan. It’s fear and survival intertwined, a reaction in the moment. Intuition, on the other hand, is a higher-level awareness. It’s insight. It’s the mind’s ability to process vast amounts of information, beneath the surface of conscious thought, and deliver an answer before you even realize it.

We all use intuition every day, often without realizing it. Think of the times you’ve changed plans for no apparent reason, only to discover later that something serious would have gone wrong. You avoided a car accident because you left the house a few minutes earlier, or took a different route and avoided a traffic jam caused by a major accident. Perhaps you canceled a meeting or rescheduled a trip, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Those moments are rarely dramatic—they can be as small as a fleeting feeling, a whisper in the mind—but they demonstrate how intuition quietly steers us through life.

Sometimes, intuition feels almost like divine intervention. Take the stories of the New Yorkers who were late to work on September 11, 2001. They missed the Twin Towers collapse and survived because of what initially seemed like nothing more than minor delays or inconveniences. Looking back, we can see how intuition, combined with circumstances, can alter outcomes in profound ways. It doesn’t foretell the future in the mystical sense; it simply helps us notice patterns, signals, and subtle cues that our conscious mind might overlook.

Humans are not purely rational beings. Every decision, from the trivial to the life-changing, involves a mix of logic, emotion, experience, and often a hidden layer of intuition. It is, in essence, the mind’s way of synthesizing information too complex to process consciously. And yet, many of us discount it, or mistake it for superstition or luck. We look externally for guidance instead. Prayer, astrology, tarot cards, fortune tellers—they all serve a similar purpose: helping us make sense of uncertainty, providing a framework for choices we cannot fully explain.

Throughout history, even the most powerful and successful individuals have relied on intuition, often seeking it through the counsel of astrologers, clairvoyants, and advisors who could interpret subtle signs or patterns. In today’s world, we have instant access to millions of results online about astrology and divination, promising insight, fortune, or protection from misfortune. Yet, what they offer externally is already encoded within us internally. Our intuition is always working, whether we listen to it or not.

Intuition manifests in countless ways. It might be a feeling about a person, a vague sense that a situation is unsafe, or an inexplicable certainty that something is the right choice. Many of us have experienced it with minor decisions—choosing a restaurant, taking a different route home, or leaving a party early. Other times, it appears in life-altering moments, nudging us to step back, take a risk, or reconsider a choice. Even when the stakes seem small, intuition is quietly guiding us, often with remarkable accuracy.

It’s fascinating to consider how much of our everyday life is governed by unconscious information processing. Our brains take in massive amounts of data—body language, tone of voice, environmental cues, past experience—and distill it into a sense of what we should do. We feel this as a gut feeling, a sense of certainty, or a subtle warning. Often, we don’t know why we feel it, only that we do. And when we follow it, we are usually rewarded, sometimes in ways that are invisible at first glance.

Despite its importance, intuition is often undervalued. We may second-guess ourselves, waiting for rational proof or external confirmation before acting. We are taught to trust logic over feeling, analysis over instinct, and yet, countless examples throughout our lives and history suggest that intuition is a vital guide. It is the mind’s internal radar, capable of detecting nuances that conscious thought cannot.

Intuition is also closely tied to creativity and problem-solving. Artists, writers, scientists, and entrepreneurs often speak of “aha” moments, sudden insights that arrive without conscious reasoning. These are expressions of intuition: the unconscious mind synthesizing information, spotting patterns, and connecting dots faster than deliberate thought can. It’s how solutions emerge, how risks are assessed, and how choices can be made with clarity, even amid uncertainty.

Even small acts of listening to intuition reinforce our capacity for self-trust. A quiet warning about a phone call, a feeling that someone is not trustworthy, or a sense that a particular opportunity should be pursued—these moments are reminders that we are equipped to navigate life with more than just logic. The human mind is capable of remarkable perception, and intuition is one of its most subtle, powerful tools.

At its core, intuition is about awareness. It’s the ability to notice what is happening beneath the surface, both in the world and within ourselves. It helps us make better decisions, avoid danger, and recognize opportunity. And the more we pay attention to it, the stronger it becomes, like a muscle exercised regularly. Ignoring it, or dismissing it as luck, means we lose access to one of the most profound ways our minds help us navigate an unpredictable world.

We live in an era of constant information, advice, and analysis. Every day, we are bombarded with opinions, predictions, and data. In the midst of all this noise, intuition is our internal compass, quietly offering guidance without fanfare or explanation. Learning to recognize it, trust it, and act upon it is not only practical—it is essential.

Intuition is real. It may feel mysterious, subtle, or even frustratingly elusive at times, but it is a constant companion. We use it daily, often without knowing it. By paying attention, we can harness it to make wiser choices, navigate uncertainty, and notice the signals that guide us toward safety, fulfillment, and opportunity. Sometimes, that inner voice is the closest we get to seeing the path ahead.

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