In this article, my outcome is to help you gain a better understanding of how to navigate the world using your rational mind alongside with your instinct/intuition. The main reason I’m writing about this topic is that most people have limited decision-making systems.
The problem with most people’s decision making systems:
People have been taught to be overly rational or not enough in most cases. In fact, based on my experience most people are NOT rational enough. On top of that, people have lost the ability to use their instinct properly. So their decision-making process usually involves a sort of unconscious mix of impulsivity, emotion, and other cognitive biases.
“Your decisions are what shape your destiny.” – Tony Robbins
The process of refining your decision-making systems has a direct impact on your ability to manifest your vision in life.
Sharpen your sword, cut through the bullshit, and get to the meat.
The power of the rational mind
In another MUST READ by the name of Psychocybernetics, the author brilliantly explained the essence and beauty of the rational mind:
“The essence of psychocybernetics is the accurate, calm, and ultimately automatic separation of fact from fiction, fact from opinion, actual circumstance from magnified obstacle so that our actions and reactions are solidly based on truth–not our own or other’s opinions.” – Maxwell Maltz
The 3 Levels of Intuition
Above, I have given you a brief rundown of how the rational mind is correctly used in the decision-making process. Now I want to add a few elements that will integrate the power of the rational mind combined with the power of instinct.
Author of Way of the SEAL, Mark Divine says that there are 3 Levels of Intuition. (I consider this a MUST read for any man who wants to develop more warrior traits.)
- Cognitive
- Heart-level
- Instinct/Gut/Biome
Cognitive Intuition
“This is pattern intuition. This is a type of intuition that also occurs when you practice something for many, many years. And then all of a sudden it’s just there for you. You don’t have to think about it. The outfielder running to catch the ball…Whole body intuition kind of, but it’s coming from the practice of a skill. Deep immersion of a skill.”
Heart-Level Intuition
“But the heart, not only is it really powerful, and has neurological processing capacity, but the energy field can extend far, far into the room. And it takes in an enormous amount of information. So that feeling in your heart that someone’s not doing well… or you can feel that around cultures, environments even. You can feel it in countries when you’re really in tune with your heart’s rhythms and the information. So that’s the second.”
Gut Intuition
“And then The third, I call instinct. And that’s your gut. Your biome. All the little biome bugs in there cause you to have gut feelings around things. At a most basic level, those things are around survival and food and sleep. You know… basic needs.”
The MAIN point here is that intuition is non-linear and inter-dimensional. It transcends the bounds of space, time, and our limited socially conditioned routes of perception. When used in tandem with the power of the rational mind, your ability to make proper decisions gets super-charged.
VUCA:
The U.S Army came out with a term called VUCA which stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.
V = Volatility. The nature and dynamics of change, and the nature and speed of change forces and change catalysts.
U = Uncertainty. The lack of predictability, the prospects for surprise, and the sense of awareness and understanding of issues and events.
C = Complexity. The multiplex of forces, the confounding of issues, no cause-and-effect chain and confusion that surrounds organization.
A = Ambiguity. The haziness of reality, the potential for misreads, and the mixed meanings of conditions; cause-and-effect confusion.
War is just an intensified version of life and life is a less intense version of war. The military was smart when they coined the term VUCA because it showcases just how complex environments can be and how we must keep that on the forefront of our minds in order to optimize our ability make proper decisions. Just think about all of the different variables that are simultaneously at play in your daily life…
The following is a little sketch I made to visually demonstrate these systems interacting together.
Closing Thoughts
Did you get some ideas on how you can start to upgrade your decision-making process? If so, great…that was my outcome.
Best,
Maximillian Giamarco
P.s. Would like to make progress on your journey to self-mastery? Check out the Spartan Ownership shop here for badass products and training courses that will accelerate your growth. Also, if you would like more personalized help, book a coaching session with me here.
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