Albert Einstein already said that intelligence and intuition must always go hand in hand. Psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Max Planck Institute, points out that the intuitive person will always make a difference in our society.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: February 18, 2022
When intelligence and intuition work in harmony, we are able to give our best. By combining both of these elements, we have historically succeeded in solving problems more effectively. Indeed, it is precisely when these two qualities are combined that we make the best decisions, because we are able to use both reason and feelings with the right balance.
That said, a very common attitude is to conceive of concepts as intelligence and intuition as opposite dimensions. It is equally common to understand intelligence as that highly rational, logical and even analytical way of operating, while intuition is often associated with an unscientific and, at times, even esoteric substrate.
Nothing is further from reality. Famous books like In the Blink of an Eye. Malcolm Gladwell's Secret Power of Intuitive Thinking or Daniel Kahneman's Slow and Fast Thoughts encourage us to discover how these dimensions work. We need to start thinking better, and to do so, it is not necessary to spend hours or even days deliberating on our decisions; instead we should try to connect with our inner voice.
Albert Einstein said that the intuitive mind is a sacred gift, while the rational mind is its faithful servant. However, our society values ​​the servant more by neglecting - if not completely forgetting - our gift.
It is time, therefore, to begin to understand that both spheres must always work in harmony, only then will we pass from the world of intelligence to the realm of wisdom.
Intelligence and intuition: the authentic knowledge at our disposal
To better understand the link between intelligence and intuition, we will give an example. Let's think of a doctor, a good professional, who suddenly has a patient with unusual symptoms. He decides, for a moment, to apply logical sense and tries to objectively deduce what ailment the person is suffering from.
However, he also chooses to rely on intuition, that sense sense that derives from experience, from his personal baggage and from his clinical eye. He knows that through that inner voice he can react more quickly, but it is always better to make use of both spheres: reason and intuition, intelligence and those suspicions that emerge from long professional experience.
We should all master both thought patterns. The rational mind and the intuitive mind support each other and we always come out victorious when they work in harmony. If we only use one, we will limit our true potential, because those who let themselves be guided only by intuition can take a course in the face not once, but ten times.
On the other hand, those who choose to keep quiet what we know as instinct or even sixth Sense they cut the legs of their own intelligence. Let's see why.
Intuition is a guide, not an oracle
We usually equate the term intuition with a kind of oracle. As if a prophetic voice emerged from us capable of revealing what to do and what not to do at every moment. The truth is that this dimension of thinking doesn't work that way. An interesting study conducted at the University of Elizabethtown, in the United States, by Dr. Jean Preatz, highlights a relevant aspect.
Nearly 90% of nurses use their intuition when making daily decisions at work. They do this because they know this area works as a framework for action. In other words, it is instinct that tells us what deserves our attention and what doesn't, what could be a little more correct and what not.
Intelligence and intuition, an act of courage and self-confidence
Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, is one of the leading psychologists in the study of decision making. For him, intelligence and intuition constitute the daily exercise capable of putting us in advantageous situations.
As explained in his book Intuitive Decisions. When choosing without thinking too much, intelligent people listen to their intuition, their emotions and their forebodings. Furthermore, if there is anything this German psychologist has learned during his life as a researcher, it is that feelings deserve at least some of our attention. When they appear, they are not to be discarded or invalidated instantly.
Listening to them is an act of courage and self-confidence. Because when the voice of intuition arrives, somehow, it always confronts us with a challenge. Whisper certain directions, orientations and paths. All this information must be evaluated and passed through the filter of reason; only then will we discover the most appropriate options for us.
Conclusion
As Albert Einstein pointed out, in our modern and present society, the intellect is valued above any other dimension. In light of this, the most valued qualities are logical reasoning, deduction, analysis, etc. Indeed, we have even developed standardized tests to evaluate the IQ and know how far we can go.
However, we relegate to a forgotten corner an almost essential dimension that, in reality, we use every day: intuition. This is what helps us to decide quickly, which guides us and allows us to react to daily challenges. Knowing how to use it, listen to it and make sure that it is always in perfect harmony with the intelligence, will allow us to decide better and respond effectively. We must dare, use intelligence and intuition and enter the realm of wisdom.
