How to Tap into Your Intuition: Researchers Share When (And When Not) to Trust Your Gut

Whether you’re debating if you should take a new job or begin a new relationship, you already have a built-in compass pointing you in the right direction. Here, how to tap into your intuition and make decisions in line with your goals and values.

What exactly is intuition?

It may seem more like magic than science, but research shows intuition is measurable and very real. “It’s the learned, productive use of unconscious information for better decisions and actions,” says psychologist and neuroscientist Joel Pearson, PhD , author of The Intuition Toolkit: The New Science of Knowing What Without Knowing Why and director of Future Minds Lab at the University of New South Wales . “Our conscious awareness is like a little spotlight that moves around, narrowly focusing on what it wants to — but intuition is a combination of our emotions and our unconscious; it’s the real-time blending of these two things to help us make better choices.” Just trusting that intuition is a powerful force for decision-making is the first step to trusting yourself.

1. Pinpoint when to tap into your intuition

How to know when — and when not to — heed your intuition? Just remember the acronym SMILE, says Pearson. Here, his study-backed “cheat sheet” to help you know when to trust your gut and when you may be better off taking a step back to gather more information:

S  — Self-awareness. Before listening to your intuition, simply take stock of your emotions. “If you’re stressed, for example, breathe and let yourself calm down, because you may confuse anxiety with intuition,” says Pearson. In other words, you might believe your intuition is telling you not to get on that plane for your next vacation. But in reality, it’s your fear talking, and taking a moment to settle your nerves will help you think more rationally.

M — Mastery . Listen to your gut only in situations and contexts you know well, like the job you’ve held for years or the hobby you’ve loved since you were a kid. “Your brain needs to have acquired knowledge and recognize patterns in order to utilize intuition,” Pearson explains.

I — Impulse. In short, behavior driven by addictions — to anything from alcohol to social media — is often done on impulse. That’s why Pearson cautions not to confuse this knee jerk reaction with intuition.

L — Low probability. You're better off ignoring your intuition when it comes to low-probability events. “For example, I live in Australia and there’s a very low probability I’ll be attacked by a shark — there’s a greater chance I’ll be punched by a kangaroo,” Pearson says with a laugh. “So when my intuition says, ‘Don’t get in the water!’ I need to question that, because it’s a low-probability situation.

E — Environment. Trust your intuition only in familiar situations or environments, urges Pearson, citing the tragic example of Steve Jobs . He explains that the tech titan traveled as far as India to study intuitive design, famously applying it to the streamlined aesthetic now synonymous with Apple. When it came to innovating, in other words, Jobs was in his element, a savant of intuition. But when it came to his health — a context or an “environment” with which he was not an expert — listening to his intuition by putting off treatment for cancer, ultimately had dire consequences.

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2. Consider keeping an intuition diary

To help you see when listening to your gut is most likely to pay off, Certified Medical Intuitive Practitioner Wendie Colter , author of Essentials of Medical Intuition, recommends tracking your intuitive experiences in a diary. “Intuition can show up in a number of ways, from dreams to hunches,” she says. “I also suggest finding a meditation practice that works for you, from deep breathing to progressive muscle relaxation , which can help quiet mental chatter. When we start to pay attention and acknowledge our intuition, it can only grow.”

3 . Follow the ‘first thought’ rule

An easy way to develop your intuition? “If you get an idea, go with it,” says intuition expert Karoleen Fober , author of Opening to Divine Intervention. She dubs this piece of advice the “first thought rule.” When it comes to small-stakes decisions, practice listening to yourself. “If a little voice says, ‘Talk to the person you just met at the café,’ Or, ‘Say hi to the neighbor walking his dog,’ that’s a divine thought that has come to you for a reason,” she says.

Her second rule? “If a thought keeps popping up and just won’t go away, lean into it. And if it comes back three times, jump on it.” Too often we ignore such patterns, but this repetition is your subconscious mind trying to grab a bullhorn to get your attention.

4. Listen to your sensations

Awareness of your body’s internal perceptions is called interoception . And though it may sound complex, it's very, well, intuitive: “If you’re extremely sensitive, especially in tense or emotionally fraught situations, you’ll feel sensations in your chest or belly, or some people feel tingling in their palms or fingertips,” says Pearson. Simply becoming more aware of your body by practicing mindfulness will help you tune in to its signals and listen to your intuition.

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5. Borrow the ‘Nobel’ intuition trick

When the legendary physicist Albert Einstein, a big fan of intuition, got stumped, he wouldn’t bang his head against the blackboard — rather, he’d take a nap . “He knew resting his brain helped him think more clearly,” says Fober. She adds that this mental break looks different for everyone. “You might pray or journal or take a walk. Anything that calms your mind helps you intuitively find the answers you seek.”

For more ways to boost confidence in your decisions:

Napping Before a Big Decision Could Help You Make the Right Choice, Study Suggests

6 Ways to Cut Overthinking Out of Your Life for Good

7 Ways to Let Go of the Mental Chatter That Holds You Back