Author:
Robert Simon
Date Of Creation:
21 June 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Have you ever made a decision and doubted it? Have you ever noticed that there is a small voice that is constantly nagging in your head? Do you ever have a vague feeling that you made a wrong decision? It can be your intuition - the voice of your heart. Anyone possesses this feeling, this is the most concrete method for us to learn things based on past experience, based on subconscious desires and needs, and based on current situations. our own. Intuition will give you more insight. However, it is not necessarily "better" than our usual decision-making process. Both factors - heart and mind, reasoning and intuition - can actually work pretty well together. It only takes a little effort and practice.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Mind Assessment
Start with the mind. Usually, people will see "reason" as a pretty good factor. We think of it as if it were a function or a process that guides us to act in a rational way, often by evading emotions or biased judgment. The mind helps us make the most of any good or good factor. For this reason, many philosophers consider the mind to be more helpful than an intuitive response.- What is mind? This is a pretty great philosophical question. You need to know well that we are not talking about the brain. Mind is not just in the brain. It is the fulcrum of consciousness, the "I" that makes you who you are now.
- In addition, the mind is also responsible for the higher level of thought. It combines feeling, thinking, judgment, and memory. It allows you to weigh the losses and benefits in order to make a more appropriate decision.
Recognize logical thinking frameworks. Logical thinking is the ability to combine all the different elements to access, organize, and analyze information so that the right conclusions can be drawn. Whether it's planning a budget, weighing the pros and cons of a new job, or arguing politically with friends, every day, you have to use your mind.- Reason is an expression of humanity. In fact, it's what classifies humans and other animals because we are able to use tools, build cities, develop technology, and introduce them everywhere. Therefore, it is a very valuable and useful feature.
Learn about the pros and cons of the mind. As you know, reason is the main reason why we are present today. However, this does not mean that it is more necessary than any other factor. Star Trek fans know well that an overreacting person like Mr. Spock or Data is not a real person, because people need emotions as well. We are not machines.- To be more specific, reason is very helpful. We can separate ourselves from strong emotions that can influence our decision-making processes. If emotions are our guide, will people leave home and go to college? Many people will not - emotional stress and separation from a loved one can be quite overwhelming, even when in their mind they know that college is beneficial for them.
- However, sometimes, rational thinking can go too far. We become paralyzed if we only rely on one reason to make a decision. Every choice, big or small, involves quite a few different factors and if you don't listen to your heart, it will be difficult to decide. For example, what should you eat for breakfast? Are they necessarily the healthiest food? Have the best price? Save the most time? Without a heart, you have no choice.
Part 2 of 3: Heart Assessment
Learn how to differentiate your heart from reason. People often talk about possessing a certain "feeling" or "instinct", which is difficult to determine. Think of it as a way that you can consider every factor differently than just relying on your usual rational thinking. The heart can be based on factors such as past (your experiences), personal needs (your feelings), and present (people around you, choices, etc.). They will lead you to different computations rather than just focus on reasoning.
- Try to differentiate all the factors that come from your heart. For example, has a thought just popped into your mind? Reason is usually associated with step-by-step analysis - thinking: for example, “If I don't do X, what Y happens. So I need to do X thing ”. The normal heart will not obey this framework.
- What about "feeling"? Occasionally, intuition comes to us in the form of a vague feeling, which is difficult to describe. It will be even more difficult to learn the meaning of that feeling. For example, you may feel unsure about a job change and not fully understood why. On the surface, everything looks great, but you still get a sense that something wrong is going to happen. This is intuition.
Listen to the heart. The voice in your mind may not be clear, but it is trying to tell you something. You should learn to listen to it. For starters, temporarily ignore reason and focus on that voice. There are a few methods that will help you do this.
- Write diary. Writing down your thoughts on paper will help open up your subconscious mind. Write about everything that happens to you; be spontaneous. Begin your sentence with the phrase "I feel that ..." or "My heart is telling me that ...". The goal here is to respond emotionally rather than rationally.
- Temporarily ignore internal criticism. It may take a little effort, but be careful with your reason. Listening to the heart is difficult because we often try to rationalize it. Allow yourself to write about thoughts without the presence of a skeptical voice that says "This is stupid".
- Find a quiet place. One of the best ways to open your heart is to be still. You can meditate. Or, walk alone in the park or in the woods. Find a place where you can allow your thoughts and feelings to drift freely.
Do not overestimate the heart. Intuition is the only way you can realize this. But it's not necessarily better than your ability to reason or the best way to make a decision. Although you should try to listen to the heart, you shouldn't trust it automatically. Sometimes, it won't direct you to the right.- For example, you are a jury. The defendant very convincingly insists that he is innocent - he shakes your confidence. However, all evidence suggests that he was guilty. Will you listen to your logic or intuition? In this case, your intuition is not correct.
- You should also think about the possible consequences of relying solely on your heart. For example, would you risk all of your savings on an instinct? For example, your financial planner advises you to invest in a mutual fund, but you have a pretty good feeling about an upcoming company called Enron. It's best to listen to the expert's plausible advice rather than trust your instincts.
Part 3 of 3: Reconciling Minds and Hearts
Determine your core values. Mind and heart are not necessarily mutually exclusive. This means you can always find a way to combine them. Start with your values. The heart will react to the deepest value that is normally not included in the rational thought process. Reconciliation begins here. You need to be able to determine your deepest values and allow them to guide your mind.- Try to analyze your worth if you haven't thought about it carefully before. How were you raised? Ask yourself what values do your parents emphasize - wealth, education, position, appearance? For example, have you been rewarded for any achievement in your studies?
- How do you live? You need to be able to discern how values go about shaping your life. Do you live in the city, the suburbs, or the countryside? Perhaps, teachers will value money less than the director of the bank. On the other hand, the bank manager probably won't value education as much as a teacher.
- What do you use your money for? This will tell you a lot about your values-driven behavior. Do you spend money on cars? Traveling? Clothes? Or perhaps art and charity ?.
Think about making decisions based on your values. The purpose of this process is not to overpower your mind, but to coordinate with it. Because values are often hidden in the heart, you need to try to exploit and use them in the right process of thinking. Who should you marry? Which company should you work for? These are factors that need reasonable consideration, but at the same time they must also incorporate closely with the values that you value most.- Find as much information about your selection as possible.What are the potential benefits of that decision? Is it something you will regret? Your mind and heart can form conflicting thoughts about the decision, and you need to seek out all the information and evaluate it.
- Problem Identification: What could go wrong? For example, you are thinking about getting married and really want to have children. However, your partner says that he or she has no intention of building a family. Even though your reason says you love your significant other, listen to your heart and realize that the importance of building a family doesn't match her values.
- Explore options: think carefully about what's best for yourself. Sometimes, your first intuition will be right. However, at other times, you need a balance between heart and reason.
Consider your most important values before making a decision. One way to help you make the right decision is to look at the issue based on your highest values. How is that viable solution related to your worth? You will likely need to formulate your own values map - starting from the most important to the least important - in order to be able to locate them within your personal hierarchy.
- Return to the marriage problem in the above example. If family is so important to you, marrying someone who doesn't want children can be disastrous, even if you love them. But if you value a careful bonding with your spouse over having a baby, you can negotiate.
Make a decision based on a sound view of your intuitive values. Sounds pretty weird, doesn't it? Reasonable thinking about the heart? Remember, the two are not opposite. You just need to learn to listen to your heart and discover its hidden contents. Think carefully and allow your values to play an important role in your decision-making, but remember to do this in moderation. Choose what works best for your values and prioritize the things that matter most to you.
- Never stop practicing. Eventually, you will begin to realize the personal strength of your decisions and form a connection between your heart and mind. By listening to your heart, you can train your mind to be in harmony with it.
