1. Embrace your intuition.
Before you can use your intuition like Sherlock Holmes, you have to embrace it as a valid source of information. Some people think that intuition is just make believe and that logic is the only way to go, but you can see through Sherlock’s mysteries that it’s best to use both sides of your minds. Because your intuition relies on training and gathered information, it’s not as fantastical as it sounds; rather, it’s a way of forming hypotheses based on knowledge, experiences, and attention to details.
Well practiced intuition will enable you to make quicker decisions without thinking through all of the details because your brain builds a network of connections that process the information for you. As a result, you will arrive at the right decision out of habit.
2. Stay objective.
If you want to rely on your intuition, then you need to avoid making subjective judgments. It’s easy to fall into the trap of subjectivity when you’re following your “gut” reactions, but training yourself to think objectively will have you unraveling secrets like Sherlock.
Let the facts guide you, not your opinions. For example, if someone stole your lunch, it may be tempting to blame someone with whom you’ve had negative run ins in the past, but don’t rush to judgement. The facts may point to someone else.
Keep an open mind. Listen to the opinions and views of others so that you can learn from their perspective. We all see the world differently, and sometimes you need that shift in vision to stay objective.
3. Participate.
While sometimes you may need to act like a bystander, a strong intuition requires you to have to be engaged with those around you. Just like Sherlock needs to analyze the conditions of the scene of a crime to know what happened, you need to be a part of your world in order to make useful judgements about it.
Play an active role in your life instead of sitting apart from others so that you can gain experience that will help you flex your intuition.
Make a point to do an activity everyday, even if it’s something small. For example, you could go on a walk with a friend, play a pickup game of basketball, sketch on a park bench, or practice a new language.
Minimize the time you spend watching television.
4. Take in the environment.
Mentally catalogue the sights and sounds around you. Knowing the world around you will help you make better decisions in the moment. How you will react to someone will differ based on the scene.
For example, if someone is walking toward you in a shopping mall, you may nod at them and keep walking; however, if someone is walking toward you in a dark alleyway, you may tense up and try to keep your distance from them.
While you don’t want to jump to conclusions, knowing your environment will help you read the situation better because you’ll more easily pick up on cues.
5. Minimize distractors
If you want to have a strong intuition like Sherlock, then you need to stay engaged with your world. Distractors, such as playing on your phone, keep you from taking in the information you need to use your intuition.
Spend two weeks noting the times you found yourself giving into distraction, such as watching TV while eating dinner, playing on your phone while you’re going to work, or flipping through a magazine while your friend is talking to you.
6. Be a skeptic
While it may seem to counter intuition, healthy skepticism keeps you from jumping to conclusions based on your own prejudices. To be a good skeptic, you need to understand your own beliefs and how they influence your reactions to the world around you so that you avoid misjudgements based on your own biases.
When you find yourself reacting to something or someone, take a moment to ask yourself why you feel that way. For example, if you feel uncomfortable around your friend’s new boyfriend, ask yourself if it’s because of him or because of outside factors. Does he remind you of your ex? Are you worried that you might lose your friend?
Don’t immediately believe gossip. Look for the evidence and use it to judge the truthfulness of any rumors that you hear.
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