Why It's Important to Follow Your Intuition

We've all experienced it: That feeling in your stomach compelling you to do--or not do--something for no logical reason. It's what drives you to take the long way to work and miss the traffic accident or to accept the date with the guy who turns out to be the one. And while it may seem like a mysterious force, scientists are discovering that intuition is actually a highly specialized way of thinking. "It's learned expertise--something we might not even be aware we had—that is instantly accessible," says David Myers, Ph.D., a social psychologist and the author of Intuition: Its Powers and Perils. The good news is you can find out how to tap into your gut, take control of your destiny, and start living a more rewarding life simply by answering these six questions.

1. Are you in tune with your environment?
Ever wonder how firefighters seem to know when to get out of a burning building--almost like they have a sixth sense? Gary Klein, Ph.D., a cognitive psychologist and the author of The Power of Intuition, has spent years studying this phenomenon. His conclusion? "Firefighters have learned, over time, to notice subtle cues that are invisible to the rest of us," he says. "Their subconscious spots anomalies." In other words, they're constantly going through an internal checklist. As soon as something doesn't match up, they know to get out.

Gut check
To fine-tune this ability yourself, identify a few places you know very well, like your home, office, or neighborhood, and try to find three things in each that you've never noticed before. This simple act will help train you to be attuned to changes or irregularities. Once you've picked up on a message from your environment, use it to make a decision. For example, if you look around your home and notice that an electrical cord has become frayed, replace it. Even if you don't have a child, you may prevent a guest's toddler from having a serious accident.

2. Are you a good listener?
"In order to be intuitive, you need to actively pay attention to what others and your environment are telling you," says Joan Marie Whelan, the author of Soul Discovery. The more information you take in, the more your mind has to draw from when it comes time to make a pivotal decision.

To prove the point, in 2008 scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin interviewed ordinary people who had invested in the stock market simply by choosing stocks or companies they'd heard of before. The scientists made portfolios of these stocks and compared their success to similarly sized ones compiled by industry experts. After six months, the portfolios put together by the seemingly uninformed group had earned more money than the ones designed by the pros. Why? Researchers theorize that the rookies probably chose stocks they'd inadvertently heard good things about. Tutors actually advocate this type of strategy when you're stumped on a test or work problem: Go with the solution that resonates most with you, even if you can't pinpoint why it seems right.

Gut check
To become a better listener, start by asking yourself, "How often do I cut people off? Am I frequently trying to get my point across rather than listening?" If so, try maintaining eye contact with the person speaking to you. "You're less likely to interrupt someone you're staring at," says Whelan. This will help you really hear everything he or she has to say. Over time it will help you pick up on things others don't.

3. Do you pay attention to body language?
Highly intuitive people may seem like mind readers, but the truth is, they're just better at guessing what people around them are thinking--largely because they're adept at sussing out nonverbal signals.

Gut check
Researchers believe that the ability to read faces is a skill we've acquired through evolution. "Historically, living in groups has been extremely important to survival," says Michael Bernstein, a researcher at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. "Being kicked out of the group could mean death, so people became very good at evaluating facial expressions and social cues," he says. Now a similar phenomenon occurs with people who have faced rejection (e.g., they've been booted out of a clique at school or gotten dumped), says Bernstein, who published his findings in a recent issue of Psychological Science. "They are generally able to recognize who is and isn't being genuine simply by scrutinizing their smiles." To become a better body language reader, says Bernstein, stare someone in the eyes when they smile: "If the muscles around their eyes crinkle, it's the real deal. A faux smile only requires you to move your mouth." Rapid swallowing or blinking and restricted arm movements can indicate dishonesty, notes Joe Navarro, an ex-FBI agent and the author of What Every Body Is Saying.