Intuitive versus Impulsive

One of the particular features of Clear Thinking in the Moment is when we make decisions based on impulse rather than intuition.

Both intuitive action and impulsive action are fast – and it might seem that we never weigh things up or consider things carefully or think things through with either case. Yet intuitive action is taken when we are clear, grounded and uncluttered in the moment – like Equilibrium. Whilst on the other hand, impulsive action is a result of an attempt by our intellect to take a shortcut to bypass muddled and ponderous thinking.

It is as if we are saying to ourselves, “Look I know something needs to be done, AND done now - but I can’t think what that is. So I’ll latch on to the next thing that comes into my head.”
These are the instances where we might run heuristics.

Heuristics are experience based techniques that speedily bypass slow, clunky and ponderous conscious considerations, yet they can also divert us from intuitive action by driving us towards impulsive action. They are often referred to as cognitive biases.

When we are grounded and have clarity of thought, then there is never any need to act on impulse. Here we will act on our intuition. This is because intuition comes not from the cognitive intellect but from a place of deeper wisdom. We call it a “gut” feeling.

There is a wide variety of perspectives on Thought and how we might manage how we are consciously Attending. There are some key things to take from this particular exposition, to enable you or your team to become a more consistent Clear Thinker(s) in the Moment.

Any thought is mere energy until we personalise it by making it part of our thinking. Once in Mind it can either help or hinder us. The real power we have to control the direction our lives however, lies in how we manage our Attention.

The clearer our Thinking, the more our Attention occupies the foreground. The denser our Thinking, the more it dominates our Attention.

(Taken from The CACTUS Approach)