Episode XI: Intuition
Before we get to intuition, ask yourself: how do you make decisions?
I’m going to discuss the different ways in which you can lead with thought and what intuition is in this episode of iSight.
Leading with thought is a more complex chain of conclusions where one creates multiple steps in their head to get to an outcome. For example, if you are to play a game of chess, thought is required to understand the chain of moves that could occur based on where the pieces are at. In many work situations, the way to get to the best outcome is using thought instead of emotion.
Thought is something that you can train. Your mind is a very powerful weapon if you’re thoughtful.
There are two different types of thinking, and a third that combines the two: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method thinking.
Qualitative thinking requires conclusions based on interpretation, experience, and language. For example, if you watch a video on YouTube or TikTok, you are qualitatively assessing the video through your own experience. While a social media algorithm can generate a sense of popularity on the video and know whether or not to show that video on more people’s feeds, computers won’t know how it feels or what you thought of the video because your understanding of it is based on how you interpreted it.
Meanwhile, quantitative thinking is the ability to put events into numbers. Quantitative thinking relies on how one can understand a chain of logical events expressed through numbers. Humans have become so good at understanding the physical world with numbers that we have taught computers exactly how to process these chains of events.
I’ve started to work with some tech companies at Newchip, and one thing I can truly appreciate is how we can generate such an excellent quantitative understanding of the world. I was always good with numbers, but the things we have processed quantitatively have went so far beyond what was possible and what I knew, especially over the past thirty years.
However, computers aren’t at a point to process more than the human brain yet. Humans still reign supreme over tech. Since I regained the ability to consciously think in October 2021, I’ve emphasized how to become qualitatively and quantitatively stronger as a thinker.
Here’s how I’ve re-sharpened my brain since then.
Qualitative:
Reading: I’ve come to appreciate how detailed and refined a great piece of literature is since last year. In my academic studies, most philosophers oriented their work with logic-based thinking to generate their argument; however, since I had to process their work in words instead of numbers, what I learned from that logic was done qualitatively. If I’m to read a book series like Harry Potter, then the imagery, storyline, and feel of the book provide an experience for us, the reader, to feel. Both styles of book provide a different skillet to process it, but both are done with qualitative thinking.
Writing: Another reason why I’m writing iSight is to constantly refine my ability to qualitatively present real-world experiences. I truly do intend to cover what most eyes can’t see. I also have to write lots of emails at work (as many people with white-collared jobs do), wrote plenty of philosophy at Princeton (which I’d also like to do again in the future), and write a pretty extensive journal.
Appreciating minor details: When you try something new, you see new things. I’ve never left the US (which will change soon) and stayed home in Arizona after graduation, but notice more and more the smaller details of the state I’m in. For example, I went on a walk in a part of Phoenix I’ve never been to this week and saw a park. There was a new toy at the park where kids walked on a platform with red and blue blocks that snapped up and down. I saw a little boy fall off of the toy four times, tried it, and also fell off. Noticing it required an awareness of the place I was walking in; eventually, I understood how to finish walking on it, but noticing it and how to walk across it took some qualitative thinking.
Quantitative:
Chess: Chess is a game that entirely relies upon seeing the board and quantitatively assessing the best move. I don’t have a perfectly clear photographic memory, but am decently close to having one. So, the game comes pretty easy. Am I good anymore? No, not really. But the more I’ve played, the better I’ve gotten. I’m open to play with anyone, and hope that you also use the game to get better at quantitatively processing situations.
Using Excel: Excel is all numbers. Knowing how to make spreadsheets and connect the dots on what those numbers do is all too important in the business world. I don’t use it as often as my peers, but can do the basics. Practicing it in the workforce gets your mind more used to quantitative thinking.
Physics: I’ve come to appreciate the forces that make the world move the way it does, and have done a couple of personal studies on physics. Since we have an excellent understanding of the physical world, taking the time to study it in bits and pieces pushes your quantitative mind to grasp a better sense of reality. I first started to study this in a class at school, and have expanded on it when my dopamine allows.
Now that I have discussed the two main ways of thinking, I will briefly describe mixed method thinking. Mixed method thinking is any process where you must qualitatively and quantitatively process a situation to come up with the best solution.
For example, part of my job is to make sure investors meet companies and founders that match what they’re looking for. In terms of company, many investors ask about financials to match their investment thesis, which required quantitative thinking. Some investors also ask about their origin and experience, which are entirely qualitative metrics. So, I must use mixed method thinking to most effectively do my job.
I don’t have ways to train mixed method thinking because it is something that must be done on the fly. Your ability to qualitatively and quantitatively think will combine in real-time situations for mixed method thinking.
One thing to note about mixed method thinking is: the solution will not come to you instantly. It takes time to process both qualitative and quantitative thinking.
But what if you do find it instantly?
That’s what intuition is.
Intuition is when you instantly process a situation and know exactly what to do. Sometimes, the conclusions you come up with don’t make sense when you take the time to think it out, but when your gut tells you something, LISTEN. Intuitions are immediate while mixed method thinking takes time.
Let me give you an example of intuition. My dad and I were playing golf three weeks ago, and it was a perfectly sunny day. I had a weird intuition that it was going to POUR. My gut told me, “GET OFF THE COURSE!” So, I did. I grabbed my bag off of the golf cart, no words asked, and started walking to the clubhouse.
My dad thought I was mad because I didn’t say a single word; however, literally four minutes later, the rain alarm went off and six minutes after that, the entire sky went gray and it started to pour. There was not a SINGLE cloud in the sky, the Weather app said there was a zero percent chance of rain that day, and then it poured.
When walking, I questioned why my gut said to get out. When I heard the horn go off, I had my answer.
Intuition is something that you have to trust. Sometimes, your intuition will go against everything that you take time to qualitatively and quantitatively process. Even when it makes zero sense, trust it. Most of the anxiety and regret I hold in life comes from a lack of action upon my intuition. It’s literally that powerful.
How will you know if you have an intuition?
Well, one way it appears is if you have the gut feeling. It’s the stereotypical method, but the most common form. Another form is vivid dreaming. If you dream that something is going to happen, remember it.
If it feels like a lightbulb went off in your head thinking about something for a long time, it’s probably your intuition telling you the answer. If you’re energetically aware of the things around you, you’ll probably have an intuitive thought because you’ll process the energy faster than the information around you.
Intuition is something that I can tangibly feel. I live by intuition. When they happen (which is often), I act immediately on them. Questioning intuition leads to a worse outcome; trust it when you have one and you’ll forever prosper.
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I’m grateful to have the opportunity to keep writing about things I’ve seen. I want to hear your thoughts on it, so shoot me a message and I’ll gladly discuss this piece!
