Your intuition alone will lead you to exciting new places—but together with your intellect, it will help you climb to heights beyond your imaginings.
May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.
— Nelson Mandela
How We Make Decisions
Legendary filmmaker Ingmar Bergman once shared a profound insight:
“I make all my decisions on intuition. But then, I must know why I made that decision. I throw a spear into the darkness. That is intuition. Then I must send an army into the darkness to find the spear. That is intellect.”
Decision-making is a blend of instinct and analysis. Understanding the relationship between intuition and logic can help us make smarter life choices, improve our creativity, and confidently navigate uncertainty.
But how do we know when to trust our gut and when to think things through?
Life isn’t about choosing between your intuition or intellect. It’s about using both in harmony.
Intuition & Intellect
Have you ever had a moment where you just knew what to do—even when logic didn’t have all the answers? Maybe you took a leap of faith into a new career, left behind something that no longer served you, or pursued a dream that didn’t yet make sense on paper.
That’s your intuition at work.
Your intuition isn’t some mystical force—it’s the quiet wisdom of your experiences, observations, and emotions, all working together beneath the surface. Neuroscience shows that our brains process information subconsciously long before we can consciously explain it. That’s why a gut feeling can be so powerful—it’s the result of knowledge and experience whispering to you before your mind fully catches up.
When we learn to trust our intuition, we open doors to creativity, courage, and possibility.
But your intuition is just the first step. Acting purely on gut feelings without reflection can lead to impulsive choices or unnecessary mistakes.
That’s where intellect comes in.
We throw the spear—our instinctive decision—but we don’t just leave it there. We send an army after it. That army is our reasoning, self-awareness, and ability to analyze and refine our choices.
Taking time to reflect on why we felt drawn to a certain path helps us grow. It helps us distinguish between fleeting impulses and true inner wisdom. And it allows us to adjust, course-correct, and move forward with even greater confidence.
The most successful, creative, and fulfilled people have mastered this dance between intuition and intellect.
Intuition sparks the fire; intellect keeps it burning.
Intuition whispers the dream; intellect builds the reality.
Intuition takes the leap; intellect endeavors to ensure we land on our feet.
So, how can we bring this balance into our lives?
Three Ways to Strengthen Both Your Intuition and Intellect
1. Trust Your Inner Voice
If something feels right deep in your soul, pay attention. Take bold steps toward what excites and inspires you. The biggest regrets often come from ignoring what our hearts already know.
2. Reflect and Learn
Once you act, don’t just move on without looking back. Ask yourself: What led me here? What did this decision teach me? What’s the next step? Learning from your choices makes you wiser and more aligned with your true path.
3. Embrace the Balance
Overthinking can keep us stuck, but acting without reflection can lead to missteps. The magic happens when we trust our instincts and take time to understand them.
Life is a beautiful interplay of your intuition and intellect. One without the other is incomplete.
The next time you stand at a crossroads, wondering what to do—throw your spear. Trust yourself. But don’t stop there. Send your army. Seek clarity, reflect, and iterate.
This practice leads us to more wisdom and courage—and closer to our desired outcomes.
