Yesterday, I hosted a talk with my leadership coach, Dr. Matthias Müller-Lindenberg.
We discussed many things—one of which was how to build an inner foundation and guidance as a founder, and how this helps you find fulfillment and meaning in your work.
A core idea is how to listen to your intuition (aka inner voice, gut feel, inner compass) when making decisions.
What we uncovered is that multiple sources generate signals we can sense. Generally, there are two broad buckets. The first contains signals rooted in things that likely aren’t useful for making the best decisions—fear, addictive patterns, avoidance, self-doubt. The other comes from a more genuine, calm place: your true intuition, your soul, or some higher guidance you choose to trust.
One smart question from the audience was: “How do I tell the difference?”
This reminded me of a simple heuristic I follow when faced with such questions. When confronted with a major life decision, I ask myself: Is this giving me a sense of spaciousness or contraction internally?
Or, in James Hollis’s (legendary psychoanalyst) words: “Does this path enlarge me or diminish me?”
If it creates a sense of contraction, don’t do it. If it opens up more space and expansiveness, do it.
For me, I believe there’s something more intelligent than my intellectual mind at play when I use this simple test. Thus far, it has served me well, helping me live more and more according to my true nature and excitement.