That gut feeling!

Imagine you're standing at a crossroads, with two paths stretching out before you.?

One path is well-lit, marked with signs, and filled with the familiar voices of logic and reason of what you ‘must’ and ‘should’ do!

It’s the path you've walked many times before—predictable, safe, but not always the most fulfilling.?

The other path is mysterious, and winding - intriguing even….

Yet...you can’t see what lies ahead….

However something deep within you whispers that this is the route you would love to explore.?

This whisper is your intuition, a quiet but powerful guide that knows the right direction before your mind can fully grasp it….

That wise owl and gut feeling deep within that is your greatest Sat Nav and always knows the right answer!?

Now, picture yourself as a leader in a high-stakes situation.?

I remember this well on military deployments when lives were on the line.

The pressure is on, the clock is ticking, and your team is looking to you for answers.?

The logical path, well-trodden by your past experiences, tempts you to take control, to lead with your head and push forward with what seems like the obvious choice.?

But then, that whisper returns.?

It’s faint, almost drowned out by the noise of expectations and your own inner doubts.?

This is your intuition guiding you….

You feel it deep within you…?

To hear it clearly, you need to do something —you need to quiet your ego.

Leadership is often portrayed as synonymous with ego-driven behaviour - what we ‘ought’ to do……

We’re told that leaders should be confident, decisive, and always in control.?

However......

Real authentic leadership which inspires and creates lasting impact often requires you to do the exact opposite.....

This is listening to our heart and soul...

Act on our integrity that feels the right thing to do…..

It may not even seem sensible as our ego comes up with all the 'reasons it won't work'!

This sometimes requires courage to do something different or be someone different away from the norm.?

Here’s how you can tap into your intuitive genius by managing your ego.

Understanding the Ego and Intuition

Cultivate Self-Awareness

The first step to quieten your ego is to recognise when it’s in the driver’s seat.?

Notice when your decisions are fuelled by the need for approval, fear of failure, or the desire to control outcomes.?

Becoming aware of these tendencies helps you separate ego-driven thoughts from genuine intuitive insights.

Regular self-reflection, journalling, and mindfulness can sharpen this awareness.

Listen to your language.

Are you ‘shoulding’ all over yourself?

Those ‘musts’, ’have to’s.

Change your language by asking yourself ‘what would I love/ get to / choose to....

This all taps into your intuition to allow it to shine through - magic!??

Embrace Humility

Humility is the key to keeping your ego in check.......

It’s about understanding that no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn. With humility, you open yourself up to other perspectives and possibilities, making it easier to listen to your intuition.?

Such leaders don’t feel the need to have all the answers—they trust in their team......

And listen to their intuition.

Practice Letting Go

The ego loves control. It wants things to go a certain way and resists uncertainty.

Intuition often requires you to step into the unknown and trust the process.?

Practise releasing the need to control in every outcome.

Pause, take a breath, and let go of your attachment to a specific result when faced with a decision. This creates space for your intuition to emerge.

Engage in Regular Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness is a powerful way to quieten the ego and tune into intuition......

Whether it’s just stopping for a moment in meditation, deep breathing, or mindful walking.... such as noticing the wind in the trees…..?

These practices help you stay present and connected to your inner self.?

When your mind is calm, the ego has less room to take over, allowing your intuition to speak clearly.

Even a few minutes of stilllness each day can make a big difference.

Trust Your Intuition

Trust is essential when it comes to intuition. Your ego might challenge your intuitive insights, demanding logical proof.

Your intuition often operates outside of logic—it’s about an inner knowing. Let your intuition lead, trust it, even when it doesn’t make immediate sense at the time.

Over time, as you see the positive results of following your intuition, your trust will grow and you will find you hear it guiding you more loudly.

Surround Yourself with Supportive People

The people you surround yourself with can either inflate your ego or support your intuitive growth.

Choose to be around those who encourage self-reflection, humility, and authenticity.?

These are the people who will help you stay grounded and connected to your intuition, rather than feeding your ego.

Reflect on Past Experiences

Think back to times when you followed your intuition, even when it went against conventional wisdom or advice. Reflect on how well those decisions turned out.

This practice reinforces your trust in your intuition and helps you recognise when your ego might have tried to interfere.

After all we ignore our intuition at our peril!

Conclusion

Letting your intuitive genius shine requires a conscious effort to quiet the ego.?

Through self-awareness, humility, mindfulness, and trust, you can create the conditions for your intuition to guide your leadership journey.?

As you do, you’ll find your decisions are more aligned with your true self and more impactful for your organisation and the people you lead.?

Shifting from ego-driven to intuition-led leadership is one of the most rewarding paths you can take—both for yourself and those who look to you for guidance.

Until next week

Take care

Lizzy x

#resilience #leadership #confidence #intuition

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As Release Your Potential we help directors and aspiring leaders to embrace their resilience, confident leadership so that they can communicate with impact, influence, power and purpose to build high performing teams. No body armour required! Let’s speak!