What Happens if You Ignore Your Intuition?

Intuition is often described as the inner voice or gut feeling that gently nudges us toward a certain direction. It’s the deeper wisdom that transcends logic, offering guidance rooted in our authentic self. But what happens when we choose to ignore this quiet yet powerful inner knowing?

Ignoring your intuition can have subtle but significant consequences. At first, the effects may seem minor—like mild discomfort or feeling “off” about a situation. But over time, consistently dismissing this inner voice can lead to larger, more challenging issues.

1. Living Out of Alignment

One of the most noticeable consequences is feeling out of alignment with your true self. Intuition often guides us toward choices and paths that resonate with our soul’s purpose, helping us live authentically. When we ignore it, we can find ourselves making decisions based on external pressures, expectations, or fears. This disconnect can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction or feeling lost, as though we are living someone else’s life rather than our own.

2. Increased Stress and Anxiety

When we ignore our intuition, we often override feelings of discomfort or unease, pushing forward in situations that don’t feel right. This can increase stress and anxiety, as we’re not honoring our internal signals. Over time, this disconnection from our inner knowing can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and even physical symptoms like headaches or fatigue.

3. Missed Opportunities

Intuition often leads us to the people, places, and experiences that are in alignment with our highest good. By ignoring it, we can miss out on opportunities that would bring us fulfillment or growth. Whether it’s a career move, a relationship, or a creative pursuit, bypassing intuitive insights can leave us feeling stuck or stagnant.

4. Regret and Second-Guessing

Many people who consistently ignore their intuition often look back with regret. They may find themselves wondering, “What if I had trusted that feeling?” or “Why didn’t I listen to myself?” This second-guessing can create a cycle of self-doubt, making it even harder to trust your inner voice in the future.

In the end, your intuition is there to guide you toward your most aligned and fulfilling life. Ignoring it can lead to unnecessary challenges, but the good news is that it’s never too late to start listening. Trusting your intuition is a practice—one that leads to a life of greater ease, flow, and authenticity.

What is evolution to heart consciousness?

Evolution to heart consciousness refers to a profound shift in how we perceive, experience, and navigate life—moving from a mindset dominated by the intellect (logic, ego, control) toward one guided by the heart (love, compassion, intuition). This journey signifies a deepening awareness of our connection to others, the world, and our own soul’s calling, often described as a spiritual awakening or transformation of consciousness.

At the core, heart consciousness is about living from a place of love and empathy rather than fear and separation. It’s a movement from self-centered survival instincts (which are often rooted in ego and competition) toward a collective, interconnected approach to life, where the well-being of others and the planet becomes as important as our own. This shift can be seen as an evolution because it represents a higher level of awareness—one that transcends basic instincts and mind-driven desires in favor of a more holistic and unified understanding of life.

The Path of Evolution to Heart Consciousness

Awakening to Inner Wisdom: The first step in this evolution is often a deeper connection with our intuition, or inner knowing. This intuitive guidance comes from the heart, rather than the mind, and allows us to make decisions aligned with our soul’s purpose. It encourages us to trust feelings of resonance, to embrace vulnerability, and to be guided by love.

Healing and Releasing Ego Patterns: As we move toward heart consciousness, we begin to see the limitations of ego-driven thinking—where control, fear, and separation dominate. The ego seeks to protect and defend, but often in ways that isolate us. Through healing and releasing these old patterns, we step into greater compassion and understanding, both for ourselves and others.

Embracing Oneness and Connection: Evolution to heart consciousness involves recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings. We begin to feel that our actions affect not only our immediate surroundings but also the larger collective. From this place of oneness, we naturally adopt more compassionate, collaborative approaches to life, seeking to uplift others rather than compete.

Living Authentically with Love: The culmination of this evolution is a life lived in alignment with love, authenticity, and integrity. It’s about expressing our true selves, free from the masks of ego, and allowing the heart’s wisdom to guide us in every decision. This type of consciousness brings peace, joy, and fulfillment, as we are no longer driven by external validation but by a deep sense of inner harmony.

In essence, evolution to heart consciousness is the next step in human growth, where love, connection, and compassion become the guiding forces of our actions. It represents a shift from surviving to thriving, from separation to unity, and from fear to love.

Instinct vs. Intuition: Understanding the Difference

Both instinct and intuition are powerful forms of guidance that often arise without conscious thought, yet they operate on fundamentally different levels of our being. To truly understand their distinction is to appreciate the roles they play in our lives.

Instinct, as many of us know, is rooted in survival. It’s hardwired into our biology, the legacy of countless generations who relied on it to stay alive. When faced with danger, our instinct kicks in, triggering the fight-or-flight response. It’s a reactive, automatic mechanism designed to protect us from physical harm. Whether we’re dodging a car in traffic or feeling uneasy around a certain person, instinct acts swiftly and universally. Its purpose is clear: survival.

Intuition, however, operates on a more subtle, spiritual plane. Unlike instinct, which is about immediate protection, intuition guides us toward alignment with our deeper purpose or soul’s calling. It’s that inner voice or gut feeling that whispers when something feels “right” or “off,” even without concrete evidence. Intuition draws from a reservoir of subconscious knowledge, experience, and a deeper sense of connection to our true path. While instinct reacts, intuition gently steers. It’s often the feeling that urges us to take a certain job, leave a relationship, or pursue a creative passion—even when it defies logic.

Many spiritual traditions hold that intuition is a form of guidance from the higher self or the soul. It helps us navigate life’s choices in a way that aligns with our authentic essence. The more we tune in to our intuition, the more we feel in flow with our life’s purpose. While instinct is universal—nearly every human and animal shares the same basic survival reactions—intuition is personal and unique to each individual. It evolves as we grow, offering insights not just about immediate situations, but about our life’s broader journey.

In essence, instinct is about survival, while intuition is about thriving. To live fully, we must learn to trust both—allowing instinct to protect us in the moment and intuition to guide us toward our soul’s true path.

Tips for improving your performance

Many business owners, small and large, provide performance incentives for their staff, eg annual bonuses, gift vouchers, time in lieu, equity schemes and the like.

But what exactly are you rewarding?

Incentive programs don’t typically reward performance, rather they reward results. Business success demands results. Fair enough, too. But, let’s go back a step.

“Most incentive programs don’t reward performance, they reward results.”

Results are outcomes, eg sales targets, profit, market share, growth, customer satisfaction. They are all business outcomes. In a cause and effect relationship, they are the effect. What then drives results? Performance drives results and is the cause in the relationship. So, what then constitutes performance and how do you measure it?

End Goals v Performance Goals

There are two types of goals. End Goals and Performance Goals.

End Goals are the outcomes or results you achieve from having done something, eg sales, turnover, profit, customer satisfaction. They are measured ex post facto (after the fact) or what are commonly referred to by management consultants as lag indicators.

Performance Goals are the drivers that get you the results, eg sales calls, customer visits, prospects, outbound calls, customer response times. These can be measured in real time and are referred to as lead indicators.

There can be considerable and costly time delays between when a lag indicator is first brought to the attention of a business owner for corrective action. Time means money. Do your performance measures include lead indicators?

Lead indicators are predictive measures of future success. And success is the cumulative effect of doing the little things day-by-day.

“Lead indicators are predictive measures of future success.”

Lead and Lag indicators form an integral part of what Harvard academics, Kaplan and Norton, call a Balanced Scorecard. Many large corporations use Balanced Scorecard measures and increasingly franchisers are too. They are equally applicable to small firms and truly are essential to driving performance to higher levels.

What drives Performance?

If performance drives results then what drives performance? Well, there are two things that drive performance:

1. skills

2. behaviour

What is the difference? A skill is learned knowledge of how to do a task whereas behaviour is a conscious/subconscious response or choice.

Ask yourself; does this person know how to complete the task? Have they ever completed the task beforehand? Have they received skills training? Have they demonstrated competency in the skill? If not, then you may have a skill deficiency that needs addressing through skills training.

On the other hand, if your employee is competent or has the necessary skills but for some reason doesn’t apply them, then you may have a behavioural issue. In which case as the manager/employer it is incumbent upon you to call them on it. Behaviours tend to run in patterns so it is likely that the employee will repeat the behaviour (at work and at home). So, you are really doing them an enormous favour long term.

In essence you bring to their conscious awareness the subconscious (or conscious) choice they have made. It now becomes their conscious choice whether to amend the behaviour or not. Either way hold them responsible for their choice and the resulting consequences.

Try these exercises:

1. Create a Performance based incentive program. Offer staff gift vouchers or lifestyle rewards based on their performance not results. Reward behaviours such as proactivity, attention to detail, customer focus, team work.

2. Ask your staff to benchmark themselves. Empower them to take responsibility for

their own performance. Nurture the talent you have within your reach. If you are self-employed benchmark your sub-contractors/ suppliers.

3. Include a lead indicator in each functional area – Sales & Marketing (customer visits, qualified prospects, customer complaints); Finance (reminder notices, daily cash position); Operations (capacity, occupancy rates); Service Delivery (response times, compliance with packing slips); People (absenteeism, timeliness, overtime).

4. Call an employee/ sub-contractor on a behavioural issue, eg coming late to work, failure to meet a deadline, failure to keep a promise. Give regular and informal praise for good behaviours.

5. Practice asking open questions. What? When? How? Engage your employee’s creative genius. Encourage them to come with solutions and not problems. You’ve got enough on your plate.

Empower Your Life: How to Set and Maintain Healthy Personal Boundaries

Setting and managing personal boundaries is key to maintaining healthy relationships, ensuring emotional well-being, and protecting your time and energy. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you establish and manage boundaries:

1. Identify Your Limits
Reflect on what makes you feel uncomfortable or stressed. Pay attention to your emotional reactions in various situations (e.g., feeling overwhelmed, resentful, or drained). These are clues that boundaries might need to be set.
Assess different aspects of your life where you might need boundaries: work, relationships, time management, emotional energy, physical space, etc.

2. Clarify Your Values
Determine what matters most to you. Your boundaries should align with your values (e.g., respect, honesty, time for self-care). When you know what you prioritize, it becomes easier to say no to things that contradict those values.

3. Communicate Clearly and Assertively
Express your boundaries to others calmly, directly, and with confidence. For example: “I need time to recharge after work, so I won’t be available for phone calls in the evening.”
Avoid over-explaining or apologizing too much. Be concise but clear about your needs.

4. Practice Saying No
Start small if you’re not used to setting boundaries. Get comfortable with saying “no” when something feels overwhelming or goes against your well-being.
Use phrases like “I can’t do that right now,” or “That doesn’t work for me.”

5. Be Consistent
Once you set a boundary, stick to it. Inconsistent boundaries can confuse others and lead to them being ignored.
Consistency reinforces your commitment to your own well-being.

6. Prepare for Pushback
Not everyone will accept your boundaries easily, especially if they’ve become accustomed to you not having them. Stay firm and be prepared to handle resistance calmly.
Remember, it’s okay to prioritize your needs even if others disagree.

7. Monitor and Adjust
Regularly assess how well your boundaries are working. Sometimes, boundaries may need to be adjusted depending on new circumstances or if you feel they aren’t strong enough.
Be open to evolving your boundaries as your personal and professional life changes.

8. Manage Guilt and Self-Care
It’s normal to feel guilty when setting boundaries, especially if you’re used to pleasing others. Remind yourself that boundaries are necessary for your health and well-being.
Practice self-care and prioritize your own needs to reinforce the importance of maintaining your boundaries.

By understanding your limits, communicating effectively, and staying consistent, you’ll build stronger, more respectful relationships and protect your mental and emotional energy.

About the author

Dennis Roberts is a personal coach, small business mentor and founder of CoachPRO – The Coaching Professionals. His work has won critical acclaim in both the academic and business communities.

Visit www.dennisroberts.com.au

What does it mean failure is feedback?

The phrase “failure is feedback” suggests that failure should be viewed not as a negative end point but as valuable information or a learning opportunity. When you experience failure, it provides insight into what went wrong, which you can use to adjust your approach, refine your methods, or gain a deeper understanding of the challenges. Instead of seeing failure as a defeat, you see it as a form of constructive criticism that helps guide you toward future success.

In essence, failure is a natural part of progress, teaching you what doesn’t work so that you can get closer to what does.

What can i do then with failure?

When you experience failure, you can turn it into a growth opportunity by taking the following steps:

Reflect and Analyze: Understand what went wrong by breaking down the situation. Identify the factors that contributed to the failure. Ask questions like: What did I overlook? What assumptions did I make? What could I have done differently?

Learn from It: Treat failure as a lesson. Look for the key takeaways that can help you improve. Each failure teaches something—whether it’s about your approach, your skills, or the environment you’re operating in.

Adjust Your Strategy: Use the feedback from the failure to make changes to your plans or methods. This might mean refining your goals, improving your skills, or trying a different approach.

Stay Resilient: Failure can be discouraging, but it’s important to maintain a positive attitude and persistence. Resilience helps you bounce back from setbacks and keeps you moving forward toward your goals.

Apply the Lessons: Take what you’ve learned and apply it in your next attempt. Each iteration will bring you closer to success, as long as you continuously refine your process based on feedback from failure.

Embrace a Growth Mindset: Viewing failure as part of the learning process fosters a growth mindset, where you see abilities and intelligence as qualities that can be developed through effort, practice, and persistence.
Failure, in this sense, becomes a stepping stone, helping you progress toward success.

About the author

Dennis Roberts is a personal coach, small business mentor and founder of CoachPRO – The Coaching Professionals. His work has won critical acclaim in both the academic and business communities.

Visit www.dennisroberts.com.au

There’s a distinction between faith and belief.

Alan Watts often explored the distinction between belief and faith in his philosophical discussions, emphasizing that they are fundamentally different in nature.

Here are some key points he made on the subject:

Belief vs. Faith:
Watts argued that belief involves holding onto specific ideas or propositions as truth, often without direct experience or certainty. It’s about clinging to concepts or doctrines, seeking security and certainty. In contrast, faith, according to Watts, is a deeper form of trust—an openness to uncertainty, mystery, and the unknown.

Faith doesn’t require concrete beliefs or fixed ideas; it involves a willingness to let go and flow with life.

Faith as Openness:
For Watts, true faith is a kind of surrender to the present moment and to the flow of life. It’s not about asserting control or demanding guarantees but rather about embracing life’s unpredictability without fear. He described it as trusting in the process of life without needing to define or explain it.

Belief as Limiting:
Watts often criticized belief systems for being rigid and limiting. He suggested that beliefs can create a false sense of security, which prevents people from experiencing life directly. Belief, for him, was something that closed people off from the richness of existence because it was always an attempt to explain or rationalize the unknown.

Faith and Doubt:
He also connected faith to the ability to embrace doubt. Whereas belief seeks certainty, faith involves being comfortable with doubt and ambiguity. It’s about not needing to know everything but still being at peace with the unfolding of life.

In summary, Alan Watts viewed belief as something static and rigid, based on mental constructs, while faith was dynamic, involving trust in life’s inherent uncertainty and a readiness to experience reality without the need for concrete explanations or certainty.

About the author

Dennis Roberts is a personal coach, small business mentor and founder of CoachPRO – The Coaching Professionals. His work has won critical acclaim in both the academic and business communities.

Visit www.dennisroberts.com.au

Why is a midlife crisis such a powerful trigger for change?

A midlife crisis is a powerful trigger for change because it often represents a period of intense self-reflection, where individuals reassess their life choices, accomplishments, and the trajectory of their future.

Several factors contribute to this:

Awareness of Mortality: As people reach middle age, they become more conscious of their mortality, realizing that their time is finite. This realization can lead to a sense of urgency to make meaningful changes before it’s too late.

Unmet Expectations: By midlife, many people have established careers, relationships, and lifestyles that may no longer align with their core values or dreams. Discontent with where they are compared to where they thought they’d be can push them to re-evaluate their priorities.

Shifts in Identity: Life transitions, such as children leaving home, relationship changes, or career shifts, often occur in midlife. These changes can unsettle a person’s sense of identity, prompting them to seek new roles or passions to regain a sense of purpose.

Emotional and Psychological Imbalance: Feelings of dissatisfaction, regret, or a lack of fulfillment can surface during midlife, compelling individuals to address these emotions. This emotional turbulence can act as a catalyst for personal growth and transformation.

Desire for Authenticity: As people age, they may feel more inclined to live authentically, pursuing what genuinely makes them happy rather than conforming to societal or external expectations. This drive for authenticity can lead to significant life changes.

In essence, a midlife crisis acts as a powerful moment of reckoning, often encouraging people to realign their lives with their deeper aspirations, leading to positive personal growth.

About the author

Dennis Roberts is a personal coach, small business mentor and founder of CoachPRO – The Coaching Professionals. His work has won critical acclaim in both the academic and business communities.

Visit www.coachpro.com.au

What are the primary benefits of a 360 diagnostic questionnaire?

A 360-degree diagnostic questionnaire, commonly used in leadership development and performance management, offers several benefits for individuals and organizations:

Comprehensive Feedback: It gathers input from multiple perspectives, including supervisors, peers, subordinates, and sometimes external stakeholders, providing a well-rounded view of an individual’s strengths and areas for improvement.

Increased Self-Awareness: By comparing self-assessment with others’ feedback, individuals can identify blind spots and better understand how their behavior and skills are perceived.

Personal Development: The results highlight specific areas where individuals can improve, making it easier to tailor development plans to their actual needs.

Enhanced Communication: Engaging in a 360-degree review process fosters open dialogue and trust between team members, improving overall workplace communication.

Improved Leadership and Team Dynamics: Leaders can become more effective when they understand how their actions impact others. Team dynamics improve when individuals work on feedback that promotes collaboration.

Objective Performance Review: Since feedback is sourced from various levels, it provides a more objective and balanced assessment compared to traditional top-down reviews.

Motivation and Engagement: Constructive feedback helps employees feel valued and understood, often leading to higher motivation and engagement when they know their input is considered.

Overall, a 360-degree diagnostic questionnaire can promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging personal growth and enhancing organizational performance.

About the author
Dennis Roberts is a personal coach, small business mentor and founder of CoachPRO – The Coaching Professionals. His work has won critical acclaim in both the academic and business communities.

Visit www.coachpro.com.au

Is it time for a digital detox?

A digital detox involves taking a break from digital devices and technology to reduce stress, improve focus, and reconnect with the offline world. Here’s a guide to help you effectively manage a digital detox:

1. Set Clear Goals

  • Define your purpose: Are you looking to reduce screen time, improve mental health, or focus on relationships? Knowing your “why” makes the detox more intentional.
  • Decide on duration: Choose a specific time frame, such as a weekend, week, or month.

2. Plan Your Detox

  • Identify problem areas: Note which devices or apps consume the most time (e.g., social media, news sites, games).
  • Set boundaries: Decide when and where you’ll use digital devices. For example, no phones at meals or after 8 p.m.
  • Schedule tech-free activities: Replace screen time with hobbies, exercise, or nature walks.

3. Gradual Disconnect

  • Start small: Begin with short periods of disconnection, like 1 hour per day or a screen-free evening, and gradually extend the duration.
  • Turn off non-essential notifications: Disable alerts for social media, news apps, or anything that’s not urgent.

4. Create Tech-Free Zones

  • Physical spaces: Make areas of your home, such as the bedroom or dining room, tech-free zones.
  • Work boundaries: Limit after-hours work emails or set an auto-response during off-hours.

5. Find Alternatives

  • Replace scrolling: Carry a book, notebook, or activity to engage in when you would typically reach for your phone.
  • Engage offline: Prioritize face-to-face conversations or outdoor activities.

6. Use Technology to Help

  • Time-tracking apps: Use apps like “Screen Time” (iOS) or “Digital Wellbeing” (Android) to monitor your device use and set limits.
  • Block distracting apps: Apps like “Freedom” or “Offtime” can block access to websites and apps during your detox.

7. Involve Others

  • Social support: Share your detox goals with friends or family to make it a joint effort. This helps with accountability.
  • Communicate boundaries: Let people know you’ll be less available, so they understand why you might not respond immediately.

8. Reflect and Adjust

  • Track benefits: After the detox period, reflect on how you feel mentally and physically.
  • Reintegrate mindfully: When reintroducing digital devices, establish healthier long-term habits like scheduled screen breaks or intentional use of apps.

By balancing mindful use of technology with time away from screens, a digital detox can help you recharge and reconnect with what matters most offline.

About the author

Dennis Roberts is a personal coach, small business mentor and founder of CoachPRO – The Coaching Professionals. His work has won critical acclaim in both the academic and business communities.
Visit www.coachpro.com.au