As I was vacationing at Lake Tahoe recently I was reminded of when I got my advanced scuba diving certification and did my high altitude dive in Lake Tahoe. As I sat at the beach in a relaxed state, common themes between scuba diving and using intuition in business began to unfold.
Another World
Being in the ocean scuba diving is like being on another planet - it's a whole different world. It's takes a kind of heightened awareness that develops over time to observe the special and amazing under water life. While focusing on the sea life that is right in front of me, I regularly make visual sweeps of what is in the middle and farthest distance of my vision. In this way, I've seen some amazing things like whales, dolphins, sharks, manta rays, etc. that I wouldn't have seen if i was only focused on what was right in front of me. When using your intuition, allow yourself to see more clearly - the big picture of your business (vision), what's in the middle distance (strategy) as well as the close up details (your daily action steps).
It's All About the Visibility
In scuba diving - as with business - it's all about the visibility (the VIZ in scuba talk). The clearer the VIZ, the more detail you can see of what's right in front of you as well as where you want to go next. It was quite the boon to scuba diving when prescription masks became widely available - improving vision even for those who wear glasses or contact lenses. Your intuition is like a custom prescription scuba diving mask. It allows you to have the vision to see more clearly where you are headed as well as the strategy and details it will take to get there.
What's Your Plan?
The safety motto of scuba diving is "Plan Your Dive and Dive Your Plan." Its all about getting clear ahead of time on your destination, your plan to get there, being prepared and in focused action. Intuition is not a substitute for a practical business plan. Just like a scuba plan, it's important to have a plan in business. Intuition can be a valuable resource to help develop a business plan that is exactly right for you and your business and to help keep it updated as opportunities arise.
Go With the Flow
Sometimes there are signs on the surface of the water of the conditions you may experience under water. But you can still be surprised at the conditions at depth. A strong surge is an example where you can get unexpectedly tossed back and forth under water. Sounds kind of like these turbulent business times doesn't it? Using your intuition as you create or continue to grow your business provides access to additional information that is true for you and your business. It can help you be flexible and go with the flow in the optimal manner regardless of what comes your way. It helps you be alert to whatever comes up or opportunities that reveal themselves.
The Process
When people ask me about getting certified to scuba dive, I recommend that they accomplish it in easy and practical steps - just like learning to engage or expand your intuition:
Step 1 - Learning the tools: In scuba there's classroom and pool work to learn how the equipment works. Take this first step locally to where you live so it's accessible and easy. For developing intuition there are many easy-to-use tools to get you started accessing answers to simple questions first. This step is about learning to use your intuitive senses and recording your answers to validate them.
Step 2 - Using the tools: In scuba this is your first open water (ocean) dives. I recommend making it easy and pleasurable by going somewhere with warm ocean water for this (rather than the cold north coast of California...brrr). Continue to use your intuitive senses often to get a clearer vision for your business as well as answers to more specific questions and challenges.
Step 3 - Honing the tools: In scuba this is traveling the world to dive in exotic locations experiencing different sea life. In intuition, this is using your intuition daily in your business as second nature so you don't even have to consciously think about it - being just as comfortable with it as with your physical senses and logic.
Who's Your Buddy?
Scuba diving is always done in pairs for safety reasons. You or your buddy might also spot and share something interesting that the other missed. Sometimes it can be easier when you are learning to engage your intuition to experiment or work with a buddy. That can be a friend or colleague or a professional intuitive. It can sometimes help to get intuitive insights from someone who is not so attached to the outcome and can help you see the forest AND the trees. Whoever you may 'buddy' with, be sure to agree to complete confidentiality of whatever arises.
Here's to using your intuition for improved VIZ to grow your BIZ.
For information on the intuitive senses click here
