Box52 Coaching & Consulting Services - Blog #strengthsBox52 Coaching & Consulting Services - Blog #strengthshttps://www.box52coaching.com/blogs/tag/strengthsFri, 08 May 2026 04:45:54 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Intuition: A Double-Edged Skill]]>https://www.box52coaching.com/blogs/post/Intuition-A-Double-Edged-Skill"It is by logic that we prove...It is by intuition that we discover." Explore how clients benefit from professional coaches' skilled use of intuition, and find ways to tune into the complexities of fast and slow thinking.]]>

“It is by logic that we prove,” said mathematician Henri Poincaré. 

“It is by intuition that we discover.”    


Intuition is to know something instinctively – without really thinking. And, whether with 1800s revolutionary scientists or today’s podcasts by boundary-breaking women, intuition continues to be a hot topic. The renewed interest of tuning into our body/mind and perceiving all of the information available to us is compelling and can be, at times, unsettling.


Researchers are finding new ways to study the complexities of the human ability to KNOW - without any awareness of conscious, logical thought occurring. They are also parsing out implicit bias and other detrimental aspects of acting without external “checks and balances” on our perceptions about people and places. As with any skill, over-reliance on intuition creates unreliability and imbalance, while completely ignoring it can cause avoidable challenges and potential harm. The combination of fast and slow thinking processes is necessary to operate effectively throughout each day.


In professional coaching relationships, intuition is a core skill. Coaches share their intuitive hits, and then see how the insight resonates with the client. This input disrupts the person’s on-going thought patterns and view of themselves. People may be inclined to look for information that confirms their existing bias and current beliefs. This mindset can be interrupted by the coach sharing an observation, without any ownership over the client’s response, bringing the individual to a new idea or perception. Most importantly, the coach is detached from their expressed sense, and a client can fully reject it without worry or guilt. 


Discovery and greater awareness are at the epicenter of coaching, and can propel clients into purposeful action. Coaching can prime a person’s brain to recognize new options and take potential action where there was previously no perceived alternative.  As described by Herbert Simon, intuition is really just recognition. In David G. Myers book Intuition: Its Powers and Perils, he states that “Sometimes we intuitively feel what we do not know we know.” This provides a starting place for coaches to reflect a client's emotions and energy shifts when meeting, and to bring awareness to consciously knowing. The implicit attitude below the surface is pulled up for consideration and contrasted with the explicit attitude being put forward by the client. Minimally, sharing an intuition creates an opportunity for a client to slow down long enough to assess more of the information that has been unconsciously processed, and identify what they really want.


Myers also highlights the human tendency to revise or “misremember” one's past. Ultimately, “by being mindful of the limits on our self-knowledge, we can restrain our gullibility and motivate ourselves to think critically, to check our own and others’ intuition against reality, and to replace illusion with understandings.” Seymour Epstein’s breakdown of “experiential knowing” and “rational knowing” demonstrates how both types of knowing live within us, and it is up to us to figure out how to manage each in a meaningful way, particularly when the situation is taken into consideration.  And, as Malcolm Gladwell described it in Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking, “The best we can do, I think, is try to puzzle out the right mix of conscious and unconscious analysis on a case-by-case basis.” 


All of these authors leave out one important factor – when does intuition begin? It seems one could argue that the vast “experiential knowing” comes from beyond each individual’s personal experience and from a collective universal experience. Young children and adolescents demonstrate intuition and express insightful wisdom, even with their limited personal accumulation of information. They are natural discoverers. Imagine if adults encourage children to hone the skill of knowing without thinking, with the same fervor of teaching them logic and analysis. 


In the meantime, certified coaches are uniquely positioned to partner with individuals to align the implicit and explicit processes that control and explain one's behavior while creating greater congruence between the two. 

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]]>Mon, 22 Mar 2021 15:20:22 -0500<![CDATA[6 Tips to Wrap-up 2020 Better Than it Started]]>https://www.box52coaching.com/blogs/post/6-Tips-to-Wrap-up-2020-Better-Than-it-StartedUse September to refocus. Gain a sense of direction. Fill your plan with purpose. Build on that momentum, and let it carry you forward into 2021 with these easy-to-implement tips.]]>


Planning a journey

In a year when the bedrock of American living was jack-hammered to bits by the pandemic, politics off the rails, racial injustice and more natural disasters, creating a sense of normalcy seems, at best, daunting and often impossible. However, putting in time now to set a plan can provide a road map for ending this year (Woohoo!) in something other than a fiery dead end crash. And, maybe more importantly, it will position you to start 2021 off in a better place. 


Use September to refocus and gain a sense of direction. Build on that momentum, and let it carry you forward. 


First things first.


1. There is a Future!

The world is still turning; the sun sets and the moon rises each day.  Time may feel warped lately, but a future is out there for you. It is easy to get sucked into the mentality that the “world is ending” and “nothing really matters”. Those beliefs only perpetuate a bleak existence. Push on the accelerator and skip that exit on the highway!! It leads to the land of wasted days and swamp of self-doubt. Take back your sense of control and stay in the driver’s seat. Self-efficacy is key to actualizing the wishes and goals you want to achieve. 


2. Recognize What You Need

 Are you feeling fatigued? Stress consuming your energy? Mind racing but not getting things done? Feeling alone? Lacking alone time? Work bursting into every aspect of your life? No work at all? Breaking your needs down into physical,emotional, and mental categories allows you to find the right fix to get you back on the road. You don’t pour windshield wiper fluid into your empty gas tank to fuel up, so don’t do it to yourself! If you are tired and sleepy, find ways to get more and better rest. Acknowledge and share your feelings of anger, anxiety or fear. Capture and release your thoughts by journaling or other mindfulness practice.


3. Keep it Simple

Focus on getting the basics of your plan down on “paper”. Eliminate visual distractions around you so it is easier to be clear and concise as you define your goals, intentions or problems to solve. Use existing resources rather than trying to create everything yourself. For example, this is National Preparedness Month and you can use this guide to plan for emergencies and disasters. It is okay to follow a map that someone else made. Just remember that it is your journey! 


4. Identify Your Obstacles

Often we compare our starting point to other people’s finished product. It is fantastic to find inspiration in others for what you would like to accomplish. Just keep in mind that you are where you are. Don’t let your perception of someone else stop you from starting. Figure out what is getting in your way. Is it something internal or external to you? Knowing the difference allows you to create strategies and use tools that specifically address your unique challenges. Like any travel adventure, sometimes you see the road signs, sometimes you miss them and other times they aren’t there at all. Regardless, the response is up to the driver, and that is YOU!


5. Tap Your Strengths

Regardless of where Industry, Diligence and Perseverance falls on your VIA Survey of Character Strengths, draw on them to create and implement your plan. It does take hard work to achieve intentions and goals that really matter. Discomfort and uncertainty will be present. Be careful and persistent as you persevere to find ways under, over and through the obstacles in your way. Navigation tools make a trip infinitely easier, and matching strengths to circumstances allows for a more authentic journey. Grit will get you there, but not on its own.


6. Get Help

When traveling, and in life, stop and ask for directions and “local” tips. No one gets anywhere alone. No one. Plus, the journey is so much better when you connect with others.  Asking for help is a strength. Recognizing what is and isn’t available in your current environment is essential to moving beyond your perceived existence. Expand your network. Seek out friends, mentors, coaches and other professionals who will provide the expertise you need to fill in the details on your plan. Allow yourself to be vulnerable.


Parting Postcard

  • Think in a courageous way. 

  • Nourish your feeling of confidence. 

  • Make action your top priority.

  • Start now.


@box52coaching


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