True Potential: When do hunches prove to be valuable?

Gary, a friend of mine, often sends me articles he thinks I might be interested in, and often I am. The latest one is on Brain Power by Benedict Carey, and is titled, "In Battle, Hunches Prove to Be Valuable." I don't generally read articles about war, but this one peaked my interest. The gist of the article is that the human brain is the most sensitive detection system of all when it comes to finding improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, and it shows up in the way of "hunches."

The article cites several different studies and quotes a bunch of smart people who conducted those studies. Here is one of those: "Not long ago, people thought of emotions as old stuff, as just feelings -- feelings had little to do with rational decision making, or that got in the way of it," said Dr. Antonio Damasio, director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. "Now that position has reversed. We understand emotions as practical action programs that work to solve a problem, often before we're conscious of it. These processes are at work continually, in pilots, leaders of expeditions, parents, all of us."

These hunches have helped military personnel detect and protect against "improvised explosive devices," or IEDs, the greatest threat to life in Iraq and now in Afghanistan.

Hunches can be wrong, especially when fear is involved. According to the article, "neuroscientists say that the most perceptive, observant brain on earth will not pick up subtle clues if it is overwhelmed by stress. In the Army study of IED detection, researchers found that troops who were good at spotting bombs in simulations tended to think of themselves as predators, not prey. (One would be more afraid as prey, that's for sure!) That frame of mind by itself may work to reduce anxiety, experts say."

So, are hunches valuable? Absolutely. To up the chances that they are accurate, we must deal with the fear. There are ways to do this. My favorite is meditation. It helps me get out of my "monkey mind" and into my true self. Then, I can hear that authentic voice -- my hunches -- much more clearly and much more accurately.

True Potential Tip
Meditate. On a level we are not even generally aware of, it works to clear out the fear, the anxiety, and the illusions, and leaves us in a state of peaceful alertness. All the better to connect with those hunches!

Happy Friday!

Love,

Andrea

Nando Parrado, author of "Miracle in the Andes." A true inspiration.