Intuition: Trusting the Inner Voice

I was so glad I was able to read the article given in class about intuition. This is something I am always working on, to be more trusting of my instincts and go with my gut more often, in all areas of my life, and not just in design. Reading the article made me re-think how I approach design and the beginning stages of concept development. I had never really thought about using your intuition in designing; I would always just use rational thinking to develop concepts. I would even over-think my designs until I'm not sure about them at all anymore. I didn't realize that being so analytical could actually hinder my designing skills rather than improve them; I can now see how important and influential trusting your instincts can be.

Another thing I learned from reading this article was that it's okay to trust your instincts. Going with your gut doesn't mean your design is thoughtless or careless. It means you are going with your heart rather than your mind, which can make your designs all the more stronger for it. You cannot rely on it by itself, though. You must stay focused on the project and still be able to take constructive criticism from others. Rather than relying on one or the other, both intuition and learned knowledge must be combined together in order for the designer to release their inhibitions and be truly fearless.

Some things I am taking away from the article are how to nurture your own intuition and help yourself feel more comfortable with trusting it. Having an OCD-type nature, this is going to be difficult to temporarily put aside rational, analytical thinking and just go with the flow for once. I'm going to keep telling myself to not be afraid to take risks. I'm going to keep a better ear out for that inner voice, small and soft as it may be at first. I'll take periodic breaks to help freshen my mind and come back with a clean slate to work with. But more importantly, I will seek out inspiration. If I feel inspired by something, the feelings resulting from that inspiration are so strong that I feel the need to express them in some way, either through visual means (drawing, photography, design, etc.) or otherwise (singing, dancing, etc.). If I can incorporate such strong feelings of inspiration with my intuition, and combine that with learned knowledge like I mentioned earlier, I know I can have a really great design and concept!