The Intuition Book
The Intuition Toolkit
Unlock your Brain’s Potential to Build Real Intuition and Make Better Decisions
What People are Saying
“Joel Pearson’s THE INTUITION TOOLKIT is a superb guide to the science and art of intuition. Pearson marries the science of psychology and a string of fascinating anecdotes to explain when and why humans should rely on intuition, and wraps his ideas in a framework that’s as useful as it is memorable. Highly recommended!”
Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of IRRESISTIBLE and ANATOMY of a BREAKTHROUGH
"The Intuition Toolkit offers a breakthrough perspective on intuition based on neurological research I loved the clarity in its definition of intuition; it is inspiring and deeply original - transforming abstract concepts into a practical guide for developing and harnessing intuition in our lives."
Ed Catmull New York Times bestselling author, Co-founder Pixar and ex-President of Walt Disney Animation Studios
“By demystifying intuition while providing a practical guide for safer decision-making, Pearson helps businesspeople, parents, high-risk professionals, or anyone willing to trust their gut to make better choices by using information stored in the unconscious.”
"The Intuition Toolkit will appeal to fans of Malcolm Gladwell and those who were fascinated by the movie Inception" – Books+Publishing
Some people use intuition more readily than others but anyone can learn to develop and trust it. The key is ensuring that certain conditions are met so as to avoid the pitfalls. Neuroscientist Joel Pearson has identified five essential rules for using intuition, easily remembered by the acronym SMILE:
S: Self-awareness (Feeling emotional? Don't trust your intuition)
M: Mastery (Learn before you leap: why mastery matters for intuition)
I: Impulses and Addiction (These are not intuition)
L: Low Probability (Don’t use intuition for probabilistic judgments)
E: Environment (Use intuition only in familiar and predictable contexts)
In explaining these rules, the book takes anecdotes from real life, including mountain climber Jon Muir’s lifesaving decision; a gameshow that uses humans’ innate misunderstanding of probability to rig its prizes; why you should never go rock-climbing on a first date; and what happens when Usain Bolt races in low gravity. The Intuition Toolkit is scientifically solid, highly readable and utterly fascinating.
