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Some simply call it "instinct" or "gut feeling," and it often defies reason and logic, but it can be your most critical business tool to point you in the right direction when all else fails.

Most CEOs know what intuition is and have experienced it. They agree that it is an invaluable tool for success in the modern world. But few know how it works, and fewer still know that there are things you can do to activate and accelerate it to work when you need it.

Everyone agrees that intuition works best off a solid foundation of knowledge and experience. General Colin Powell in an article referred to a formulae for intuition that resonated with me -“Use the formula P=40 to 70, in which P stands for the probability of success and the numbers indicate the percentage of information acquired.” Part II: “Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut.”

The dictionary defines intuition as "immediate cognition," which requires a paying of acute attention. Get into the habit of listening to your intuition — your "inner teacher" — and expecting it to guide you. When you expect something, you create an energetic vacuum that the Universe seeks to fill. A case in point is two guys driving into town: One expects to find a parking space; the other doesn’t. They both turn out right.

Here are 10 things you can do to activate your intuition:
1. Write down your professional goals. Intuition supports clear intentions. Keep your goals clearly posted and review them every day.
2. Visualize your success. Imagine exactly what you want to happen in your business. Intuition supports your vision. Sharpen your visualization skills by sharing your vision with others and observe if they can see your dreams as well as you.
3. Get enough sleep. Intuition shuts down when you are fatigued.
4. Keep a little notebook or tape recorder and record your gut feelings, aha moments, and bright ideas as they arise. Do not edit, censor, or dismiss anything. You will soon see it all counts.
5. Sound it out. Find sympathetic friends who will listen to your intuitive hunches. Sharing a gut feeling is the best way to validate your intuition and gain confidence in listening to your higher awareness.
6. Take time out for reflection. Intuition lies just beneath our conscious awareness and rises to the surface during quiet moments. Rushing through the day prevents your inner voice from speaking out. Schedule regular periods of five to 10 minutes throughout the week to do nothing but sit and ponder.
7. Leave the job at your desk. Sometimes the best way to activate your intuitive and creative muscles is to walk away from a problem and let the answers incubate on their own. Do something stimulating and fun on your evenings and weekends. Allowing this side of your brain to take over while giving your work side a rest brings new perspectives and ideas that can take you to a new level of solution.
8. Ask for help. Have the wisdom to be open to receiving help in all ways, and do not hesitate to seek guidance the minute you need it. Being open to guidance is the starting gun to an intuitive life and separates the ordinary from the extraordinary in today’s working world.
9. Keep your office clean and organized. Intuition thrives on order, not chaos. A clear desk leaves the clear mind needed for tuning in to your vibes.
10. Acknowledge your intuitive successes openly and comfortably. Share your vibes positively, regarding them as a natural asset designed to help you succeed and not as something to wrestle with or question. Recognize that they are a reflection of your higher abilities, and put them to use every day. The bottom line is if you want to succeed in a changing world of business and have a great time along the way, utilize and trust to the fullest your greatest natural business tool — your vibes.

Above all, have the courage to follow your intuition. Every great leader has been willing to play the fool. Disney was considered a nut. The Wright brothers were called daft. Edison was "eccentric," at best. Progressive thinkers have always challenged conventional wisdom as they blazed a trail to the top.

As a Business Coach and consultant I work to help CEO’s and executives connect with their intuition to achieve extraordinary goals – check out ‘Changing Times’ for more articles or follow our ‘Twitter Feed’.