Uncover the Secrets of Gut Instincts: A Guide for Navigating Life's Choices

Intuition isn't some sort of magical talent or extra sensory perception, says Gary Klein, PhD, a cognitive psychologist who specializes in decision-making.

But according to people who actually study decision-making, intuition is a real thing—and there's a way to tap into it to help you make big choices in a way that's slightly less scary than throwing the dice and taking a leap.

Be aware of the mechanisms of your own decision-making, says Dr. Klein.

While it can be empowering to believe answers simply come to you out of thin air, your intuition is actually grounded in your personal experiences, prior beliefs, or even what surrounding people tell you, Dr. Klein says.

The information we get is ambiguous. And there's always some well-meaning person reminding you to just “trust your gut,” which isn't always helpful—particularly if the last time you did that, your gut told you to get back with your ex, and we all know how that turned out.

Gut feelings can be an important source of evidence, in the same way that we use our eyes or our ears to gather evidence, to build beliefs about the state of affairs so that we can make the right kinds of decisions.” Karl Friston, MBBS, a professor of neuroscience at University College London, tells SELF.

A gut feeling, also known as your intuition, is basically unconscious intelligence.

The good news is, there are expert-recommended strategies for using your intuition that can better set you up for success when taking a leap into the unknown.

Have you made the same type of decision over and over—because it's just what you do—and had some not-so-great outcomes? That could be a sign that it could be time to rethink your reflexive approach.

When we are in a new situation, there's usually a very rapid pattern-matching process that happens without our awareness, says Dr. Klein.

Intuition is a real thing—and there's a way to tap into it to help you make big life choices. Making a big life decision can be agonizing.