Intuition is by no means concrete knowledge, but it is an insight that many of us rely on to make life decisions. A strong feeling about something can sure seem like the right thing and for many of us those feelings guide us through life with a good amount of success.
Knowing the Time
There are some things we can say we know, while others we might think we know. Time fits into the category of a guess if we don't have the tools of measurement like a clock or a watch. Then there is the time that has no actual measurement such as time to leave or time to do whatever it is that needs to be done, but even then we might think we know and in the end be wrong about it. In most cases though, after a lifetime of experience, we can usually develop a reasonable sense about those feelings we get about our surroundings and how they relate to time.
Experience is the best teacher for those who pay close attention. Politicians, business people, or investors all develop an understanding of how their worlds work and what to do when the time is right. They know the time to act or when to show restraint. They know the right time to buy, sell, or patiently wait for a better time to do what they see as an inevitability. Now or later might be dependent on intuitions as much as data analysis.
For each of us we've learned to recognize when the time becomes evident to us as being the right time. If you're visiting someone or at a party you can pick up those signals that tell you it's time to leave--yawning, distraction, or something in the body language that is sending a message. A tactic that I'll sometimes use with guests is that I'll start cleaning up the mess. Usually that conveys a signal to any remaining guests that it's either time for them to leave or to pitch in and help me clean. No rudeness is intended, but I just know the time is up for socializing.
In a relationship we often know it's time to sever ties or at least start looking at whether there is mutual benefit in continuing. When we pursue some venture in life whether a business, a hobby, or anything else that involves a personal investment and we are no longer finding a reward or benefit in our pursuit we might realize that it's time to move on to do something else.
When knowing the time is not a question that is easily answered by looking at the clock or a calendar, then maybe that's the time to look closely at where we are, who we are with, and what we are doing. Maybe our decision will be supported by facts or maybe only by feelings, but whatever we decide when we know the time is likely the right thing to do because we just "know".
Is your intuition about knowing the time usually accurate? What kind of signals do you send to others in order to give a hint that "it is time"? When do you usually know it's time?
