Recognizing Intuition

              

A bit of background. Beth, the girl sitting at the chessboard, is a chess prodigy, and the other woman is Alma, Beth's foster mom. I talk a lot about instinct, in fact, its a central theme in my book.

The exchange between Alma and Beth has a lot to unpack. First, Alma refers to Beth as an intuitive player. An intuitive person can be identified in a number of ways, but the most common is, "I can't explain why I do what I do, I just do it." 

The second most common are poor teachers. Mayweather is a phenomenal boxer, but has yet to coach any boxers. He probably can't, due to the fact that he understands things based off intuition.

Even if you understand the techniques, and commit everything to memory, doesn't mean you aren't intuitive. The best intuitive boxers know the sport inside and out, every technique, every punch, but when and how they use it, is all based on instinct. It's used to enhance their intuition. Sure, they might explain it afterwards, but I suspect, that is more rationalizing after the fact, rather than in the moment.

This is why fighters have a difficult time explaining fight sequences during post fight interviews. They're seeing it, and trying to explain it, but what they see during the replay and what they felt at the time are two different things.

Recognizing someone as an intuitive is important when it comes to dealing with them, or, most importantly, enhancing their intuition. I'll break down this scene more in the coming days.

Anyway...