Listen Closer

THE SIMPLE NEWSLETTER - ISSUE # 055

I want to share a thought that’s been quietly reshaping how I think about decisions, coaching, and everyday moments. It stopped me in my tracks because it put words to something I’ve felt for a long time but never articulated. What follows is a reminder about intuition, anxiety, and the difference between hearing yourself and actually listening.

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ADAM'S THOUGHTS:

I recently came across a philosophy that stopped me in my tracks:

Your intuition speaks to you in statements.

Your anxiety speaks to you in questions.

Damn—that’s powerful.

Think about your inner dialogue for a moment. When you hear a clear statement, it often compels action. It feels direct. Grounded. Almost like it’s coming from somewhere deeper—your unconscious, your intuition, your spirit, your muse.

Anxiety, on the other hand, tends to sound very different. It’s wrapped in uncertainty. It shows up as questions. Not curious questions meant to learn—but fearful ones rooted in I don’t know.

This past week, I’ve been digging deeper into intuition. Tom and I have always said we’re intuitive coaches, which can be hard to explain. What it really means is that we use our intuition to sense what a client needs right now—in this moment, at this phase of their path.

But we also coach our clients to trust and use their own intuition.

Because the truth is, most of the time, we already know exactly what we need to do to move forward.

We hear it.

We just don’t listen.

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ADAM'S LESSON:

I’ve decided to pay closer attention to my intuition—not just in coaching, but in everyday life.

Here’s a simple example.

The other night, Tom and I were at one of our events. It wrapped up around 9:30 p.m. I’d been so busy talking with people that I hadn’t eaten anything or even taken a bathroom break.

By the time we locked up and got to the parking lot, it hit me: I had a 30-minute drive home, and this was going to be uncomfortable, because I really had to pee!

As I was driving, I was coming up to a Paris Baguette—a place my family loves. We rarely go because it’s far from home and, let’s be honest, not exactly health food.

As I approached it, a thought came in clear as day:

“You should stop here and bring pastries home for your family.”

That was intuition. A statement.

Then anxiety chimed in:

“I wonder if they’re even open? It’s kind of late.”

I looked up the hours at a red light. They were open. But by then, I’d already driven past. To turn back would mean extra time—and I really needed a bathroom.

So I kept driving.

The rest of the ride home was miserable. No singing to music. No strategic thinking. No creativity. Just one thought: please don’t pee your pants.

After I finally got home and relieved myself, it hit me.

My intuition had been right.

If I’d listened, I could’ve stopped, used the bathroom, and brought home something thoughtful for my family.

Instead, I let anxiety ask questions that didn’t lead to action—only discomfort and regret.

See What We’re Up To

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CLOSING THOUGHTS

Here’s what I’ve figured out:

I’m going to start doing more than hearing my intuition.

I’m going to listen to it—by acting on it.

Because more often than not, it’s already proven itself right throughout my life.

Maybe yours has too.

-Adam

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