A turning point in my life was the day I injured my leg in a skiing accident. While being towed down the mountain in a ski patrol basket, I knew it was bad. The pain was enough to make me pass out, although fury kept me present while I let a few choice words fly. No one could hear me over the roar of the snowmobile engine. What was I angry about? It was months before I would answer. I did not heed my own warnings.

As a child, my keen intuition signaled so many things–good and bad. Decades later, and ten minutes before the accident, I ignored my knowing. Whitney, a fellow skier in my class, crowded me out loading the lift. Instead of waiting, I scooted around and sat next to him. All week, I steered clear. He tended to ski recklessly, with little consideration for others, willing his way down the mountain, oblivious to how close he’d come to causing an accident.

It was a matter of time. I made the choice to ignore my inner warning and got on the chair. When we got off, he angled in front of me, tangling tips as I slowed to redirect myself. Although he could feel the tension on his skis and looked back, instead of stopping, he took off with my leg as I am screaming, “Stop!” Being a human wishbone is no fun!

I managed to keep my leg, with a few repairs, and eventually, found my feel and flow again. This was a turning point. The “wake up” call to return to my true knowing and attend to my natural way in the world. For too many years in business, I overly relied on my intellect and lost connection with my Self as I strived and worked hard, willing myself forward to attain and achieve goals that were important, but pulled me off balance.

Skiing, as with so many things in business, can be risky and exhilarating. Both require feel and flow, along with technique. Willing oneself down a mountain is an act of sheer folly, yet many of us move through life and run our businesses in that way. Defying gravity. Being rogue. Thinking without feeling. What I learned as a human wishbone was to hone my intuitive feel by listening to my inner voice and following my flow once again. My intuition must lead; guiding the intellect. Not the other way around. Both are important, working in parallel.

That January day three years ago, Whitney was my teacher, reminding me to never eclipse my knowing, and overpower the feel and flow of my rhythm. I had many days in rehab to practice as I learned to walk again.

Is there a place in your business where you are a human wishbone? Does your intellect overrule your feel and flow? Do you let your intuition guide you, without support from your intellect?