Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy – "Mitos 2.0 Desmontando la Vida | Tomamos 35.000 decisiones al día, pero nuestro cerebro solo se entera de 100: así funciona la intuición"

Date: October 6, 2025
Host: SER Podcast (Àngels Barceló, Sergio Castro, Pepe Rubio)
Expert Guest: Mikel Alonso (Entrenador mental e investigador en neurociencia)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of "Hoy por Hoy" dives into the concept of intuition: how much it really guides our daily decisions, what it actually is, and whether we should trust it versus careful reflection. With expert insights and callers’ anecdotes, the program explores the myth that intuition is a mystical, almost magical guide in critical moments—decoding its true nature, scientific underpinnings, and practical value.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Intuición: Is It Magic or Science?

• Setup (00:17–01:47): The hosts joke about expressions we use—“corazonada,” “confía en tu instinto,” “tu cuerpo dice que por ahí no,”—all referencing intuition.
• Quote: “Fíjate si la intuición es importante, que el mismísimo Albert Einstein dijo que la mente intuitiva es un don sagrado.” – Sergio Castro (00:48)
• Real-life reliance: Both hosts admit that they, like many, have often leaned on intuition, especially more successfully than after overthinking.

2. The Myth to Debunk: Should We Trust Intuition Blindly?

• Prompt for audience (01:47–02:56): Listeners are encouraged to reflect – "¿La intuición es lo que vale para ustedes? ¿Le hacen caso en las decisiones importantes?" (Should intuition be trusted above reason in key moments?)

3. The Science of Intuition (Expert Interview with Mikel Alonso)

• Intuición: Experience + Knowledge (05:21–06:57):
  • “La intuición está alimentada por el conocimiento y por la experiencia, y sobre todo por una experiencia significativa.” – Mikel Alonso (05:29)
  • Intuition is not random; it's an ultra-fast, unconscious, subjective process where the brain draws probabilistic conclusions based on past significant experiences.
  • The “impulse” or “pálpito” we feel is a faint emotion or body sensation rooted in accumulated, automated knowledge.
• Conscious vs. Unconscious: “El 99,74% de las decisiones…se producen de manera inconsciente y no nos enteramos. Somos conscientes apenas de 1 de cada 100.” – Mikel Alonso (14:58)
  • Of the estimated 35,000 daily decisions, we are aware of only about 100.

4. How Do We Form Intuition?

• Age and Experience (07:00–09:30):
  • Teens have some intuition in routine matters but, for life-defining choices, lack robust experience.
  • Alonso mentions studies showing that sometimes young people make poorer decisions by rationalizing risky behavior (e.g., crossing a highway) that older adults would instinctively avoid due to emotion-based intuitive assessment.

5. Emotional vs. Rational Decision-Making

• Ignoring Emotion Can Lead to Regret (09:30-10:08):
  • “Estamos tomando decisiones basadas solamente en la cognición… ocultando las emociones.” – Mikel Alonso
  • Personal anecdote: Alonso himself switched from a successful tech career to neuroscience by following his emotional signals, not just cold logic.
  • Advice: When choosing paths (like careers), we should listen to what we enjoy, not just what seems rational for income or security.

6. Intuition in Elite Performance

• For Athletes (10:08–11:46):
  • Counterintuitively, athletes perform better when "not thinking"—acting automatically from ingrained experience.
  • “La mejor manera de entrenar la intuición es procurando no pensar.” – Mikel Alonso (10:27)
  • Emphasizes the coaching mantra: “Go out and enjoy”—relaxation activates intuitive performance.

7. Intuición Femenina: Myth or Muscle?

• Gender Differences (11:46–12:42):
  • Women are more predisposed to intuitive thinking by nature and socialization, but intuition still requires cultivation and training.
  • “Si no se entrena, no se cultiva la intuición, se desarrolla menos.” – Mikel Alonso (12:18)
  • Analogy: A tall woman may seem destined for basketball, but without training, she’ll be outperformed by a shorter, well-trained player.

8. Stories from Listeners: Intuition in Daily Life

• Gema, Las Rozas (12:42–13:40):
  • Trusted her intuition to visit an apartment for her ex-husband, which serendipitously led to a new job — “Fue una cadena”. (13:16)
  • “Mi cabeza me decía no, pero mi intuición me llevó y allí conocí... hoy en día tengo este trabajo gracias a esa decisión.” (13:20)
• Merche, Madrid (13:41–14:51):
  • Relies on first impressions; usually, initial intuition about people proves correct even if she questions it later.
  • “La intuición para mí es el faro que me guía.” (13:48)
  • Regretted not trusting her initial gut feeling when subsequent events vindicated it.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On intuition’s essence:
  • “La intuición es el susurro al alma.” – Pepe Rubio (01:41)
• On experience and decision-making:
  • “Cuanta más experiencia y conocimiento tengamos, mejor funciona la intuición.” – Mikel Alonso (05:29)
• The unconscious power:
  • “De las 35.000 decisiones que tomamos en el día, solo sabemos de una de cada cien.” – Mikel Alonso (14:58)
• Listeners’ wisdom:
  • “Eso que sabes que no sabes cómo lo sabes, pero sabes que lo sabes y nunca falla.” – Merche, Madrid (15:39)

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:17–01:47 — Opening, framing of intuition in popular culture/language
• 01:47–04:31 — Discussion: Intuition vs. rational reflection; host anecdotes
• 05:09–06:57 — Interview with Mikel Alonso: What is intuition?
• 07:00–09:30 — Youth, experience, and intuition (study insights)
• 09:30–10:08 — Emotions in decision-making (personal reconversion story)
• 10:08–11:46 — Intuition in sports; training to not “think”
• 11:46–12:42 — Gender and intuition: myth and muscle
• 12:42–14:51 — Listener stories on real-life intuition results
• 14:58 — The "35,000 decisions" insight and episode wrap-up

Takeaways

• Intuition isn’t magic—it’s lightning-fast, experience-based pattern recognition that happens below conscious awareness.
• Most of our decisions happen unconsciously, guided by accumulated knowledge and emotion.
• Intuition can—and should—be cultivated, regardless of gender or occupation.
• In many instances, trusting well-developed intuition leads to better, sometimes life-changing outcomes.
• Balancing intuition with rational thought is crucial, especially for complex or novel decisions.

Listeners left with a practical, science-backed respect for their inner voice—so long as it's fed with experience, self-awareness, and, yes, a dash of healthy skepticism.