What is Flow?
Also known as being in “the zone,” flow is an optimal state of consciousness, a peak
state where we both feel and perform our best. It is transformation available to
anyone, anywhere, provided that certain initial conditions are met.
“Flow is a hyper focused state.” Stephen Kotler, flow expert and author of the book
Rise of Superman explains, “We are so focused on the task at hand that everything
else falls away. Action and awareness merge. Time flies. Self vanishes. Performance
goes through the roof.”
Athletics are the easiest examples to think about flow. The basketball player who
can’t miss a shot. The gymnast performing the perfect routine. The surfer fixated in
the moment on the wave. These are intense flow states where performance shoots
through the roof.
But it’s not only the realm of physicality where you can access flow. A deep intense
conversation with someone that lasts hours but feels like minutes is a good example
of flow. Or a collaborative work project where everyone is on the same page and
time seems to fly by. That’s flow too.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi created the idea of “flow” as he was
conducting happiness research over 30 years ago. His book Flow: The Psychology of
Optimal Experience describes his findings.
Years later, author and journalist Steven Kotler expanded on his research and has
dedicated much of his life to understanding flow. A few years ago he created the
Flow Genome Project, an organization designed to understand flow better and help
more people access it.
Here’s an excerpt from their site:
The Flow State: Flow states, peak experiences, in the zone, runner’s high, being
unconscious—the lingo is endless. The experience though lives up to the hype. Time
slows down, self vanishes, there’s a complete merger between action and awareness—
it almost sounds like nonsense, but fifty years of serious research says otherwise. Flow
states are now known to optimize performance, enhance creativity, drive innovation,
accelerate learning, amplify memory and underpin happiness itself.
The Problem: The people who want to study Flow states aren’t that good at having
them; the people who are really good at having Flow states aren’t all that interested in
studying them. As a result, researchers are balkanized, their work occasionally
marginalized. There are no coordinated scientific efforts, little cross-pollination of
ideas and—as a result—no real roadmap towards discovery and application.
Why Flow Matters
Elite training methods and strategies are now being shared after years of secrecy.
Experts across disciplines are collaborating, patterns are being recognized, and best
practices are being shared.
And by applying these principles to your own life, you can increase your
performance, learn faster, and do the otherwise impossible.
This gets me very excited because it means greatness is attainable for everyone, no
matter where you are or what you do!
How to Access Flow
Here are 4 of the most common “flow triggers” that will allow you access flow states.
1) High consequence / risk – When the states are high
As risk increases, two important neurochemicals are released from the brain that
help us focus and perform better.
The trick is to change how you perceive risk, by relating it to a challenge instead of
danger. For when risk is a challenge, you can use your fear to help guide you and
elevate you to a new level.
Fear will always be there – using it to our advantage is what’s really important.
When thinking about physical risk, it’s easy to conjure up examples, like a big wave
surfer who’s charging a 50-foot wave. But risk can be more than just physical. As
research shows, flow can be triggered in introverted men just by walking across the
bar and chatting it up with a pretty lady.
2) Deep, Intense, Singular Focus – Ditch the Multitasking
Already
Long, uninterrupted periods of focus are needed to trigger a flow state – like
focusing on a single task for a set amount of time. This is why having a quiet and
distraction-free workspace is so vital to producing good work. Flow takes time to
build, and it takes just one tiny distraction to snap you out a flow state and catapult
you into a multitasking frenzy of unproductivity.
3) Rich Environment – Trigger Flow Through Your
Surroundings
Rich environments are a combination of novelty, unpredictability, and complexity,
all of which attract and hold our attention in much the same way as risk. Take
surfing: each wave is unique, unpredictable and novel. Plus, the ocean is as complex
an organism as you can get. It’s no accident that surfers often experience flow states.
4) Accurate Skill / Challenge Ratio – Find the Sweet Spot in
Your Challenge-to-Skill Ratio
If something is too difficult and or scary, fear spikes and you’ll try to get the hell out.
Alternatively, if the task is too boring, you’ll disengage. It’s all about locating that
one perfect spot that’s slightly above our skill level, yet still attainable.