The Fundamental Flaw of Finding Flow
Too many glorify it without realizing this major issue.
It didn’t feel like work. It was engaging and enjoyable. But I didn’t want to do it anymore. And thus, a 7-year-long hobby was coming to an end.
The concept of flow — the mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and involved in your activities, as well as deriving enjoyment from that activity — has become a popular phenomenon over the years. From athletes talking about being “in the zone”, to self-help gurus proclaiming its significance for productivity, it seems like everyone is chasing its effects.
I get that. Flow is an amazing thing to enter. To spend time doing something, with so much involvement and enjoyment, that you lose all track of space and time. It’s a happy state of being.
But there’s an issue with it. One subtle yet fundamental flaw. Something I discovered when I quit the activity that got me into flow the easiest.
Something is Missing
In my adolescent years, music production was my thing. But as I grew older, and career-choices started to become a concern, I noticed something. When I really had to think about my future like this, I realized music production was a no go. I wasn’t motivated to pursue it as a long-term career…
