Flow, the fuel of peak performance
You have probably questioned yourself about the notion of peak performance and how to reach your maximum level of performance.
Of course, there are practices and repetitions that need to be done in order to reach the mastery level in your activity. But in your journey, it very often comes times when you need to perform at your best and activate the mental state necessary to perform at this level.
In his book The Art of Learning, Josh Waitzkin, the grand master of both Chess and Tai Chi mentions Spontaneous Relaxation as one of the key elements that pro athletes (like Michael Jordan) use to perform at their peak.
Indeed, in that book, it is written that Psychologists at LGE Performance Systems (now called Human Performance Institute) had discovered that “in virtually every discipline one of the most powerful features of a dominant performer is the routine use of recovery periods. Players who are able to relax in brief moments of inactivity are almost the ones who end up through when the game is on the line”.
Remember Michael Jordan sitting on the bench, a towel on his shoulders, letting it all go for a two-minute break before coming back in the game? Jordan appeared serene on the bench even though the Bulls desperately needed him on the court. He had one of the fastest recovery times of any athlete ever seen.
Based on that we can go on and ask: How can you learn to relax like this?
How to relax to reach flow?
To reach that state of relaxation and get “in the zone” (I will come back to it later), great athletes often build mental triggers, that is something they use to snap them back into a calm state.
According to Josh Waitzkin, we people have one or two activities that move us in this manner, but we usually dismiss them as “just taking a break”. No matter what those breaks are (taking a bath, jogging, swimming, listening to classical music) they are more valuable than we think.
The aim of creating a trigger is to form a psychological connection between the routine and the activity it precedes. Once the routine is internalized, it can be used before any activity and a similar state of mind will emerge.
Now you can’t be swimming everywhere you are. The trigger has to be adapted so that the feeling remains the same despite changes that can make that trigger shorter and more practical.
Therefore, the next step of the process is to gradually alter the routine so that it is similar enough so as to have the same physiological effect, but slightly different so as to make the “trigger” both lower-maintenance and more flexible. The key is to make the changes incrementally, slowly, so there is more similarity than the difference from the last version of the routine. This way the body and mind have the same physiological reaction even if the preparation is slightly shorter.
The state of flow aka Being “in the Zone”
Do you know that sensation when you’re working out or cranking on a project, and time starts to pass quickly, distractions melt away, and nothing can move you out of your focus or concentration?
When that happens, you are “in the zone”. Being ‘in the zone’ is another way of describing “flow”.
“Flow, this state of virtuosity and enhanced performance among musicians, artists, elite athletes, writers, etc. They go into this zone where they experience transient hypofrontality, this temporary moment when the ego dissolves. They get this sort of hyperfocus on what they are doing, they drop into that theta state like meditating monks and they are able to achieve excellence and virtuosity that exceeds normal human level and the threshold for what is possible. They literally transcend themselves in this moment of flow “
Jason Silva
It’s easier than ever to get high and it’s hard as it has always been to stay that way. No matter how much flow we put in the bucket, we always believe in this bucket full of holes, so we achieve this temporary state of flow and then Monday we go back to where we were.
Fortunately, flow is not restricted to musicians, elite athletes, writers, and top performers. We can reach this state while performing common activities like engaging in an exercise, engaging in a hobby. So what does it exactly take to reach the state of flow?
What are the steps to reach the state of flow
If you are interested in reaching the state of flow consistently (“consistently” is a key word here), following these steps will lead you to your goal
- A good match between your skills and the task at hands
According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (the author of the book flow), flow is most likely to occur when your skill level is perfectly aligned with the challenge that the activity presents.
I have been applying this notion of picking the right level of difficulty in my sports activities, precisely during my Ju-Jitsu practices. I always try to be in the flow state when sparring and picking the right partner to train with is part of my process of getting “in the zone”.
The sparring partner should have the same level as me or even a little higher. It if happens that I don’t find the right partner in one training session, I will go practicing with the sensei (the name of the teacher in the Dojo). In spite of my 1st dan-black-belt level, that session with the sensei is always tough, but he does know how to adjust his practice to make me learn things.
The key point here is to always escape from his comfort zone. Even though I know that the practice will be harsh, I go for it. It’s basically a mindset to cultivate.
2. Stretch your skills as much as you can
A slight stretching of your skills, or attempting something that is a little more advanced than your current abilities, can also foster a flow state.
You don’t want to volunteer for a task or project that requires an impossibly huge step forward or that will overwhelm you. It’s a fine balance between gently stretching your skills and pushing yourself too far.
Flow is dependent on finding that sweet spot between your skills and the challenge at hand, it’s no surprise that we need to have a certain level of mastery before we reach the flow state. This doesn’t mean you won’t hit flow until you’re an absolute master, but it does mean you need to know how much skill you have and how to use it to the utmost.
3. Have clear goals
“If a subject excites us, if it stirs our deepest curiosity, or if we have to learn because the stakes are high, we pay much more attention”
Robert Greene
People who frequently achieve flow are often intrinsically motivated to perform certain actions. In other words, they may have specific goals in mind, but they engage in these actions for their own sake as well.
4. Avoid Interruptions
“Being constantly the hub of a network of potential interruptions provides the excitement and importance of crisis management. As well as the false sense of efficiency in multitasking, there is the false sense of urgency in multi-interrupt processing.”
Michael Foley
It is important to devote all of your concentration to the task at hand. Multitasking and other distractions will disrupt the flow state. Set aside a time and space that will allow you to work on a project without being interrupted or distracted. Turn off your phone, television or other devices that might pull you away from the task at hand.
5. Focus on the Process and Not on the End State
While having a goal is important, flow requires enjoying the journey and not just fixating on the outcome. Allow yourself to simply live in the present moment without worrying too much about the final outcome of your efforts.
You have only partial control over whether you reach a specific external goal. But you have complete control over the process you use. Whether you give your best effort is entirely within your power.
Focusing on the process encourages experimentation. By trying different experimentations, you open more to serendipity and are more likely to encounter flow.
We are dedicated to change the world but we can not do it on just grit and dedication alone. Flow is the rocket fuel, flow is the force multiplier.
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Howard Thurman
Enjoy the reading and do not hesistate to leave a clap if you feel like doing so. Thank you
