Flow
# What do we call “Flow”?
Flow is a state …
Quote
“Flow follows focus. It only shows up when we’re in the right here and the right now. That’s what these triggers do: they drive our attention to the present moment.” - Steven Kotler
# Flow Triggers
# Individual Triggers
Here’s a list of attritubes you can experiment with to lead yourself into deeper flow.
- Clear Goals
- Complete Concentration
- Challenge / skill ratio
- Immediate Feedback
- Curiosity/Passion/Purpose
- Autonomy
- Risk (One rule for this one: Don’t put yourself in physical harms way, thinking flow will kick in and you’ll be fine because of that.)
- Novelty
- Complexity
- Unpredictability
- Deep embodiment
- Creativity/pattern recognition
Reflection Question
Pick an activity you get into the zone when doing, or activities you can observe others being absorbed in. Which flow triggers can you identify? Which are strongest for you? What separates someone who’s experiencing flow in an activity from someone who deosn’t? Example Activities: Video Games, Snowboarding, playing an instrument, …
# Collective Triggers
The answers as of now to the question “What leads to group flow?”
- Complete concentration
- Shared goals
- Shared risk
- Yes and…
- Close listening
- Open communication
- Autonomy/ a sense of control
- Blending egos
- Familiarity
- Equal participation
Given that triggers work by driving our attention more into the present moment, one thing we have to prepare for, and be guarded against in a timeslot we want to experience deep flow in are distractions.