You may be forgiven to think that the concept of “flow” has been prepared and popularized by Yoga teachers. This word gets a lot of games when you move from Dog oriented downwards On the warrior one and two.
In fact, the flow – the state of “effortless effort” – was invented by GoetheFrom the German “Rausch”, a kind of dizzying ecstasy.
Friedrich Nietzsche and psychologist William James Both considered the state of flow in depth, but the social theorist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Creativity: flow and psychology of discovery and inventionis the real giant in the field. Here is one of his flow definitions:
Be completely involved in an activity for itself. The ego falls. Time flies. Each action, movement and thought inevitably follows the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved and you use your skills to the maximum.
Author Steven KotlerExecutive director of Flux research collectiveNot only seems to spend a lot of time thinking about the flow, as a leading expert on human performance, but it also inhabits the State on a fairly regular basis.
Calon it until good luck?
Good genes? (Some researchers, including the retired geneticist NIH Dean Hamer and psychologist C. Robert CLONINGERThink that genetics play a role …)
As Kotler points out above, anyone can cover their bets by eliminating distractions – all the usual bad guys who interfere with sleep, performance or productivity.
It is also important to know you. Kotler is an update, which is cracking well before sunrise::
I don't only open my eyes at 4:00 am, I try to go from bed to office even before my brain comes out of its alpha wave. I don't check any e-mail. I turn off everything at the end of the day, including the disconnection of my phones and all that, so that the next morning, nobody jumps in my reception box or I assure me emotionally with something, you know what I mean? … I really protect this early morning.
On the other hand, his wife of Night Owl does not start to eliminate the cobwebs until early evening.
In the video above for Big Think, Kotler notes that 22 flow triggers have been discovered, conditions that keep the attention concentrated in the present moment.
Its website lists many of these triggers:
- Complete concentration in the present moment
- Immediate feedback
- Clear objectives
- The Déf-Skills report (that is to say: the challenge should seem slightly out of reach
- High consequences
- Realization mode
- Rich environment
- Creativity (More specifically, recognition of models, or the connection of new ideas)
Kotler also shares the psychologist at the University of North Carolina Keith SawyerTriggering list for groups hoping to flow like a well -oiled machine:
- Shared objectives
- Narrow listening
- “Yes and” (additive, rather than combative conversations)
- Complete concentration (Total focus in law here, right now)
- A feeling of control (Each member of the group feels under control, but still)
- Mix the egos (Each person can immerse their ego needs in the group)
- Equal participation (The skills levels are more or less and equal everyone is involved)
- Familiarity (People know each other and understand their tics and their trends)
- Constant communication (A group version of immediate feedback)
- Shared and group risk
One might think that people of the flow state would float with an expression of ecstatic happiness on their faces. This is not the case, according to Kotler. Rather, they tend to frown slightly. Good news for anyone with restful slut face!
(We will thank you for referring to it as the face of the state of flow at rest from now on.)
Note: an earlier version of this article appeared on our site in 2022.
Related contents
How to get into a creative “flow state”: a short masterclass
David Lynch explains how simple daily daily habits improve his creativity
“The philosophy of” flow “: a brief introduction to Taoism
– Ayun Halliday is the main primatologist of The East Village Inky zine and author, more recently, of Creative, not famous: the manifesto of the small potato. Follow her @Ayunhalliday.
At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.