The Flow State

No doubt, you’ve heard that elusive state in athletics called Flow. It’s such a desired state that we named our signature product after it. 

Flow is defined in this article as a special psychological state of total absorption in a  task.  When in flow, athletes are fully focused on what they are doing, and this heightened attention is associated with a number of positive factors. Accompanying a focused mindset are factors such as knowing exactly what one is going to do and how one is doing, having a sense of oneness with the task being performed, and feeling in control of one’s performance. 

When in Flow, the athlete doesn’t worry about failure. They are absorbed in what they are doing and the experience itself is rewarding. 

There are nine dimensions of Flow as defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who developed the flow concept in the 1970s. 

1 - Challenge-skill balance. The athlete truly believes they have the skills to meet the challenge. This is the most important aspect of Flow. 
2 - Action-awareness merging. It’s a feeling of being one with the task. This brings a sense of peace and harmony.
3 - Clear goals. This is knowing exactly what you have to do. This clarity happens on a moment-by-moment basis. 
4 - Unambiguous feedback. This is the processing how performance is progressing in relation to the goals. 
5 - Concentration on task. You are totally connected to the task. You are in the present. 
6 - Sense of control. Here, you have total confidence. You are empowered. There is no fear of failure. 
7 - Loss of self-consciousness. In this dimension, there is no care about what others think of you. 
8 - Time transformation. This dimension is highly personal. Some feel like time stops, others feel that it moves slowly or speeds up. Basically, you lose track of time. 
9 - Autotelic experience. This is the rewarding nature of flow. 

Sounds AMAZING, right?! It’s not easy to experience flow, but things like preparation, enjoying what you do, having goals, concentration and confidence are all factors that contribute to the flow state.Yes, it comes down to hard work and mindset.

Hopefully, by now, you’ve experimented with some of the mindset techniques we’ve explored in this newsletter. And, as we shared in the very first email, you’ve practiced them. If not, it’s never too late. Find the mindset that brings you confidence. Put in the time.

Find your flow!