Life in the flow within and beyond the possible

If you've ever missed lunch because of the interesting discussion or so carried away with the current project, that everything else is somewhere far away, then you know what a "flow". Time no longer exists, individuality is dissolved, consciousness and action merge into one. Researchers define it as a state in which we feel is best and work at peak capacity, but as a cause such as they wish?

In a state of flux, any solution easily, smoothly and seamlessly leads to another. Solving problems is fast, they are simply washed away by the course of the final work.

No flow conditions, without this increased concentration would have no personal progress. This condition - the basis of forward movement.

Danny Way, skateboarding legend

Feed and athletes

150 years of research confirmed the statement Danny Waihi. For example, a ten-year study of McKinsey showed that officials acted in five times more effectively in a state of flux.

The US military snipers in a state of flux studies were in 2-5 times more efficient and faster than usual. Creativity in this state increased by seven times. The list goes on.

Sounds great, but there is a problem: despite the fact that the flow - one of the most desirable conditions on the ground, it is also the most elusive. Researchers spent decades searching for ways that will replicate the flow experience.

Only one group of people is a condition - not an accident. It is the athletes. In fact, they are so well learned to use a stream that over the past 25 years the boundaries of human capabilities in the sport has expanded considerably.

Surfers catch the 100-meter wave, snowboarders doing incredible stunts, and climbers storm steep slopes without insurance - generally doing something that seems to be not able to neither man.

Never more people can not reach such heights, and then the question arises: why is this possible now?
And the answer is simple. In all other types of flow state of activity is fleeting and elusive, but in extreme sports it - need.

This condition - the only thing that helps athletes to survive in the mountains, at the huge waves and turbulent rivers. When you expand the boundaries of human capabilities, poor choice: get into the flow, or die.
If athletes can use this state for their achievements, so can everyone else. And the methods to do it.

How to hack into a state of flux

In the flow state has its own triggers, ie the causes. In general, there are 12 reasons, and they all fit into four categories:

• psychological;
• environmental factors;
• social;
• creative.

Below we will look at all of them, but first I must say two important things.
At first, flow condition occurs after the concentration, it is fully immersed state. So for all 12 triggers, there are ways to gain attention.

Secondly, athletes as well fall into a state of flux, because they have built their lives around him. Their life is connected with all the 12 reasons.

Background of the environment

These assumptions, which can also be called "external trigger", - it is the environmental factors that cause a person to dive deeper into the matter.

Trigger № 1. Great importance

When in our environment there is a risk, do not force yourself to focus on something: a high level of risk does this for us. Since the primary goal of the body - to survive, brain activity is directed to scan the surroundings, hazard identification and concentration on it.

In fact, the danger does not have to threaten your health, it can be a smart risk, social, creative or emotional. For example, a shy man enough to cross the room and say "hello" pretty girl, came to a dangerous situation.

To enter in a state of flux, we must be prepared to take risks. If you do not tie it to a specific type of activity, we have to be prepared for the fact that in case of failure, we disgrace ourselves, we will look stupid and "lose face."

Trigger № 2. Rich environment

Rich media includes novelty, complexity and unpredictability.

The novelty is the moment of danger and opportunity. For example, our ancestors, sensing an unfamiliar smell, did not know what he means, "must run" or "you can eat." In any case, all attention was focused on him. And we belong to something unknown - on updates easier to focus.

Unpredictability means that we do not know what will happen next, and very careful not to miss it.

A lot of information coming at the same time, also requires us to maximum concentration.

Athletes, extreme always exposed to this trigger, because nature is full of danger, it is always new and unpredictable.

If you do not feel any interest in the extreme, the output is simple: look for the complexity and novelty in any case. Always try to start something new, something that seems to be quite difficult for you.

Trigger № 3. Physical training

50% of our nerve endings located on the hands, feet and face. We have five basic senses. We can also determine the position of the body in space and to maintain a balance with the help of the vestibular apparatus.

Extreme Sports provide a deep dive into the work, and not only through consciousness. For example, when an athlete is alloyed on the rough river, this process involves not only the mind but also the vestibular system, which operates at an accelerated pace. As if the body itself focuses on what is happening, not just the brain.

If you want to use this trigger in normal circumstances, you have to learn to pay attention to all the threads in your environment: walking meditation teaches us to use all feeling for the knowledge of the environment, training on balance pumped proprioception and the vestibular apparatus, yoga, Tai Chi and martial arts are helping to pump all at once. And if you are more like to sit at the computer, you can use a video game for the Xbox and Kinect.

psychological triggers

Psychological or internal triggers - these are the conditions of our internal condition that causes a state of flux. There is a psychological strategy aimed at to keep the attention on the present moment.

Trigger № 4. clear goals

Clear goal tells us what you should pay attention. When the goals are clear, we are not distracted by lengthy reflection on whether or not to do something or not. Thus the concentration increases, increasing motivation and filtered extraneous information.

In ordinary life, the trigger looks like a series of small goals that lead to one big one. For example, when the writer focuses on three major sections or important events, rather than to set a goal to finish the chapter. More focus on small tasks that fill your "now."

Trigger № 5. immediate results

Clear goals give us an idea of ​​where to go and report immediate results, how to do it better.
If we know how to improve something right now, the mind does not seek possible improvements and we can remain in a state of flux.

Pay attention to the consequences of their everyday activities. Quarterly report immediate result will not name, so do not expect the mandatory analysts pay attention to the instant effects of its activities.

For example, surgeons quickly improve their skills, even immediately after the release. Why? They always have immediate results: the clutter on your desktop - and someone dies. This is the immediate result.

Trigger № 6. Call for skills

To concentrate on the job is very important to correct the ratio of difficulty of the problem and our ability to execute it.

If the task is too difficult, a person is frightened, if too light - misses.

A thin line between these two states is called "flow path". This is a task that is hard enough to absorb all our attention, but not difficult to break down and cause panic.

social triggers

There is such a social version of the stream known as the "group stream." It can be seen in football competitions, where every player on the team is the right time in the right place, as if it's not a game, but a well-placed choreography.

If not talk about sports, group stream is common in startups when the entire team is moving together toward a common goal.

Since the cause is the state of the group stream? For him, too, are important psychological triggers, such as a clear goal, the results and the desired degree of complexity of the tasks.

Equally important is the equal participation and an element of risk (mental, physical, either). All these basics status has already been analyzed above, but five other social triggers that must be explained.

Trigger № 7. acquaintance

This means that a group of people in the flow of talking the same language, have similar skills, and their interaction is often based on an understanding without words. Then no one has to be distracted from their work for an explanation.

Trigger № 8. mixed ego

It is something like humility, when every team member is important and necessary, and no one is in the spotlight, and all are equally involved in the process.

Trigger № 9. control and a sense of competence

control of the senses (freedom to do what he sees fit) must be combined with the competence (to do well what you are doing). This is an opportunity to make their choice and have enough experience and skills to do it efficiently.

Trigger 10 №. focused listening

This comes at a time when you're fully immersed in the moment. This unplanned dialogues fact that clarify the situation and the participants are perceived as being the most serious.

Trigger 11 №. "Always say yes"

Cooperation should be based more on unity than on the arguments. The purpose of this - the integrity, community and innovation that come from the ideas and actions of each participant.

creative triggers

If you consider the deeper work, we find that it consists of recognition (of the brain capabilities connect with new ideas) and risk (responsibility and courage that is needed to present their ideas the world). Together, these components start the reaction, and brain plunges deep into a state of flux.

Trigger 12 №. Creation

Anyone who wants more flow state in life, is to think creatively. Instead of taking the problem in the usual way you need to approach it from the other side. Get off the hackneyed ways and use imagination.
Studies show that a new environment and new experiences often trigger new ideas, because the person has more opportunities to recognize new images and compare them. And this is exactly what athletes do.

Professional climber, skier, photographer and director Jimmy Chin explains:

"When people think of athletes adventures, the first thing they remember, - it is a physical risk. But for all the time to work with, extreme athletes, divers groups or professional climbers I knew something about them, and about myself too. Great athletes do not think of a greater risk. I mean, sometimes people think, sometimes not, but physical risk - a residual product of extreme sports, and their biggest wish - is a creative risk. Do not be fool danger. In sporting adventures and achievements of the whole point is in the works ".

Try some of the foundations of the flow state or several at once, and you will see how to change your activities. Dwell in it permanently is very difficult, but often cause very real.

And how often you are able to flow?