The state where you get a sense of optimum performance, everything is going according to plan and you just go from one win or success to another is often called the Zone or the Flow State. The Flow State is when a sportsman is in supreme form or a stockbroker keeps getting one winning trade after another. It is one of those states that comes and then disappears and it is hard to figure out how to get back into that state. Based on research by Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal, it is now possible to switch on the Flow State by understanding the triggers that create the heightened focus required…
While the research points to 17 triggers including psychological triggers, environmental triggers, social triggers and creative triggers, here are the key types of triggers that can lead to optimum performance, achievement and a sense of satisfaction:
1- Intensely Focused Attention
This is probably one of the most important triggers to get yourself into the zone. You have to get yourself into a position that enables you to strongly focus on your goals without any external noise or distraction. Multi-tasking is out – you will need laser-vision focus on your goal be it academic performance, sports, business achievement, etc.
2- Clarity of Goals
When you have crystal clear clarity about your goals, your mind does not have to worry about what comes next. This is why having just one goal at a time often helps to create the clarity needed. The goal has to be specific, it has to be visualized and it has to be a compelling goal that you simply have to achieve.
3- Real-Time Feedback
Feedback goes hand in hand with goals and provides direction on how to get to the goal more effectively. You see this with powerful communicators who get feedback from audience reaction to customize and fine-tune their presentation in real-time. You see this in tennis where a player who is about to lose the match recovers and starts to win the next few games with a simple change like going to the net more often.
4- The Challenge/Skill Ratio
Right in the middle of 2 extremes – ie. the low stress/low performance on one side and the high stress/high performance on the other side – is the optimal level of stress correlating to peak performance. The Challenge/Skill ratio exists near the midpoint between boredom and anxiety. We need a balance between boredom and anxiety or tension and relaxation. This is the sweet spot that produces the Flow State.
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