Flow is the secret to both insane productivity and deep fulfillment.
It's not magic, though. Flow is a skill.
13 Flow triggers to EFFORTLESSLY do your best work:
Do you ever have those times where it's like you're propelled forward...
Ideas stream out. Intuition turns up. Nothing else matters.
5 hours feels like in 5 minutes.
Effort is effortless.
That's FLOW.
Flow has been explored by philosophers like:
• Goethe
• Nietzche
• William James
but Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934-2021) is generally given credit for its discovery.
Flow isn't just about productivity.
It's an altered state of consciousness where people feel their best.
The secrets of the flow state aren't fully understood.
We know it's rooted in brain engagement, dopamine production, and intrinsic motivation.
Because of this, more easily get into flow if you optimize for:
• Stimulation
• Engagement
• Meaning
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Use these 13 Flow Triggers:
🔸 Concentration
Complete concentration on a limited topic is flow's most basic trigger.
Not so easily achieved, though.
Practice distraction management:
• Turn off notifications
• Lock doors
• Avoid distracting noises
Prime your brain to focus:
• Set a timer
• Commit
🔸 Novelty
Novelty comes from interacting with the new, unusual, and different.
It's associated with learning, something humans love.
Novelty hacks:
• When reviewing familiar info, add some new facts
• Change your environment: Location, Desk setup, Lighting
🔸 Awe
Predictable, menial, mind-numbing work is the worst.
Awe-inspiring is the best.
When something strikes you and inspires you, seize the opportunity.
"Make the guacamole while the avocado is ripe." —Shaan Puri
🔸 Complexity
The mind will latch onto a sufficiently complex problem.
• Embrace constraints
(Decrease possible solutions.)
• Ask the question one level bigger
("What would it take to 100x our business?)
• Start at the end and work backwards
(Or start from the middle.)
🔸 Unpredictability
Not knowing what'll happen engrosses us.
Easy in games. Hard with your own projects.
Unpredictability hacks:
• Ask different people for advice
• Try someone else's method
• Use randomized generators
🔸 Risk-taking
Risks demand concentration and dish out heaps of dopamine.
Both are perfect for achieving flow.
Risk-taking can come in many forms:
• Physical
• Social
• Emotional
• Creative
• Financial
If you're writing or coding, stop playing it safe with your ideas.
🔸 Clarity of goals (and immediate feedback)
Commonly in sports: A player knows exactly what is required to win.
With each move, each play, each point, success or failure can be immediately perceived.
What can you measure about your current work to know if you're winning?
🔸 Curiosity
The rabbit-hole effect.
Genuine curiosity awards focus for free.
Practice being aware of when you're truly curious and follow that curiosity when it serves you.
Seek ways to tap inspiration to your advantage.
🔸 Passion
Think of what happens when you're incredibly attracted to someone.
There's no effort to pay attention to them.
You can't *not* pay attention.
Thats the flow of passion.
Harder to materialize in your work, but found a company and you'll understand what it's like.
🔸 Purpose
Having a strong Why behind your actions make the flow state easier to reach.
And you probably do.
Before you code, write, exercise, paint, or whatever other flowy activity —
take a moment to reflect on Why.
Live your life with the meaning in mind.
🔸 Autonomy
When you have freedom to pursue your interests — in your way — you pay more attention.
So be careful about asking for too much direction or feedback.
And managers, listen up. The opposite is also true.
Micro-managing kills employee flow.
🔸 Mastery
You're committed to your craft.
You read about it.
You study it.
You practice it.
Mastery requires drive and self-discipline. That dedication leads to focus and flow.
🔸 Challenge
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
When something is challenging — yet within your abilities — it demands a deep state of attention.
Want more flow?
Tweak the difficulty until it's uncomfortable.
Use these 13 triggers to get into flow faster:
🔸 Awe
🔸 Novelty
🔸 Complexity
🔸 Concentration
🔸 Unpredictability
🔸 Clarity of goals
🔸 Risk-taking
🔸 Curiosity
🔸 Passion
🔸 Purpose
🔸 Autonomy
🔸 Challenge
🔸 Mastery