-Zach Bretz
And now your buddy Gene will serve it to you!
Last night I was having a great conversation with my good friend Zach, who is taking a Positive Psychology class at the University of Pennsylvania, about the coveted Flow state.
Flow is an experience (not exclusive to sports) where a person is immersed in an activity and has their mind focused on the present moment while losing consciousness of ego, self-evaluations, and the audience and audience evaluations. Things seem to fall into place as the unconscious takes over and a self-transcendence is reached.
Many athletes call this experience being "In the Zone." They use the words in the Zone and Flow interchangeably. I do not believe that the Zone and Flow are one and the same. I can differentiate between the two.
I know I have been in the Zone every wrestling match in which I ever competed. But, it was only in rare occasions where I felt Flow. I believe the Zone may be a prerequisite for Flow. But, being in the Zone will not inevitably lead to Flow. This principle became more clear to me today when my friend Nate Wierzbicki, a Physical Education major at Springfield College, hypothesized that there may be several steps necessary to achieving Flow.
I will differentiate between the two now. While in the Zone, one feels as though they are In the Moment. There is a Buddhist word for being in the Here and Now- Satori. I loved to compete because when I was on the mat, I was not thinking about my school work, girl problems, etc. I became focused on the present moment.
To me, being in the Present Moment, here and now, represents the Zone. I'm sure athletes share this common experience with me. This tunnel vision results from a moderate amount of arousal or anxiety. It can be harmful the tunnel vision becomes extreme. This will close your mind to creativity and fluidity, both necessary components of Flow. But in the Zone you can still be self-conscious and aware of other people's evaluations and expectations.
Flow is the Zone, plus the relative absence of self & others consciousness. You and the experience become one and the same. In a sense, you lose yourself. This principle is by no means new. Many cultures all over the world have known about this concept for thousands of years, not the least of which being the Eastern cultures and the principle of Zen.
As stated above, a major prerequisite of Flow is the loss of one's ego. Listen to how Dr. David Lieberman describes this IDEAL STATE as he calls it:
"Your ideal state of mind is to have no ego and this is achieved by focusing solely on your objective. This will allow you to be unconcerned with how you are coming across and help you avoid second-guessing yourself. If you are absorbed with your objective, the "I" or the ego disappears and you can pursue your goal relentlessly. Focus only on the outcome, not on yourself."
Surely when Dr. Lieberman speaks of focusing on your objective, he means focusing on executing your mission, not on how to do it, and certainly not on winning. When you watch McElwain and Jordan below, they are achieving Flow by thinking about making baskets, not on winning the game. The winning is a byproduct of making baskets.
Letting Go and Trusting your instincts is another important part of attaining Flow. A common complaint among athletes is that they perform better in practice than in a match or a game. I believe that this phenomena of a "practice room wrestler" is due to the fact that in practice it is easier to LET GO. In practice, these athletes attain, if not, come closer to attaining Flow. They may experience tunnel vision to an optimal extent, not to the extreme. Fluidity and creativity is maintained as one is loose and relaxed with their muscles. Being too in the Zone would create extreme tunnel vision, and overall narrowing of the vision. This is likely what happens when a "practice room wrestler" competes, due to over arousal.
I do not know if there are different levels of Flow and if exists along a continuum, but I would have to believe this is at least somewhat the case. Either way, it seems the more into Flow one becomes, the better.
So if in practice an athlete can come closer to Flow, they will probably perform better (better not in terms of wins or losses, but rather in terms of competing to their potential). If its easier to Let Go in practice, then it logically follows that the athlete will be more into Flow and thus perform better.
A more technical name for Flow is what Sport Psychologists call Ideal Peak Performance State (IPPS). They say there are 7 characteristics of IPPS.
(1) Total Concentration (focused on the Here and Now. Living in the present moment).
(2) Clear Goals (the clear objective we spoke of earlier)
(3) Lack of Self-Awareness (loss of the ego and audience and audience evaluations).
(4) Unambiguous Feedback (Clearly seeing things as they are. Also includes no value judgements of good or bad associated with actions. Not thinking, yet not dreaming, ready for whatever may come).
(5) Sense of Control (In a sense that the person is competent enough to perform the task, the task must be a challenge, neither over challenging or under utilizing the person's present skills) It is a little bit of a stretch of the persons current skill level, hence it is within their control, and the person is aware of this .
(6) Autotelic (Self-Goals) Experience (Intrinsic Motivation, the process becomes its own reward)
(7) Transformation of Time (Which some report, make time seem to slow down during the task, but paradoxically seems fast once the task is over).
How Does it feel to be in Flow? (basically corresponds with the 7 characteristics of Flow):
1. Completely involved in the experience. Focus and concentration.
2. Sense of ecstasy. Greater than normal.
3. Inner clarity. Knowing what needs to be done and how to do it.
4. Sense of Control (we spoke of just above).
5. Sense of Serenity (loss of ego and evaluations)
6. Timelessness (Happens in a flash, things fly by).
7. Intrinsic Motivation (we spoke of before).
My girlfriend Danielle, an Exercise Science and Sport Management major at Rutgers University, made me look at it from a different perspective. Think of an lion tacking a gazelle. Watch any animal attack on youtube and you see a sort of effortlessness that occurs. Animals are instinctive. They are in the present moment, as they have no concept of past or future. There is no higher order thinking going on. No consideration to how they look or how others perceive them. They are single minded in their pursuit of their objective. I wonder what implications this has on people with mental disabilities. Consider Jason's story below. I have heard many stories of people with mental disabilities and how powerful they can be when they get mad. They concentrate all their energy into the present moment and are single minded in their pursuit of an objective without ego or worry of evaluation. I wonder if Jason's story has anything to do with that, I don't know.
So if this is a natural/innate process, why is it so rare for humans to achieve? It's probably a trade-off of the higher order brain we have (which includes self-conscious) combined with our learned social awareness (norms, praise and critique, and modern concepts of success-based on winning and achievements). Indeed it is necessary to have a mind that's counterproductive to Flow at times. We must think about the future, so we know how to act in the present. We must learn from the past, to continue doing the things that led us to success and to not repeat our errors. This adaptive mental process leads our mind to sometimes stray from the Here and Now, as in performance settings, where such a mindset is desirable. We are exposed to value judgements since were born. We're told what is good and what is bad. We are praised and rewarded for doing good, while being ridiculed and punished when we do bad. We learn about value judgements and social desirability early and the rewards and punishments that go along with it. It's no wonder we think in terms of good and bad, right and wrong. It is hammered into our head since birth. This is counterproductive in a performance setting. Thinking of others opinions and judgements of us while performing diverts our minds out of a clear and alert state necessary for staying in the present moment and achieving Flow.
Another thing Flow made me think of is a specific part of the Da Vinci Code. As Professor Langdon asked Sophie is she remembered anything ritualistic in nature that her grandfather partook in. And then the screen shows a flashback of two people having sex in front of a group of people in a ritualistic manner. In the movie, they said women were seen by many as a route to God. Could this be because sex is another act where self-transcendence and the Flow state is possible. What's more is that it's something almost every adult can relate to.
Check out these articles on the coveted state of Flow (click the links)
Also, keep in mind that there is no distinction made between the Zone and Flow. Remember what we talked about as you read.
Shambhala Sun- In the Zone: The Zen of Sports
Scholarly Articles on Flow (Click Links)
If We Are So Rich, Why Aren't We Happy, Relating Cramming and Flow, The Flow Experience, Flow Among Jounalists, Flow at Work, Relationships Among Goal Orientations, Motivational Climate, and Flow, Flow In A Team Setting, Flow and Music Students, Flow & Creativity in Music, Psychological Skils, Performance, & Flow, Team Innovation & Flow, Flow & Recreation, Effects of Hypnosis on Flow, Flow- A Theory, Maximizing Flow in Sports, Flow & Motorcycling, Motivation, Flow, & Personality, Encouraging Creativity: Flow & Motivation, Flow- A General Context, Flow in P.E., Propensity & Flow, Motivation & Flow in P.E., Constructing Challenges to Find Flow, Development of Scales on Flow, Religious Orientation & Flow, Pre-shot Routine & Flow, Psychophysiology of Flow, Playing In the Zone, Flow in Schools, Flow & Computer Games, Measuring Flow of Web Users, Online Behavior: Assessing Flow, Going with the Flow, Flow & Organizational Psychology, Measuring Flow in Online Games, Pre-Competitve Anxiety & Flow, Flow & Consumer Behavior, Flow & Hiking, Locus of Control & Flow, Hypnosis, Flow, & Basketball, Flow & Kata, Flow & Art Making in Cancer Patients, Video Game Flow, Flow & Online Environment, Attentional Strategies, Perceived Exertion, & Flow, Flow Theory & Coaching Psychology, Flow, Family, & Soccer, Potential & Job Complexity and effects on Flow, Frame, Flow, & Reflection as Public Liminality, Flow Theory & Video Games, Flow & Engagement, Creating Flow in Game-Based Learning, Flow of Software Development, Presence & Flow in Virtual Reality, Participation, Engagement, & Flow, Flow & Internet Shopping, Maintaining Concentration to Achieve Task Completion, Triggers of Extraordinary Experiences, Television Addiction, Assessing Mindfulness,
Flow caught on tape! (click the links)
FLOW 1
1992 NBA Finals Game 1. Michael Jordan scored a finals record of 35 points in the 1st half. This included six 3-pointers, another record. Watch Jordan's face throughout the video. He does not get excited, he simply keeps doing his thing. Only after his 6th 3-pointer do we see him finally show emotion and reflection of the situation- he shrugs his shoulders, as if to say I don't know how this is happening. This is Flow:
FLOW 2
Autistic student, Jason McElwain was the team manager for his high school basketball team. The last game of the season, his coached allowed his to dress. With two minutes left in the game, the coach gave Jason the signal to go in. After 2 missed shots, Jason McElwain does something extraordinary. He attained Flow. He made the next 6 shots in a row. Watch this clip and see what I'm talking about. He makes 3 in a row and its very exciting. And then it starts to get freaky, as he makes 3 more. It's a little bit scary to watch someone in this Flow state because for a little while, potential is reached and self-transcendence is achieved.
Jason illustrates how Flow is not exclusive to anyone, or any group of people.
This video makes me think of a quote I heard a long time ago by Marianne Williamson:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
While it may not be possible to will a Flow state, it is my firm belief that you can facilitate it, and thus make it more likely to happen.
Steps to facilitate Flow-
* Practice Trusting your abilities.
[Know there is a difference between Training and Trusting. Training is analysis of behavior and technical awareness. Trusting is the act of Letting Go and allowing your instincts to take over. Both are necessary to become successful. Remember the timeless wisdom, you need to practice the way you want to play. This means if in a game you want to be in a Trusting mode, you must spend time in practice actually practicing Trusting. Dr. Bob Rotell recommends if you are a golfer you practice 70% of your shots in a Trusting Mindset. You can apply that theory to any sport or trade.]
* Practice Letting Go of Your ego and Value Judgements (good vs. bad, right vs wrong) in Sports...and in Life. Just see things as they are. [Note- This does NOT apply to your morals.]
* Practice staying in the Present Moment and having an alert yet clear mind. [Watch the movie Peaceful Warrior to get a better sense of this.]
Are some people more predisposed to the Flow state based on their personality type?
Based on Myers and Briggs Type Indicator of Personality, there are 4 different personality types, with 4 subgroups of each type, making 16 total personality types.
One of the personality types- The Artisan (SP) seems to have a predisposition for the Flow state since these people by personality definition are Sensing (S) meaning Down to Earth and grounded; and Perceiving (P) meaning more likely to go with the flow. By Dr. David Keirsey's interpretation, these Artisans are, more than other personality types, in the Here and Now, an important component of Flow. The do not need to be taught this. Interestingly enough, these tend to be people who have little use for subjects like psychology that require reflection on their actions. Artisans tend to prefer action to contemplation. Sounds like that would help facilitate Flow doesn't it? Keirsey adds that more than any other type, Artisans are most (1) comfortable in their bodies (less self awareness), (2) most optimistic, (3) live and act in the present (as we already said), (4) masters of timing and graceful movement, (5) best able to respond quickly and flexibly to a changing environment, (6) unlike others, their public performance improve the more excited they get, (7) can spot things that give them an edge, where others can't, at least not with the same accuracy. These Flow facilitators, along with the other natural abilities their personality grants them, make them seem to be predisposed for Flow and in a way built for performances. You be the judge by this brief list of Artisan Athletes: Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bruce Lee, Lance Armstrong, Hulk Hogan, Mickey Mantle, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Namath, Stephen Abas, Usain Bolt, Ben Askren, Shaquille O'Neil, Allen Iverson, Jimmy Connors, Greg Louganis, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Mary Lou Retton, Yogi Berra, Matt Valenti, Joe Dubuque, Darrion Caldwell, Dennis Rodman, Michael Phelps, Carly Patterson, John Smith, Terry and Tom Brands, Terrell Ownes, Deion Sanders, Gene Mills, etc.
A Diet to help you get into Flow? I don't know how I feel about this. Either way it's worth posting. Both articles are about Dr. Barry Sears' controversial Zone Diet theory.
Love the post man. I took a sports psychology class a couple of years ago and we talked extensively on FLOW. One question that always vexed me was, how do you account for the opposite of a practice room wrestler? Someone who underperforms in a practice setting, but is always somehow able to turn it up come game time. One theory I have on this is that, someone who performs better in a pressure situation undoubtably losses their sense of self and certainly self-concousness or ego in that moment. I believe a major factor in this loss of self in the prime time, is a direct result of an objective introspection and conciseness everywhere outside of competition in regard to your athletic event or sport. I believe that the people who most often achieve flow are the ones that are very self-critical outside of competition. By examining and re-examaning your strengths and weaknesses as an athlete, and taking action to improve upon both, you provide for yourself, peace of mind. By allowing yourself to be very self-critical and literally, self-concous, in the time of greatest importance, you are able to apply the skills you have gained through the arduous task of re-examining your game on a consistent basis. In that time of greatest importance, you are mentally assured that you have given yourself the tools by being more honest and being willing to put in more work than everyone else. I believe that truly being at peace with the amount of work you have put in and the changes you have been willing to undergo as an athlete play a giant role in achieving FLOW. On the other hand, I believe that many people who have trouble achieving FLOW in big time competition struggle due to an unwillingness to constantly be evolving as an athlete. Therefore, this athlete can achieve FLOW in the practice room because he is a qualified athlete who has spent years in the sport, but come time to wrestle on the center mat, they choke because they know there is that change that their opponent has done more to prepare than they have. I don't know if this is insightful or not, just a question I had that I thought you might be able to weigh in on.
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