In this weeks newsletter:
A quick story about flow state
Adam Grant’s Three M’s for creating flow
Questions to reflect on this week
I was chatting about the flow state with a group of footballers (they've told me I can't say soccer). One of the boys talked about a recent game in what he could only describe as his flow state. It was like he was explaining a scene from the movie Goal, so I asked him a series of questions about the lead-up to this beautiful feeling. What was your body language? What was your effort like? Where was your focus?
The way flow state is discussed in sports makes it seem like a magical, involuntary state that makes us unbeatable. When we try to explain it, we can't really put our finger on it or remember what was going on, how it happened, what we were thinking, doing, etc. "I was just in that zone."
There's no doubt that people get in the zone and become better, more efficient, and completely focused on what they're doing. We've all experienced this to an extent when our phones are out of the room. There is also no doubt that this 'zone' happens more frequently for high-functioning people.
The common response to this (in sports, at least) is that these people are just freaks of nature. However, the closer you look, it often becomes clear that they are freaks of nurture or both.
The footballer's responses to my questions were what you'd imagine from someone in flow; "effort was awesome, body language was great, and I was just so focused on what I was doing." They explained three controllable actions they can use in every single game.
We often get stuck attempting to think our way toward desired feelings. We do our gratitude before eating well, prioritising sleep, and moving our bodies. We put the cart before the horse, the feeling before the functioning. Instead of chasing the flow state, we should focus on our controllable inputs (body language, focus, effort). The chase takes care of itself if we get the inputs right.
Organisational Psychologist Adam Grant presents a great framework for ensuring your flow doesn't only happen by accident. Instead, it is cultivated so you can become a freak of nurture.
One thing to remember: a flow state isn't always performative. Being in a room with your best friends can create a state of flow, and once you read the three M's below, you will understand why.
Three M’s for Flow
M1: Mastery
The first ingredient for flow is the reality that you must be good at whatever you are doing. None of us find flow in the things we aren’t good at yet because when we’re not good at something, we need our focus for the basics. We need the basics to be intuitive or automatic for flow to happen. A great chef doesn’t need to return to the cookbook to check the method. Best friends don’t need to focus on the basics of communication to connect.
The great news is that mastery is a learned process. No one is a master at their craft on day one, and no one becomes best friends on day one. Whatever your craft, if you like the flow, make sure you are making progress toward mastery.
Mastery is the external ingredient for flow. It’s the quality of our actions.
M2: Mindfulness
The second ingredient for flow is to be fully immersed in what we are doing. We can’t find flow in the last moment, the future moment, or trying to over-control the current moment. We need to be present, open, and engaged in what we are doing and the environment we are doing it in. It’s when a great chef is locked in on their process or a group of best friends bouncing off each other in their niche language.
Being mindful is letting things happen, noticing them happening, and responding with positive intent.
Being mindful is the internal ingredient for flow. It’s the ability to direct our mind onto our task and immerse ourselves in it.
M3: Mattering
The third ingredient for flow is simply that whatever we do matters. We don’t find consistent flow in things we don’t care about or see any value in.
The Western world is struggling with this because we have become so individualistic. We attach meaning and mattering to fame, outcomes, and progress of our own brand and status.
We forget that one of our hardwired priorities is to be part of a group. We are social animals, and as a result, our ‘mattering’ peaks when we are connected to others, working towards a shared vision, and being a small part of something bigger than ourselves.
You don’t have to be Taylor Swift to have an impact. I’ve seen a schoolboy rugby coach, a project director, a foreman, and a leader in the Solomon Islands nail this for themselves and those around them.
Reflection
How have you improved in the last 3 months? What can you do to improve in the next 3 months?
How often do you spend time without distractions? Where can you find 15 minutes of contemplative time?
What matters to you and those around you?