What is flow?
Flow* is what you experience when you completely engage in what you are doing with energized focus.
It is a state of being where tick-tock time becomes elastic - its hallmark a feeling of intense joy.
Mihály Csikszentmihályi coined the term from his research into states that allow us to be happy and to feel fulfilled - his work has contributed widely to the emerging field of positive psychology.
When you think of the last time that you were on the ball, in the moment, present or in the zone you'll know what it means to be in Flow.
* The psychological concept of flow as becoming absorbed in an activity is not related to the phrase, go with the flow.
It is a state of being where tick-tock time becomes elastic - its hallmark a feeling of intense joy.
Mihály Csikszentmihályi coined the term from his research into states that allow us to be happy and to feel fulfilled - his work has contributed widely to the emerging field of positive psychology.
When you think of the last time that you were on the ball, in the moment, present or in the zone you'll know what it means to be in Flow.
* The psychological concept of flow as becoming absorbed in an activity is not related to the phrase, go with the flow.
Components of flow
Csíkszentmihályi says that this is what happens when you experience a state of flow:
It can happen during any activity, but most likely when you are wholeheartedly performing a task or activity for intrinsic purposes.
- You're working on something that you see as challenging enough to keep you stimulated. Whatever it is, it musn't be too boring or too difficult. There must be a fine balance between your skills and abilities and the level of challenge and you must have a sense of personal control over the situation or activity.
- A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness - action and awareness become one as you're absorbed in the activity.
- Distorted sense of time - it seems not to matter or somehow to slow down - you can be busy with something for hours and feel that it was only a second.
- Direct and immediate feedback - you can see what works and what not so that you can adjust what you're doing accordingly.
- The activity is intrinsically rewarding - there is an effortlessness of action and often the end goal is just an excuse for the process.
- A lack of awareness of bodily needs - suddenly you realize that you had nothing to eat or drink while you were busy.
It can happen during any activity, but most likely when you are wholeheartedly performing a task or activity for intrinsic purposes.
Who experiences flow?
Csíkszentmihályi hypothesized that people with several very specific personality traits may be better able to achieve flow than the average person.
These personality traits include:
FutureFlow works in the space of wholehearted engagement – helping you to get to know who you are and what you love doing – challenging and renewing the limiting beliefs that you may hold onto in your ID.
If you know who you are and what is important to you; if you know where and how you limit yourself and can undo those limitations, you will attain frequent states of Flow – fully immersed and engaged in your life and feeling fulfilled.
With what I do through FutureFlow, I intend to help you with that.
These personality traits include:
- curiosity
- persistence
- low self-centeredness and
- a high rate of performing activities for intrinsic reasons only.
FutureFlow works in the space of wholehearted engagement – helping you to get to know who you are and what you love doing – challenging and renewing the limiting beliefs that you may hold onto in your ID.
If you know who you are and what is important to you; if you know where and how you limit yourself and can undo those limitations, you will attain frequent states of Flow – fully immersed and engaged in your life and feeling fulfilled.
With what I do through FutureFlow, I intend to help you with that.
