Going With The Flow ... To Where?

You may have been reading about flow lately. Or not. Thanks to NLP and relatively recent psychological research, it's getting some buzz. It's nothing new, though; you probably recognize an alias or two:

• being in the zone
• in the groove
• centered
• in the moment
• fully present
• on fire
• tuned in

The word "flow" to describe the mental state came about in the late 60's, but whatever you want to call it, it's a cool thing to pursue.

For one thing, while most humans can kinda-sorta multi-task, we basically suck at it. Our brains can only handle a tiny fraction of the millions of bits of information available at any given second - about 126 bits. Just having a conversation takes about a third of that capacity. (Which is why a lot of people really need to hang up and drive.) With a limited capacity, we're pretty easily distracted. Flow helps us get completely focused.

But it's more than just focus. Focus = thinking - distraction. Flow = (thinking - distraction)². Flow has been described as a self-induced hypnotic trance, but it's not. (You know how you can be driving along, and suddenly you realize you don't remember the last three miles? That's a self-induced hypnotic trance. You don't remember driving, nor what you were thinking about.) Flow may lower heart rate and blood pressure, but mental activity increases along with focus on the task at hand. Instead of being disconnected from driving, you're hyper-connected and able to lose yourself (or, your self) in the activity, while being completely aware of your activity.

Flow improves learning, performance, motivation, satisfaction, creativity, personal growth....  Plenty of ways it could take you to a better place.

But this is just a bunch of psychobabble, right?

Well, no. The brain is an electrochemical organ. That's how we can measure brain activity - by charting brain activity in terms of electrical amplitude:

• Beta waves - 15 to 40 cycles per second. When you're thinking about stuff or in an active conversation, intentionally learning or reading (not for pleasure). It's intentional activity that requires some amount of mental effort.
• Alpha waves - 9 to 14 cycles per second. This is somebody who's meditating, closing their eyes for a minute to breathe deeply, or something restful and not mentally stimulating. Kids who are pretty good students may cruise through school in high alpha rather than beta. But this is where most adults are when their heads are hitting the pillow at night.
• Theta waves - 5 to 8 cycles per second. This is daydreaming, or that self-induced hypnotic state when you're driving and don't remember the last few miles. This is also dreamland and that sort of auto-pilot state when you're in the shower and get a brilliant idea.
• Delta waves - the slowest: 1.5 to 4 cycles per second. (There's no 0, because that would indicate that you're brain dead!) This is deep sleep.  

Flow happens right around 10 cycles per second, right at the slow edge of alpha. Waaaaaay slower than you'd think would be required, considering the results! And yet, that's how it can do what it does. When you're in flow state, you don't think deeply or intently. You don't have to. You're humming along quite efficiently right here, without getting in your own way.

The catch is, you can't just decide it's going to happen. You have to be involved in something with a purpose and structure. There also has to be a decent balance between your perception of the task and your perception of your skills. And finally, the task has to provide clear, immediate feedback. (Meaning, you have to be able to see right away if what you're doing is working. The task or activity may not literally say "Hey, that was a smooth move, buddy, keep it up.")

For a practical application in any area of life, simply start setting high-quality goals. Flow is a self-sustaining form of motivation. You're better able to achieve when you're in flow, and you'll enjoy the challenge. And you'll find that to maintain flow, you'll have to keep challenging yourself.

Where could flow take you?

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