How to Stay in a “Flow State”
A Little Bit of Discipline is All it Takes
Not drugs and alcohol, nor even love and sex, can compare to the thrill of achieving your dreams in a flow state.
We become almost like spirits, flying freely with our own consciousness, losing track of space and time, transcending earthly limitations.
Our intuition lights up like a torch, guiding us down a colorful path of our own making
We lose ourselves — at least our ego— in the passion of our work.
It’s almost like a communion with our own soul, which is why physical pleasures can’t compare…
Creative flow states are the greatest high because our mental faculties are fully engaged, not blunted by substances.
And it’s important to know that flow states aren’t just for writers and artists, they’re for anyone who wants to experience one of humanity’s greatest highs.
From cooks to dishwashers to Renaissance painters — anyone can enjoy the thrill of making decisions without effort — intuitively — and watching things fall together, mysteriously in sync.
Even better, if we are producing content in a flow state, it resonates deeply with others as they “feel” the transference of the flow from our work.
Flow instead of force is the way to go — like when you hear a writer say they worked hard on a piece but it went nowhere, then they wrote something for fun and it went viral.
The most compelling scripts, the greatest masterpieces, and even the warmest smiles all happen “in the flow.”
And while we’ve heard accounts of how to get in that zone (where you feel like you could keep going forever), there’s one element that’s more important than all of them…
Remember when multitasking was all the rage? Sometimes it makes sense, like that brilliant receptionist who can answer phones and greet people at the same time.
But often, doing several things at once only lessens the quality of what we’re doing.
Even worse, you will never reach a flow state while multitasking.
Let’s think of the metaphor of “flowing,” like we’re on a raft in a great river.
The river is like a task, and the raft is our consciousness. If we put all of our attention into the river and let ourselves go, we’ll flow effortlessly to our destination.
But during moments when where we’re just floating along, we may be tempted to do something else… like answer that text, or check our feed, or … oops — flow broken.
As soon as you change tasks, you take your raft (consciousness) out of the river and put it in another river. That’s not flowing, that’s river jumping.
Jumping from river to river is never going to get you into the luscious flow where you get carried away and reach that amazing destination the river had in store for you…
So, the secret to a true flow state is disciplined focus on one task at a time.
Focus may require setting up boundaries, like putting yourself somewhere where others can’t interrupt you, and silencing devices that beckon you at all hours.
Some people find it helpful to create a pre-flow ritual, like setting up a work space, stretching, and putting on some relaxing music before “diving in.”
Either way, what you want is protected space to let go and become absorbed into the One Task You Need to Complete (“need” can be self-imposed).
Then, don’t force anything… Don’t expect that just because you set up the right conditions that you’re suddenly going to get hit with epiphany after epiphany…
Instead, remember the raft in the river… You let go and let the current of the river take you. It will show you the scenery you’re meant to see if you just stay focused on your journey. Let the current decide where you’re going to go next… Don’t force anything, just let go.
Sometimes, watching your breath can take you out of the mental clamor… And then it happens — a bright epiphany lights up your mind.
That first idea is like a gift… You accept it graciously and remain focused. Within that gift, another gift may come forth. And more gifts of insight and direction may start to materialize out of the thin air — “downloads” some call them.
In the end, the best ideas aren’t hunted down, they’ll come to you willingly as you devote yourself fully to their arrival. ?