Flow: Being in the Zone - Terry Ng
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This document discusses the concept of "flow" - a mental state where one's full attention is focused on a challenging task. It describes flow as losing track of time, being fully immersed in an activity, and feeling growth. The key aspects to achieving flow are selecting an appropriately challenging activity, having clear goals, receiving immediate feedback, concentrating fully on the task, ignoring worries, and investing attention. Common flow activities include socializing and reading due to their engaging nature. The document suggests setting intrinsic goals to experience more flow in work and free time.
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Flow: Being in the Zone - Terry Ng
- 1. Flow – Being in the Zone How To Forget to Eat, Sleep, and Poop By: Terry Ng
- 4. What is flow? • Time passes by more quickly
- 5. What is flow? • All your attention is dedicated to the task • You lose the notion of “self”
- 6. What is flow? • The best moments of your life
- 7. What is flow? • Growth
- 8. Flow vs relaxation • “Flow occurs when either a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile” • The activity may not be pleasant i.e. your legs ache during a marathon
- 9. How to achieve flow – select a challenge • A challenge matched appropriately with skill level
- 10. How to achieve flow – clarify goals • Make it as unambiguous as possible 1) be the first sprinter to run pass the finish line vs 2) be a successful entrepreneur
- 11. How to achieve flow – get immediate feedback • Flow occurs when you are receiving a constant stream of feedback suggesting you are doing all right
- 12. How to achieve flow – concentrate • Where is your attention directed? 10% on how good you’re doing 10% on if you are even competent enough 20% on whether you should be doing something else 5% on if people are judging you right now 55% on the task
- 13. How to achieve flow – lack of worry • Let the worst happen and prove to yourself that it’s not bad
- 14. So why is it hard to achieve flow? • Initial investment of energy and attention • Threat against self
- 15. Universal flow activities: socializing • Why? They are forced to continually invest their attention at the other person, no time to wonder about other things • Flow is noticeably experienced when somebody brings up an awesome topic or a common goal
- 16. Universal flow activities: reading • Why?
- 17. Flow during free time • With our free time, we lack a clear purpose like we have at work • Americans spend more free time on activities that are less likely to produce flow i.e. T.V. • Games and sports have clearly defined rules and goals
- 18. Flow at work • Surprisingly, more flow is experienced at work than during free time • So why do we hate work?
- 19. So what can you do now? • Whatever you are pursuing now, considering setting your own intrinsic goals and metrics that allow for an ongoing stream of feedback • Follow the “do-something” principle • Read on the beach
- 21. THANKS
Editor's Notes
- Mike, Former Head of Psychology at University of Chicago. Been regarded as the world’s leading researcher in positive psychology. Gave TED Talk
- When an Olympic sprinter is about to launch off from the starting line, I would venture he wouldn’t care if his underwear ripped and people all around saw it. Sometimes when you are talking with a friend… For that period of time, Thoughts, feelings, and actions are all aligned
- When you think back to the best moments of your life, were there periods of Flow?
- Personal growth almost always results from a flow activity. Acquiring skills, be it physical or in your head.
- Eating, sleeping, and pooping, while pleasant, are not flow experiences because they are simply restorative processes, meant to bring your attention from your body back to other things. Likewise, lounging on a beach is a restorative process to relax away and destress, bringing your body back to homeostasis. These things don’t allow you to grow.
- Intrinsic goals vs external goals Tennis player, you can rely on external goals Artist, you probably have to develop more intrinsic goals
- Tennis player, is the ball in the other court? If not, did I hit it back there? Psychiatrist, may not see results for 10 years given the cure. But he picks up on other subtle cues i.e. patient’s facial expression, hesitation in their voice
- To experience flow, you have to prove to yourself that you are in control. Or rather, you can exercise control in face of difficult situations. The best way is to gather evidence.
- Between TV and lacing up your shoes to go training for your marathon, which one is easier? In the previous chart, if your skill is not improving at the same rate as the challenge, you become worried and anxious
- One of the most frequently mentioned enjoyable activities in the world Attention, Goal, Literacy, to Visualize the story, etc.