To Induce States Of Flow

How to Enter The ‘Flow State of Flow’ At Any Time

 4 Simple Steps:

Step 1. Before you begin the activity, pause, then take three deep slow conscious breaths. Let the mind be fully engaged in the breath for that time and nothing else.

Step 2. Focus all of your attention in the present moment. Pretend for the moment that past and future do not exist. Take awareness to your sense perceptions.  Be fully present in the now.

Step 3. Slowly, with deliberate movements, go about your activity. Make it into a meditative practice but with an intensity of focus.

Step 4. Remain alert and keep the mind fully attentive to what you are doing in that moment only not allowing it to slip off into unconscious mind chatter. Be completely absorbed in the activity as if you had just been born into this world. You will find that the activity ‘comes alive’ when you practice it with mindfulness. If your mind does slip off into ‘autopilot’ simply guide it back to being intensely engaged in what your doing.

Here are 14 triggers to induce states of flow.

1. High Consequence
Put yourself at risk of failing. This is not restricted to just physical risks either. Emotional, intellectual, creative, and social risks work just as well.

2. Rich Environment
Create an environment where you’re surrounded by a lot of novelty, unpredictability and complexity.

3. Deep Embodiment
This is all about putting yourself into a multi-sensory immersion. For example, don’t just read about a new idea, but also start putting it into action at the same time.

4. Clear Goals

When you understand exactly what your immediate goal is, your mind does not need to worry about what to do next and your focus naturally tightens.

5. Immediate Feedback
Create a feedback loop that can help improve your performance in real-time. This way your mind is focused in the now and not wondering how to make something better.

6. It's A Challenge
If the challenge far outweighs our skills, fear seeps in. If it’s too easy, we’ll get bored. Find that sweet-spot between anxiety and boredom, and flow will kick in.

7. Familiarity
If you’re working on a team, get everyone on the same page so you can establish a common knowledge base and communication style.

8. Blending Egos
Steve Jobs described  this quite succinctly as, “a collective version of humility” where no one is hogging the spotlight and everyone is involved.

9. Sense of Control
This is all about combining autonomy and mastery. Choose your own challenges and have the necessary skills to surmount them.

10. Close Listening
Be fully present in the now when engaging in conversation. It’s all about allowing organic, real-time responses to unfold.

11. Always Say “Yes, and…”
Make your interaction additive as opposed to argumentative. Build momentum by continually amplifying each other’s ideas and actions.

12. Pattern Recognition
Allow your brain to link new ideas together by tackling problems from completely different (and sometimes outrageous) angles...

13. Taking Risk
Have the courage to bring these new ideas to the world. No matter how improbable you think it’ll succeed.

14. Complete and Utter Faith

Have faith in yourself and that the Universe is on your side, and Strengthen your own Faith in God.

Which of these triggers are you currently using to get into flow?