Flow - In Pursuit of the Perfect Experience

The following examples clearly illustrate the essence of the state:

“The secret of climbing lies in the climbing itself; when you reach the top of a rock, you're glad it's over, but in fact you wish it could last forever. The justification for climbing is the climbing itself, just as the justification for poetry is writing; you don't conquer anything, only the things within yourself.”

“Concentration is like breathing - you don't even think about it. The roof could even collapse on you, and if it doesn't hit you, you wouldn't even notice.”

“She really likes reading, so we usually read together. She reads to me, I read to her, and somehow in those moments I break away from the whole world and completely lose myself in what I'm doing.”

These quotes come from different people, who talk about experiences they had while doing everyday activities . The first is about climbing, the second is about a chess game, while the third is a mother talking about time spent with her daughter. This may remind everyone of a few memories when hours slipped by unnoticed while working on a project, doing sports, or creating something. Many people experience flow during different activities, but the experience itself is very similar.

This is that magical feeling when something completely takes over, everything falls into place, distractions disappear, and you can be fully present in what you're doing.

Flow is not just a passing feeling; it can also become a tool for peak performance, creativity, and happiness.

What makes people truly happy?

This is the question Csíkszentmihályi was trying to find the answer to, while his research discovered that for happiness it is often not rest or fun that helps most, but activities that require active engagement, and put us in just the right level of challenge.

According to his research, people feel most fulfilled when they do tasks that require skill and attention, but are not so hard that they seem impossible.

This delicate balance between challenge and skill is one of the conditions for flow. That is why athletes, artists, musicians, and professionals often link their outstanding results and creations to the flow experience. To experience more flow, it is also important to set clearly defined goals and do activities that are truly inspiring and meaningful to us. Immediate and clear feedback helps us adjust our behavior in real time, which deepens our involvement in the action. This can come from the outside (for example, the audience's reaction during a performance), or from within (like the feeling of progress or effectiveness) as well.

Features of the flow experience

If you have read this far, you may already have an idea or a specific memory of what it is like to experience flow. Now let's take a closer look at its main features and building blocks.

In the flow state, we are able to focus completely on the task at hand, and almost nothing can distract us. In this state of total immersion in the activity, we usually feel in control; even if the task challenges us, we can confidently handle the obstacles. Another important part of the merging of action and awareness is the loss of self-consciousness. In flow, we do not worry about how we look or what others think of us. Time distortion is also common — for example, we may feel that time slows down, or that it flies by, while we are deeply absorbed in the moment. When experiencing flow, we are mainly not motivated by the end result or external rewards (such as praise or money), but the process itself is satisfying. 

Flow also has a social (experienced with others) version. The main difference here is that in a social situation, participants' attention narrows in different ways. It is not only directed at the activity itself, but also at the group. Social coordination appears (for example “emotional contagion” between members), as well as loss of individuality, which is characterized by reduced self-awareness and the individual's subordination to the group. According to some research, participants enjoyed social flow even more than flow experienced alone.

But why is flow so good? Those who often experience the state of flow report higher levels of happiness and satisfaction. Flow supports personal development, because it encourages learning new skills. It can also reduce stress by making it possible to sink into the present moment, as an alternative to dwelling on everyday worries. Also, when you are in flow, you become more open to new ideas and solutions, because your mind is fully focused and free from distractions. 

If this has made you want to go with the flow, notice in everyday life too, which activities bring you into flow, and try to consciously create this state by setting up the right conditions.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the activity that gives me flow?

Notice which tasks make the outside world fade away around you without you even trying, and look for hobbies where your skill is just in balance with the level of challenge.

What is the difference between flow and just getting “lost” in scrolling?

Flow always requires active mental or physical effort and skills, while scrolling is a passive substitute activity that leaves you not with satisfaction, but rather with emptiness.

Why do I feel physically exhausted after a long flow state?

Deep concentration uses up a huge amount of mental energy, which your brain suppresses in the heightened state (thanks to adrenaline and dopamine), so fatigue only hits you after the activity is over.

How can I get back into flow faster if something suddenly knocked me out of it?

Instead of getting annoyed, take a short breathing exercise and remove every distraction (notifications, noise), then start a subtask that gives immediate success and feedback.

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