How to get into a flow state
As we all know, getting into a flow state is a greatly desired experience for all athletes. In this state, athletes report heightened focus, a distorted sense of time, and a strange lightness of body. This magical state, called “the zone or flow,” leads athletes to question, how to get into a flow state? However, despite diverse suggestions such as being present, handling anxiety, and reshaping beliefs, entering this state remains impossible for many. In this article, we will explore the true nature of the flow state and how to attain it.
Before we proceed, allow me to introduce myself briefly: I am Rajat Sharma, a former athlete who frequently experienced the zone state. My background in psychology sparked my interest in this phenomenon, driving me to study and ultimately unravel its mysteries. Presently, I collaborate with elite athletes, assisting them in reaching this state, and I have authored three books on the subject. So, let us delve into the topic at hand.
Flow Happens, When You Disappear
To understand how to get into a flow state, we need to understand a few facts. Attaining a zone state requires a significant amount of mental and emotional work. However, it is important to note that we cannot simply force ourselves into this state. Rather, flow emerges when we transcend our sense of self, and cease to exist. One of the key indicators of the flow state is a distorted perception of time. Athletes often report that time seems to either slow down or speed up, indicating a departure from conventional notions of time.
Guess what, our physical and psychological structures are inherently bound by time. That is why we say often say “their time had come,” when someone dies. Furthermore, the cyclical nature of time lead to us being trapped in repetitive and compulsive thinking patterns. This compulsiveness often manifest as anxiety and stress. Therefore, if we are stuck to ourselves, we are bound to time, and that for sure, keeps us away from the zone state. This can be further proved by a simple example of sleep. In sleep state, we often get an experience wherein we feel we just slept for a few minutes, but wake up to realize that sun has risen. This is because, in sleep, we lose ourselves; hence experience an altered perception of time, similar to the flow. However, if we can lose ourselves, while being alert, then the flow happens naturally. (Read: Why you should never master your mind?)
Beyond You And Compulsive Thinking
All athletes often contemplate on how to enter a zone state, yet they tend to overlook a crucial aspect. That aspect being: letting go of a significant part of their sense of self. When we are in the flow state, our repetitive thoughts, emotions, and compulsive mental actions fade away. This is simply is a result of losing our time-bound psychological identity. This dissolution of the self allows us to become fully engaged in the activity, resulting in a distorted perception of time. In the zone state, we become a devote, which means, devoid of our sense of self. When we become devoid of ourselves, we become completely devoted to the activity in hand. (Read: The art of letting go.)
Conclusion
Therefore, to enter a flow state, it is important to remember that flow occurs when we drop our individual existence. It is a spiritual experience that transcends mere psychology. However, we cannot adopt much tools to get into the flow while we are playing. But one doable thing is: stop thinking too much about themselves. This is the only reason which keeps us away from the flow. If you change your outlook from playing not only for yourself, to for your team, spectators, and loved ones, this will help you lose yourself. By shifting the focus from “me” to “others,” athletes will find themselves effortlessly slipping into the flow state even during routine activities.
We hope that your question, how to get into a flow state has been answered.
FAQs
We all know that everybody gets into a flow state accidentally, and not by doing something. This is because, the flow happens when we drop our sense of self. As said by famous Russian ballet dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky: “My peak moments are when the dancer is not there, just the dance is.” This means that we are at our peak, when we are so devoted to the activity, that we lose track of our self.
There is just one reason for you not being in the flow state: thinking too much of yourself. You must understand that flow happens when we lose our sense of self. We cannot force ourselves into the zone, which is a natural consequence of taking our awareness away from ourselves.
