Have you ever been working on something or doing something and you completely lose track of time? If so, you should pay attention to what you were doing when this happened. You were in a state of flow. You were doing something you are very passionate about and something you can easily become absorbed in that allows you to be creative, inspired, innovative and can bring you pure joy.
For me, I'm quite often in a state of flow when I'm mountain biking. I lose track of time, my mind freely contemplates a whole host of problems, challenges and opportunities; all while navigating over rock beds, through dense forest, and along stunning mountain views. It's where I can decompress and get answers to many of my questions.
Now the next realization I have about being in a state of flow will likely be counter to what many people believe. That is, you need to get out of your comfort zone (state of flow) to grow. When I'm out of my comfort zone, I'm quite often just trying to figure out how to survive, how to make it through without getting hurt or scarred for life and quite frankly, I'm not at all growing or improving. I'm just surviving. For this reason, I find more value in seeking those flow states of being. This is where I can thrive, grow and improve.
So when someone says to me, "You need to get out of your comfort zone", I typically respond with, "Thanks for the advice. Being in a state of flow gets me much further, much quicker." This is also why I gravitate toward mountain bike trails that don't include sketchy drop offs, significant drops, nor gaps that require jumps. Instead, I'll head for a trail that gets me breathing hard on a steep uphill and rewards me with a flowing, fun downhill. That's where my state of flow is at its maximum. How about you? Reach out for a Complimentary Discovery Call if you want to explore more about what gets you into the zone and what prevents you from getting there!
