When consultancy, McKinsey did a ten-year global study of companies, they found that top Executives – meaning those called upon to solve strategically “wicked problems” – reported being up to 500% more productive when in the state of FLOW.
It is now clear; the “new” competitive advantage is the leader’s ability to access and lead organisations from the Flow state.
You’ve all experienced it at some time or another, that sense of timelessness, where you lose track of your body and environment, and drop into a creative, immersive state that is both cathartic and exhilarating, pleasurable and incredibly productive. Some know it as “being in the zone” or in a peak performance state, and it is considered the Holy Grail for optimum results. In the past, accessing this state was considered a matter of luck, and any attempt to consciously go there only pushed it further away.
The latest research shows:
- Flow silences the inner critic.
- Flow accelerates the path to mastery; learning is fast and it’s fun.
- Flow is hackable; you can design spaces, conditions and programmes that make it readily accessible.
The research shows that if you could access the Flow state just 2 days a week, you would outpace the market in innovation by 100%. No right thinking Leader or Executive could possibly not want or need this technology.
Join us on our two-day Leading from Flow workshop where you’ll learn how to tap into this new information technology, accessing Flow Fundamentals:
- cutting-edge research, theory and models
- rewiring your nervous system for greater resilience and focus
- breathing and mindfulness techniques that enhance flow state
- improved brain processing power
Imagine being able to access a “superhuman state” in a relatively short space of time. It’s now possible.
Why you need Flow
What is your current reality? Are you finding it increasingly hard to shut off your relentless inner critic?
- Do you spend your time being “everywhere” else but in the present?
- Do you lack the motivation and will to pursue and complete your personal goals and dreams?
- Have all your previous attempts at growth amounted to very little tangible results?
- Do you long for a previous time when creating flow in your life came more naturally?
- Are you at a point where you’re asking “is this really all there is”?
- Are you looking to take yourself and your life to the next level whatever it may be?
If this is you in any way, then you may be lacking flow in your life.
What is Flow?
Flow is technically defined as an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and we perform our best.
It opens up the next level of human performance through:
- Heightened creativity
- Increased performance
- Accelerated problem solving
And is a path that anyone can take towards accelerated learning, increased focus and higher performance.
For many of us, the biggest challenge in life is getting ahead while still enjoying the ride. Too often, life, work and responsibility weigh us down, and we lose track of what makes us come most alive. So, we either resign and give up on the whole idea of there being more or become more and more jaded over time as we are continually disappointed and unsatisfied by falling short.
The most common enemies to Flow are:
- Quitting when you’re right on the verge of breaking through to a new level
- Struggling inefficiently and making whatever problem you’re facing worse
- Not having proven methods to relax, redirect and solve challenges
- A nagging inner narrative that constantly undermines your efforts
- Pushing from one challenge to the next without allowing yourself to truly recharge
- Not taking time to integrate learning and progress
- Trouble falling asleep or waking up earlier than you’d planned because your mind is racing
- Feeling like you don’t have enough time or energy to do anything
What if you could find that peak state anytime you wanted?
By finding a suitable challenge or challenges unique to you, and that you enjoy. The next step will be to Focus intently eliminating all distractions and interruptions and extend yourself beyond your comfort zone or beyond your skill level where you’ll find the balance between tension and relaxation. By remain present and not shifting attention to the end goal or state you’ll stay in the process where you’ll enter a selfless, timeless, effortless and richness (STER) of experience known as Flow.
Leading from Flow is a 2-day workshop that will give you the latest research and theory as well as practical know-how to tap into your own flow state on a regular basis.
According to Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, the “father” of Flow, there are 8 key components to the flow state. These factors accompany the experience of flow:
- Clear goals
- Strong concentration and focused attention
- Loss of feeling and self-consciousness
- Distorted sense of time
- Immediate feedback
- Balance between skill level and challenge
- Personal control over the situation
- Absorption
The Four stages of the Flow state:
- Struggle – a state of frustration, tension, stress and anxiety.
- Release – stepping back and focusing elsewhere, calming down and “letting go”
- Flow – the superhuman experience, optimum performance, STER
- Recovery – re-balance and rebuild, integrating of experience and learning.
Each stage will be unpacked in detail examining the brainwave patterns and neurobiology associated with the stage and exactly what is practically required.