"Flow" is this beautiful state of mind where you become completely absorbed in what you’re doing. Your attention becomes so focused that your perception narrows, causing you to lose track of time or space.
In this episode, Tyler Simone discusses what being "in flow" feels like, how our emotions can cut us off from accessing flow, and how our personal skills play a part in getting into the "flow state".
Subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an upload! And follow Tyler for more inspiration, and a behind the scenes look at her life, living happily self-conscious.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, I'm Tyler Simone and this is the Happily Self-Conscious podcast, the show where it's
(00:06):
cool to be self-conscious.
As a personal development enthusiast, I love to learn how I can become better in all areas
of life and I want to share with you transformative tips and tricks to help you also become your
best self.
Together, we'll learn how we can become more self-conscious.
Let's do it.
(00:26):
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.
Welcome to episode number 17 of the podcast.
(00:48):
I really hope you're doing well.
Today's episode is a fun one.
We are going to be discussing what it means to be in flow, aka being in the zone.
I find this topic so interesting because flow is a very distinct state of mind that you
(01:09):
can only access in certain situations when you're doing certain things, which is so
cool, especially when you figure out what situations allow you to be in flow.
In my opinion, you do more of that thing, right?
I don't know about you, but I am at a point in my life where I only want to do things
(01:31):
that bring me joy.
I really try my best to make that happen.
Flow is the epitome of joy and that's literally the best place to be.
I think it's nice to know what flow is so that you can take more control of what you
do and how you do it so that you can reach this mental state because it's a really good
(01:55):
one.
Have you ever been doing something and you completely lose track of time?
Everything around you just disappears and you are laser focused on a task?
If so, you've probably experienced being in flow.
Flow is this beautiful state of mind where you become absorbed in what you're doing.
(02:18):
Your attention becomes so focused that your perception narrows, causing you to lose track
of time or space.
According to Daniel Goldman, author of Emotional Intelligence, being able to enter flow is emotional
intelligence at its best.
Before learning more about this, I had definitely heard of the flow state and I've experienced
(02:44):
it a handful of times.
But what was new to me was that emotions have something to do with it.
When you're anxious or worried about something, you don't have access to flow.
This is because flow is the opposite of overthinking and worrying.
You can't have both at the same time and this makes sense because when you're in flow, you
(03:10):
are focused on nothing other than what you're doing.
You're not worried about what you're going to eat for dinner, bills, nothing.
You are absorbed in the moment, completely present to the point where you become almost
selfless.
So being in flow is not magic, but it is accessible.
(03:34):
We all enter this state from time to time.
Flow is where skill meets focus.
The reason why you are unable to reach this state of mind in everything that you do is
because you must be efficient in something enough to the point where you don't even have
to think about what you're doing.
(03:56):
You're instead so prepared for the task at hand that in the process of doing it, your
brain is in a relaxed state.
There's very little mental energy being used.
You are focused yet calm at the same time.
You use less energy to think about the task because the actions required have been mastered.
(04:21):
Your skill takes over and you're just enjoying life.
How cool is that?
Do you love to read?
Want to get more into reading or just really enjoy personal development like I do?
I invite you to join me over in the happily self-conscious book club, a free virtual book
(04:42):
club brought to you by bookclubs.com, designed for anyone who is looking to connect with
other people who are on their self-growth journey.
I am super excited about this new opportunity to connect with you and to discuss different
ways that we can become so much more effective in the way that we show up in the world, personally
(05:02):
and professionally.
We are all so different.
We're in different stages.
We've learned different lessons so far, but we do have one thing in common.
We are looking to become even better, smarter and more efficient.
I will be joining you and the other book club members live once a month to discuss our most
(05:22):
recent book club pick, which will be an inspiring and life-changing self-help novel.
So we'll be discussing topics like emotional intelligence, intuition, projection, perfectionism,
charisma, presence, leadership and so much more to help us all on our individual self-growth
journeys.
(05:43):
This book club is meant to foster community and to spark interesting conversations.
I would love for you to join me in becoming even more self-conscious.
Click the link located in the show notes to join today.
It's just one click away.
Have you ever seen someone do something that looks really, really hard or impossible and
(06:08):
they are doing it effortlessly and you're just in awe at what you're seeing.
There is a huge chance that they are in flow.
They're locked in.
They are highly and intensely concentrated on whatever tasks they are doing and they're
in pure bliss, absorbed in the situation and from the outside it can be mind-blowing to
(06:32):
watch almost unbelievable and that flow state that they're in is pretty unbelievable.
I have entered a flow state quite a few times in my life and it has always happened when
I'm doing something that I really, really enjoy.
Performing has always triggered it for me.
There's one occasion that I distinctly remember that I wanted to share with you because it
(06:57):
was so wild for me to experience.
It was probably the most intense flow state I've ever had and at the time I didn't know
what it was but now I know and I'm even more intrigued.
So when I was in high school, I was on the dance team and there were a few big recitals
(07:18):
each year and every year we had to choreograph our own dance in the hopes that it would get
chosen for the recital and then teach it to the rest of the team for the recital.
So I choreographed this hip hop dance to one of my favorite Wiz Khalifa songs back then
and I put my everything into that choreography.
(07:39):
I became someone else.
So it came time to perform my dance at the recital and I remember standing on stage with
my team.
The theater was completely dark and the crowd was going wild.
They were cheering and yelling our names and at that moment I left my body.
(08:02):
That song came on and I don't know what happened.
I truly had no recollection of time, space or my body because it felt like I was on
autopilot.
The audience literally disappeared and I felt like I was on stage alone but there were at
least 10 of us up there moving in and out of formations.
(08:23):
It was an out of body experience.
I will never forget and the reason why I truly believe that this was flow state is because
I had mastered this dance.
So the skill level was at 1000.
Emotionally, I wasn't worried about not one thing and I lost track of time.
(08:44):
Maybe you've had an experience like this too.
It's probably one of the best feelings in the world.
So how can you enter a flow state?
Become highly focused on what you're doing, specifically on something that you have skill
in already.
If you don't have the skills necessary, you'll be thinking too much unfortunately, which
(09:07):
makes it hard to get into flow.
So limit any distractions and really focus on something that you already enjoy.
In the past, when you've been really focused, you might have noticed that you are emotionally
neutral.
It is when you are not emotionally neutral that you can't truly focus and that's really
(09:29):
important.
You can also get into this state if you have the skills, but what you're doing is a tiny
bit new to you and is testing your ability.
The reason for this is that flow state falls right in between boredom and pure anxiety
or too much demand.
(09:49):
So you can't be bored, but you also can't be anxious about what you're doing.
Flow state is the sweet spot, so to speak.
After learning about this, I put two and two together realizing that this is why doing
things for money doesn't always last, opposed to doing something just for the enjoyment.
(10:11):
I also came to the conclusion that flow state, that blissful state of mind is only available
when you truly enjoy something to the point where you have sought the skills that are
necessary to do that thing and are proficient.
And proficiency exists if there's discipline and to be disciplined in something only happens
(10:33):
when you enjoy it in some capacity.
It's the enjoyment.
It all comes back to that.
That is why there are some things that we truly dislike doing and they feel daunting and
other things that we just can't wait to do.
We'll do them for free.
We'll do them for hours and not even notice and we'll go back to those things time and
(10:55):
time again because we've reached flow state doing those things and we want more of the
feelings that flow state provides.
I think you have to truly love the execution.
It's interesting because you can enjoy something but not reach flow state.
Having fun is kind of a part of it.
(11:16):
The minute it stops being fun, flow is no longer accessible because you're then combating
emotions about not wanting to do it or feeling forced maybe.
And this explains why not every hobby is meant to be your actual job or career.
Some things are better left hobbies maybe.
If it's not enjoyable, you're not going to be disciplined and if you're not disciplined,
(11:41):
you're not locked in.
And if you're not locked in, you can't reach flow.
So essentially you can take control of your experiences and enter a state of flow by doing
the things that you really enjoy doing and being present while doing them, exercising
your skills while maintaining focus by limiting distractions.
(12:03):
I don't know about you but I want as much of the flow state as I can get.
So much has made sense to me since learning more about flow state and why it happens sometimes
and not others.
And I hope that this episode causes you to reflect on your own experiences to determine
how and when you can be more in flow.
(12:27):
For today's quote, flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake.
The ego falls away.
Time flies.
Every action, movement and thought follows inevitably from the previous one like playing
jazz.
I appreciate you for taking time out of your day to be here.
(12:49):
I hope that this was interesting and thought provoking for you just as much as it was for
me.
If you're not following the podcast, I recommend tapping that follow button so that you get
a notification when there is a new episode.
I'll see you here next week for the next one.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to click the follow button so you don't miss future
(13:11):
episodes.
If you see another one on the list that you think looks interesting, take a listen or
just download it for later.
I'll see you next time.
Hi, I'm Tyler Simone and this is the Happily Self-Conscious podcast, the show where it's
(00:06):
cool to be self-conscious.
As a personal development enthusiast, I love to learn how I can become better in all areas
of life and I want to share with you transformative tips and tricks to help you also become your
best self.
Together, we'll learn how we can become more self-conscious.
Let's do it.
(00:26):
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.
Welcome to episode number 17 of the podcast.
(00:48):
I really hope you're doing well.
Today's episode is a fun one.
We are going to be discussing what it means to be in flow, aka being in the zone.
I find this topic so interesting because flow is a very distinct state of mind that you
(01:09):
can only access in certain situations when you're doing certain things, which is so
cool, especially when you figure out what situations allow you to be in flow.
In my opinion, you do more of that thing, right?
I don't know about you, but I am at a point in my life where I only want to do things
(01:31):
that bring me joy.
I really try my best to make that happen.
Flow is the epitome of joy and that's literally the best place to be.
I think it's nice to know what flow is so that you can take more control of what you
do and how you do it so that you can reach this mental state because it's a really good
(01:55):
one.
Have you ever been doing something and you completely lose track of time?
Everything around you just disappears and you are laser focused on a task?
If so, you've probably experienced being in flow.
Flow is this beautiful state of mind where you become absorbed in what you're doing.
(02:18):
Your attention becomes so focused that your perception narrows, causing you to lose track
of time or space.
According to Daniel Goldman, author of Emotional Intelligence, being able to enter flow is emotional
intelligence at its best.
Before learning more about this, I had definitely heard of the flow state and I've experienced
(02:44):
it a handful of times.
But what was new to me was that emotions have something to do with it.
When you're anxious or worried about something, you don't have access to flow.
This is because flow is the opposite of overthinking and worrying.
You can't have both at the same time and this makes sense because when you're in flow, you
(03:10):
are focused on nothing other than what you're doing.
You're not worried about what you're going to eat for dinner, bills, nothing.
You are absorbed in the moment, completely present to the point where you become almost
selfless.
So being in flow is not magic, but it is accessible.
(03:34):
We all enter this state from time to time.
Flow is where skill meets focus.
The reason why you are unable to reach this state of mind in everything that you do is
because you must be efficient in something enough to the point where you don't even have
to think about what you're doing.
(03:56):
You're instead so prepared for the task at hand that in the process of doing it, your
brain is in a relaxed state.
There's very little mental energy being used.
You are focused yet calm at the same time.
You use less energy to think about the task because the actions required have been mastered.
(04:21):
Your skill takes over and you're just enjoying life.
How cool is that?
Do you love to read?
Want to get more into reading or just really enjoy personal development like I do?
I invite you to join me over in the happily self-conscious book club, a free virtual book
(04:42):
club brought to you by bookclubs.com, designed for anyone who is looking to connect with
other people who are on their self-growth journey.
I am super excited about this new opportunity to connect with you and to discuss different
ways that we can become so much more effective in the way that we show up in the world, personally
(05:02):
and professionally.
We are all so different.
We're in different stages.
We've learned different lessons so far, but we do have one thing in common.
We are looking to become even better, smarter and more efficient.
I will be joining you and the other book club members live once a month to discuss our most
(05:22):
recent book club pick, which will be an inspiring and life-changing self-help novel.
So we'll be discussing topics like emotional intelligence, intuition, projection, perfectionism,
charisma, presence, leadership and so much more to help us all on our individual self-growth
journeys.
(05:43):
This book club is meant to foster community and to spark interesting conversations.
I would love for you to join me in becoming even more self-conscious.
Click the link located in the show notes to join today.
It's just one click away.
Have you ever seen someone do something that looks really, really hard or impossible and
(06:08):
they are doing it effortlessly and you're just in awe at what you're seeing.
There is a huge chance that they are in flow.
They're locked in.
They are highly and intensely concentrated on whatever tasks they are doing and they're
in pure bliss, absorbed in the situation and from the outside it can be mind-blowing to
(06:32):
watch almost unbelievable and that flow state that they're in is pretty unbelievable.
I have entered a flow state quite a few times in my life and it has always happened when
I'm doing something that I really, really enjoy.
Performing has always triggered it for me.
There's one occasion that I distinctly remember that I wanted to share with you because it
(06:57):
was so wild for me to experience.
It was probably the most intense flow state I've ever had and at the time I didn't know
what it was but now I know and I'm even more intrigued.
So when I was in high school, I was on the dance team and there were a few big recitals
(07:18):
each year and every year we had to choreograph our own dance in the hopes that it would get
chosen for the recital and then teach it to the rest of the team for the recital.
So I choreographed this hip hop dance to one of my favorite Wiz Khalifa songs back then
and I put my everything into that choreography.
(07:39):
I became someone else.
So it came time to perform my dance at the recital and I remember standing on stage with
my team.
The theater was completely dark and the crowd was going wild.
They were cheering and yelling our names and at that moment I left my body.
(08:02):
That song came on and I don't know what happened.
I truly had no recollection of time, space or my body because it felt like I was on
autopilot.
The audience literally disappeared and I felt like I was on stage alone but there were at
least 10 of us up there moving in and out of formations.
(08:23):
It was an out of body experience.
I will never forget and the reason why I truly believe that this was flow state is because
I had mastered this dance.
So the skill level was at 1000.
Emotionally, I wasn't worried about not one thing and I lost track of time.
(08:44):
Maybe you've had an experience like this too.
It's probably one of the best feelings in the world.
So how can you enter a flow state?
Become highly focused on what you're doing, specifically on something that you have skill
in already.
If you don't have the skills necessary, you'll be thinking too much unfortunately, which
(09:07):
makes it hard to get into flow.
So limit any distractions and really focus on something that you already enjoy.
In the past, when you've been really focused, you might have noticed that you are emotionally
neutral.
It is when you are not emotionally neutral that you can't truly focus and that's really
(09:29):
important.
You can also get into this state if you have the skills, but what you're doing is a tiny
bit new to you and is testing your ability.
The reason for this is that flow state falls right in between boredom and pure anxiety
or too much demand.
(09:49):
So you can't be bored, but you also can't be anxious about what you're doing.
Flow state is the sweet spot, so to speak.
After learning about this, I put two and two together realizing that this is why doing
things for money doesn't always last, opposed to doing something just for the enjoyment.
(10:11):
I also came to the conclusion that flow state, that blissful state of mind is only available
when you truly enjoy something to the point where you have sought the skills that are
necessary to do that thing and are proficient.
And proficiency exists if there's discipline and to be disciplined in something only happens
(10:33):
when you enjoy it in some capacity.
It's the enjoyment.
It all comes back to that.
That is why there are some things that we truly dislike doing and they feel daunting and
other things that we just can't wait to do.
We'll do them for free.
We'll do them for hours and not even notice and we'll go back to those things time and
(10:55):
time again because we've reached flow state doing those things and we want more of the
feelings that flow state provides.
I think you have to truly love the execution.
It's interesting because you can enjoy something but not reach flow state.
Having fun is kind of a part of it.
(11:16):
The minute it stops being fun, flow is no longer accessible because you're then combating
emotions about not wanting to do it or feeling forced maybe.
And this explains why not every hobby is meant to be your actual job or career.
Some things are better left hobbies maybe.
If it's not enjoyable, you're not going to be disciplined and if you're not disciplined,
(11:41):
you're not locked in.
And if you're not locked in, you can't reach flow.
So essentially you can take control of your experiences and enter a state of flow by doing
the things that you really enjoy doing and being present while doing them, exercising
your skills while maintaining focus by limiting distractions.
(12:03):
I don't know about you but I want as much of the flow state as I can get.
So much has made sense to me since learning more about flow state and why it happens sometimes
and not others.
And I hope that this episode causes you to reflect on your own experiences to determine
how and when you can be more in flow.
(12:27):
For today's quote, flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake.
The ego falls away.
Time flies.
Every action, movement and thought follows inevitably from the previous one like playing
jazz.
I appreciate you for taking time out of your day to be here.
(12:49):
I hope that this was interesting and thought provoking for you just as much as it was for
me.
If you're not following the podcast, I recommend tapping that follow button so that you get
a notification when there is a new episode.
I'll see you here next week for the next one.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to click the follow button so you don't miss future
(13:11):
episodes.
If you see another one on the list that you think looks interesting, take a listen or
just download it for later.
I'll see you next time.
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