#055 - Steven Kotler - Flow State, Peak Performance, & Doing The Impossible

Steven Kotler unpacks the neurobiology of flow and why accessing it consistently is the key to doing hard things well. We dive into the four-stage flow cycle, how frustration can be a sign you're on the right track, and why lasting change begins with what’s hardwired in all of us. He explains how to structure goals for momentum, why passion requires patience, and how consistency—not intensity—is what drives the impossible forward. Steven also opens up about pain, passion, purpose, and why chasing the impossible is less about big leaps and more about mastering repetition, recovery, and staying in the game.

Timestamps:
00:00 Coming Up As A Bartender
07:05 Difference Between Flow State & Peak Performance
09:48 Using Biology To Work For Us
12:20 Personality Doesn't Scale; Biology Scales
16:46 4 Stage Cycle Of Flow
24:57 Relationship Between Flow & Physical Pain
31:03 Research On Prayer, Sports, & Flow
35:15 Are Emotions Romanticized Words For Flow?
45:29 Peak Performance Is A Game
53:12 Suffering Connected To Passion
58:52 The Art Of Impossible
1:02:55 Holding Yourself Accountable To Your Past Self
1:07:57 Work As A Creative Pursuit
1:17:50 What Steven Has Learned About Himself With Flow
1:19:39 Connect With Steven Kotler

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