Almost everyone has experienced it. Many athletes call it “being in the zone.” Others refer to it as “clicking on all cylinders.” I’m talking about flow. Some say flow is elusive. But the reality is that we all crave flow – for good reason. Let me introduce you to the flow cycle and why each phase is crucial for high performance.

A Flow Breakthrough

I remember the situation vividly. We were playing one of the top teams in the country. I was overmatched. My opponent was simply better than me. And we were competing on his home court.

It was under those circumstances that I probably played the best tennis of my college career. I locked in. I brought my best stuff. I didn’t allow myself to get rattled.

While I didn’t win on the court that day in Virginia, it was a victory for me. I was learning to access flow and to linger in it for longer periods of time in competition.

What is Flow?

For decades researchers have investigated flow. Some referred to it as peak experience, while others used the phrase, “in the zone.” One study by Krane and Williams (2006) asked elite athletes to describe what it was like.

Here are the most common characteristics those athletes shared:

• Confident
• Expect Success
• Feel in Control
• Total Concentration
• Focused on the Present Moment
• Positive Attitude
• Productive Thinking
• Determined
• Highly Committed

How do these match your experience of flow?

I hear these same descriptors every time I ask athletes or military operators about flow.

Mihaly Csikszentmilhalyi (the godfather of flow research) defined flow this way: A mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and involved in your activities at a certain point in time, as well as deriving enjoyment from being engaged in that activity.

The key aspects of his definition of flow:

• All in (absorbed in the moment)
• Task-focused (thinking of only what you’re doing)
• Enjoying the moment

If you know, you know how great flow is; how fun it is; and how it elevates your performance – regardless of your arena.

So, how do you access it? How does it work? Let the fun begin!

4 Phases of the Flow Cycle

As you may have heard, success leaves clues. And so does flow. By expanding on the original work of Csikszentmilhalyi and modern advances in neuroscience, flow is now understood to have a predictable cycle. Read Steven Kotler’s The Rise of Superman for a deep dive.

The flow cycle has 4 phases. Each serves a clear purpose. When athletes understand the 4 phases, they can:

• Know where they are within the 4 phases.
• Take action to move from one phase to the next.
• Maximize their opportunities to reap the benefits of flow.

Phase 1: Struggle

When we experience struggle, our brains trigger the release of stress hormones (e.g., norepinephrine and cortisol). These put us on high alert. This is the good kind of stress – eustress, which prepares our minds and bodies for the challenge.

This phase is about recruiting the neurological and physiological resources we need to meet the demands of the struggle.  Attention and awareness are heightened to help us bring our best to the challenge ahead.

When we back down from struggle we rob ourselves of flow. Without struggle or challenge we cannot access flow.

Push outside your comfort zone.

Phase 2: Release

In order to move into flow we first must hit the release valve on the stress chemicals triggered in phase 1. We do this by letting go out the outcome. Athletes refer to this as trusting the process. Holding on to the tension of success vs failure keeps us in the struggle phase and prevents us from getting to flow.

Letting go of the outcome and committing to the task or activity itself triggers the release of the brain’s top shelf cocktail of feel good neurochemicals of dopamine and endorphins.

Hit the release button through a combination of self-talk, task focusing, and diaphragmatic breathing.

Phase 3: Flow

Welcome to the main event! Once we’ve ridden the wave of struggle and hit the release button we can better access flow. Flow occurs when we’re present in the process. The brain changes its neurochemistry and neurofunctionality (a deeper dive for another post) for more automated sensory processing and instinctive responses.

In flow athletes have a heightened awareness (overflow from phase 1) and more automated actions (seemingly effortless). Ultimately, they perform better.

Phase 4: Recovery

Flow is an expensive and taxing set of neuroprocesses – like your brain burning jet fuel instead of unleaded.  Therefore, high quality recovery is essential. This is when we learn and grow.

In the recovery phase there is a release of the neurochemicals acetylcholine, oxytocin and serotonin which aid relaxation and rejuvenation by activating the body’s parasympathetic response.

The recovery phase also increases neuroplasticity and accelerates learning, helping to solidify coaching, feedback, and lessons learned for an even better performance next time.

Hard core performance (e.g., flow) requires hard core recovery. A few keys to maximizing the recovery phase are diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness, sleep, and nutrition.

Take Advantage of Flow

Flow is the brain state of high performance. While athletes may not get there in every performance, understanding how it works gives them a chance to access it more and more. When they embrace struggle (phase 1) and let go of the outcomes of winning or losing (phase 2), they can then move into flow and perform at their best. Then they need to engage in quality recovery to recharge the systems so they can do it again and again. 

Question: Which phase of flow is keeping you from accessing flow more consistently?I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter.

Additional Links:

• Book: Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Book: The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler
• Why Should Every Athlete Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing?
• How to Master Your Thinking: Think on Purpose
• How to Convince Your Athletes to Get More Sleep
• 3 Strategies to Help Athletes Focus on the Process