Thefuturemindset, Author at The Future Mindset

5 ways how to reach the state of flow more easily

How To Find Your State Of Flow

We have all heard the terms in the zone, flow or sweet spot. These are all terms we say when we feel at our best and perform to our peak state. Whereas when we are not in this zone. It’s either nothings happening or we are climbing Mount Everest to get back into the state of flow. I’ve tried my best to reach this state as I know it’s where my best self lies. So here’s what I’ve found out with my 5 ways how to unlock the state of flow more easily.

I have had many experiences with the unlock of state of flow. A prime example I have from my childhood was when I was playing the formula 1 game. I was driving a Ferrari around Monaco. I liked to make it as realistic as possible and set it to the exact amount of laps (72) as in real life. As I’m driving from lap 48 to lap 56 I can’t remember anything other than I’m still driving in 1st place. I got into such a zone that my subconscious had taken over. It was a weird sensation but I knew I was in the zone.

Whenever I’m in the zone for anything else my brain feels like it’s Limitless. Everything is moving in the right direction. Essentially everything I touch turns to gold in those moments.

Whenever you learn something and do it many times over. Your brain takes you to an autopilot setting. Here your subconscious mind can run the task a lot smoother. Rather than you overthinking loads of other thoughts that get in the way.

It’s like putting an untrained fighter in with an experience well trained UFC fighter. The foremost is going to be all over the place trying to think of what to do. Whereas compared to the UFC fighter he will indistinctively shut you down through his autopilot state.

Where are you an expert

The question you have to ask yourself. Where in your life have you become an expert? If you’re thinking your not an expert at anything. Remember you’re an expert breather, at walking, picking up things ETC. These are the things that run autopilot in your life without thinking.

After you have made a list of what you are an expert in. Ask yourself how can I channel my mind into the state of flow? If it’s writing, how can you get rid of all distraction or if your playing sports what preparation can I do before a game to get focussed?

This is what athletes do all the time to get them into their flow state. In formula 1 split-second reaction time matters and Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen says “Every lap, you need maximum concentration. You need to focus 100%, so everything influencing your life must be in the right place and there can be nothing disturbing your mind.” This is why many athletes have turned to meditation and visualisation as techniques to help their mind focus and enter the state of flow.

Even when you get into the state of flow you can come out of it by a simple distraction then the whole process has to begin again. What if I told you there’s a way to access your state of flow whenever you wanted to.

Below are 5 ways how to reach the state of flow more easily

Something Challenging

Do something that challenges and excites you that’s just enough challenge that you can do. Getting into the state of flow your brain needs to be stimulated by a task that pushes you out of your comfort zone. If you pick something to difficult there’s too much for the brain to figure out. This will draw away brain resources to that area where you’re more consciously active in the development.

For example when I public spoken the first time I did it I was a mumbling sweating mess. Now through experinece the fear factor has gone. I now enter a flow state where an hour can feel like 10 minutes and I’m always shocked by the amount of time that has elapsed. When you know something and it’s a slightly challenging thing to do, this is prime time for the state of flow to take over.

Take action

This is a really simple one. You can’t reach a state of flow if you don’t take action. Here we are talking about activities that push the needle forward to improve your life. As much fun sleeping and watching Netflix can be. They’re not the zones we are looking for. So take action and become an expert on challenges that can move you into the state of flow.

Clear all distractions

For you to stay in the zone you need to stay inside your mind and not get distracted enough to come out of it. At home, if your writing, have your headphones on, let everyone know what you’re doing and move any other distraction like mobile phones to one side. This will drastically improve your chances of staying in the zone. If what your trying to do involves a crowd, prepare yourself for it, embrace it and over time it will become normal as background noise for your zone.

Find something that makes you happy

As there are many ways to enter the state of flow. When you’re trying to focus on entering it. Pick things in your life that make you happy. Everyones goal in life should be to achieve happiness any way they can and by choosing activities that get you into the zone will make the feeling of flow even more profound. Do something that ignites your passion that creates the focus needed to enter the state of flow. This shuts out everything around you to focus on what you love to do. Which means your probably an expert at it to allow yourself to do it on autopilot happily.

Quieten the mind

A great way to get into the state of flow is when you quieten the mind. It can be doing tasks at a certain time of day. I love writing and doing my morning routine before everyone wakes up in my home and this is the quietest part of my day. I can stay in this zone until everyone wakes up hours later. The feeling I get from this is something I look forward to. Another great way is to take meditation and breathing work which can also incorporate Yoga as an option. These techniques have allowed me to enter a state of flow consistently. The best way for me to enter this zone is by doing it alone without any distraction.

Final Thoughts

The unlock of state of flow is a wonderful experience when done by doing things your passionate about that, in the end, make you happy. Finding more of these experiences rather than a mundane flow state will boost your immense feeling when you reach that sweet spot.

Don’t focus on applying this into your day too much. Just allow times in your day where you can allow yourself to enter it without distraction and let go and enjoy the process. More will get done for you to progress onto whatever next step you wish to achieve.

What helps you enter the state of low? How does it make you feel? Have you ever planned to do it?

I would love to hear your thoughts on the post 5 ways how to unlock the state of flow more easily.

By Adam Smith

How to find happiness

After writing the previous post about unhappiness and what causes it. This is going to be about 8 ways how to find happiness right now. A topic that has been discussed all the way back to Aristotle and Plato with the foremost saying “Happiness depends on ourselves.” Aristotle enshrines happiness as a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. Aristotle also described eudaimonia (Meaning happiness in Greek) as the goal of human thought and action.

In modern times I follow the very well known influencer Gary Vee who talks repeatedly about happiness and the importance of attaining it in your life. With some of the most influential people on the planet from the past and present stating the importance of happiness. Why isn’t it taught in our school system? How is it not readily talked about in friendship groups or at home? Why isn’t it the main priority in life?

Happiness is an important goal to attain

For me, our long term happiness should be something we should focus on. Doing so by not listening to the wants of our parents, friends, spouse, colleagues, mentors and even society. We just need to listen deep within ourselves of what we want in life that will make us happy. When you find out what makes you happy you can then build your life around happiness instead of trying to build happiness around something someone said should make you happy.

For ideas on what you should focus on to find your inner happiness take a look below for the 8 ways how to find happiness right now.

Finding Happiness

Give Back

I read a story about a man called Kenneth Behring who has appeared numerous times on the Forbes wealthiest list. He described his life in 4 stages.

The first stages were MORE STUFF where he got a nice car and house. The second stage was BETTER STUFF where he upgraded what he had to a mansion and a private jet. The third stage was DIFFERENT STUFF where he bought classic cars and owned an NFL football team.

All this was in search of happiness but he never found it until he came across the fourth stage GIVE STUFF were unexpectedly on his way back from Africa he made a stop in Romania where he delivered 6 wheelchairs to a hospital. His experience with an elderly man there gave him more joy and gratitude than he had ever experienced before.

This led to him giving away over 940,000 wheelchairs across the world. Fancy stuff is nice to have but this should be a bonus not the main goal in life.

The main goal in life should be to give back and serve others. There you will find your true happiness.

Spend more time with loved ones

It’s been proven in studies that top of the list for peoples happiness is healthy relationships. What makes humans strong is a social connection and has helped humans survive on earth to this day. The bonds of friendship and love are powerful forces in this world. It makes sense that this is one of the main factors of happiness. If you have already found this, don’t let go of it or take it for granted. Nurture it and let it grow.

If you haven’t found this yet. I hope this community we are building can help or one of my favourite community’s is the YES Theory where people who have never met each other before meet up and create friendships with like-minded people. Happiness for me comes from quality relationships with people who make you happy.

Create amazing experiences

The focus on material goods is great for quick short term happiness. This can be buying that new t-shirt or a 50 inch TV but these feelings are fleeting. What gets stuck into humans consciousness is experiences. These are stories you tell to people. It could be something funny, out of this world or a challenge you overcome. When I’ve seen true happiness in peoples faces is when I hear the stories of their experiences. What amazing experiences have you achieved? What’s next to come?

Chase discomfort

I’ve learned that being comfortable does not bring you long term happiness. It brings you short term that leads into unhappiness if you stay there. In life, you have to take risks to move forward. Asking the person you like out on a date or facing your fears by jumping out of a plane. It’s been proven when we feel uncomfortable this is where we feel most alive. It can lead to some of the most amazing experiences that change our life. Write down a list that all the things that you want to do in your life and go do it no matter how uncomfortable they are to do. There you will find happiness.

Have a hobby

Having a hobby is a great way to spend time not thinking about any of your responsibilities and just live in the moment of the favourite things you love doing. This could be a sport, singing, dancing or photography. It can be anything you love to do. Make space for it in your life, don’t put it off like it’s not a priority.

Be financially secure

Nothing makes people happier than their finances being in order. This is not earning a billion pounds, this is earning an amount of money that fits the lifestyle you want where you don’t worry about anything important like food, electricity, water or any of the main essentials of life. Unhappiness defiantly comes from being in debt and out of control of your finances. By finding a way to fix this, it will lead you to happiness.

Learn to make money doing what you love

Leading on from the last point about being financially secure. If you can build your wealth around doing something you love, you will be happy. People who have found this say it all the time. My last memory is Ricky Gervais who’s the writer and actor of The office said: “choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day of your life”. He’s found his true passion and you have to find yours or close to it that you can build a life around. This is where happiness lies and the best thing about it, we all have different passions, so there are many opportunities to be created.

Be in nature and travel more

We are born from the earth so it makes sense that we get our true happiness from being within it. Whether it’s taking a walk around your local park or travelling to new destinations around the world. Humans get an amazing effect on them when they are apart of nature. For me, I love it. When I’m out in the English countryside or travelling to Barcelona I get the same feelings of happiness. So make sure you fit into your daily schedule to be one with nature wherever you live and try and go a bit further afield when you can.

Final Thoughts

This list could have gone on for some time. The main message is that there are so many possibilities to find happiness in your life. Instead of focusing on what outside forces make us happy, we should focus on what makes us happy from within.

I thought a high paying job, nice car and home would bring me happiness but it didn’t. I’ve learned that my family bring me the most joy and I’m building my life around them. With the next layer being travel and amazing experiences.

You could look at happiness being like the core of the earth which is the major force that keeps the planet together. To keep your life together have happiness as the central part and treat happiness as the beating heart of your life and build your life around it.

What makes you happy? How are you going to find your happiness? Was happiness a priority in childhood?

We would love to know the answer to these questions. I hope you enjoyed this post. Be happy, Stay happy.