In this episode we discuss how the impossible becomes possible. We look at how to create paradigm shifting breakthroughs, dig into the science and research at the frontier of peak human performance to understand what’s at the core of nearly every gold medal or world championship - the powerful concept of flow. How do we create flow in our lives, how can we use it as a tool to become 400% more creative and learn skills 200% faster? We dig into this and much more with our guest Steven Kotler. 

Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist and the cofounder and director of research of the Flow Genome Project. His most recent work, Stealing Fire, was a national bestseller and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Steven’s work have been translated into over 40 languages and appeared in over 100 publications, including The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Wired and TIME.Wherever people are taking huge risks to change the world, you find flow How do you create Paradigm Shifting Breakthroughs?Whenever you see the impossible become possible you see two things:People leverage and take advantage of disruptive technologyPeople finding ways to extend human capacityPeak performance is about being fanatical - repeating, week after week, year after year, for your entire career. You have to have that level of hunger, motivation, and driveSteven’s work is focused on studying the peak performance state known as FlowHow can we use Flow to massively level up performance?Major Characteristics of FlowFlow is definable - it has  core characteristicsComplete ConcentrationTime DilationFlow is measurableFlow is universalFlow is a spectrum experience - you can be in micro flow or macro flowFlow often mistaken for a mystical experience before it was measured and studiedMcKinsey did a 10 year study on flow - it made top executives 500% more effectiveFlow creates a 400% - 700% increase in creativityCan that really be true?What is creativity?Soldiers learn skills 230% faster in flow statesWhen you’re in a flow state you’re actually using LESS of your brain not more of itYour brain is burning a lot of energy and so it shut’s this part of the brain downAs your need for concentration goes up, the brain starts shutting down non-critical areas to maximize attentionFlow also creates a huge dump of positive neurochemicals and stress hormones are flushed out of your system and replaced with “big five” neurochemicalsAnybody can access flow because flow stats have triggers - flow is universal provided certain initial conditions are metOne of the most important triggers is the challenge/skills balance - when the challenge slightly exceeds our skillset“Let my people go surfing” - PatagoniaTraining up flow while you’re surfing trains the brain to enter flow states in generalHeightened creativity lasts for several daysConscious altered and being focused is usually 1-1.5 hrsA place where most people screw up Flow - they take the amplified creativity from flow and ride it til the very bitter end until they are very exhausted. That makes it more difficult to jump into flow the next time. The intersection of flow states and the Science of SpiritualityThe same neurobiological states from flow show up in the same place as mystical experiences, psychedelic states, states of awe, near death experiences. All of these experiences neurobiologically are very very similar.

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