I've been grappling with the idea of energy flows and collective flow states recently. The fact that we've constructed a society that constantly diverts us from reaching our pinnacle of experience, our flow state, is particularly disconcerting to me. What could be more fulfilling than remaining in this state of flow as much as possible?
We find ourselves lost in a digital maze of apps, all meticulously designed to steal our attention, preventing us from focusing on what really matters – the long-term projects in our lives that demand our full engagement. It's like our attention spans have been truncated to mere seconds.
Then, take a look at our cities, designed around noise and automotive traffic, with an incessant cacophony assaulting our senses. Coupled with an unending barrage of new TV shows, junk food, movies that vie for our attention, it's an incessant clamor. The typical work environment only amplifies the problem. We find ourselves caught in an unending cycle of digital interruptions from nine to five, the result of poorly designed workplaces. The reality of global collaboration also usually means an uninterrupted stream of notifications, causing us to feel like we're constantly under a barrage of mosquito bites.
We're incessantly jolted out of our flow states and, adding insult to injury, many of us exist in environments – familial, relational, or societal – that fail to respect our creative energy. Instead of nurturing our creativity, these environments often regard it as a nuisance or an outright threat.
I believe it's time for us to become more mindful of our energy and what’s conducive to flow states. Not all environments, not all work situations are the same. Ideally, we should aim to be in an environment that encourages and facilitates our flow. We need to surround ourselves with people who are not just tolerant of our flow state, but actively work to help us get there. Better yet, people who are excited to enter into a collective flow with us.
Which brings me to the idea of collective flow – the ultimate team experience. There's something beautiful about being part of a team where everyone's creative capacities are synchronized. Individually, each person has the ability to enter a flow state. But there's a remarkable synergy when everyone's in tune, a collective rhythm that's more than the sum of its parts.
As I joked in Montenegro, perhaps we're not looking to create network states, but flow states.
Collective flow states.
In closing, we need to be more cognizant of where we invest our energy. Invest it where it's respected, valued, rewarded, and celebrated. Don't hesitate to escape environments, relationships, or mindsets that hinder your flow state. Keep the focus on staying in the flow – for therein lies our peak experience, our optimum creativity, and our greatest joy.