Training yourself to achieve flow regularly and even in multiple sessions in the same day will have you performing like a superhero. But we all know that superheroes are constantly challenged by supervillains, and a number of them are lurking around every corner, stalking your flow and trying to
extinguish it. Here are the four supervillains you need to keep at bay if your flow is going to thrive:
Multitasking
We’ve talked about this before, even in this chapter, but it bears repeating. Being a “master multitasker” is not synonymous with being limitless. In fact, research repeatedly shows that people who multitask are considerably less productive than those who focus on one task at a time. Given what you now know about flow, it should be obvious that multitasking is the mortal enemy of this feeling. You’re never going get into the flow state to craft that epic solo or create that jaw-dropping presentation if you’re also checking in with colleagues, sending off a quick note to a friend, and reading your company e-mail. The only way to vanquish the supervillain Multitask is to ignore him completely. Clear your schedule of everything else and get into the flow.
Stress
This is a particularly deadly supervillain and one that sometimes requires a monumental battle to defeat. If you have lots of outside stressors in your life—deadlines, relationship issues, family problems, worries about your job security, etc.—they’re likely to sneak up on you at any given moment. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of thinking about something entirely different when you’re suddenly ambushed by an anxious reminder that you’re facing some troubles at home. Once that thought is in your head, any opportunities for flow are crushed. Defeating this supervillain requires two expert moves. The first is to look the supervillain in the eye before you start and ask yourself if there’s anything that you absolutely mustdeal with before you can get into flow. If the answer is yes, address that first. But in all likelihood, the answer will be no. It isn’t that the stressors aren’t real, but they often don’t need your immediate attention, and they aren’t going to be worse two hours from now. If that’s the case, contend with this supervillain by putting up your force field. Make your space impenetrable by outside stressors so you can concentrate completely on the task at hand.
Fear of Failure
“Perfectionism reduces creativity and innovation,” writes Hara Estroff Marano, editor at large and the former editor in chief of Psychology Today. “It is a steady source of negative emotions; rather than reaching toward something positive, those in its grip are focused on the very thing they most want to avoid—negative evaluation. Perfectionism, then, is an endless report card; it keeps people completely self-absorbed, engaged in perpetual self-evaluation—reaping relentless frustration and doomed to anxiety and depression.”5 If you go into a task with the belief that you absolutely must perform this task perfectly and that failure will be devastating, you’re going to be so focused on not failing that you’ll never get into a state where you can truly excel.
Remember earlier when we talked about how one of the ideal conditions for flow is pushing yourself just a little outside of your comfort zone? When you do this, you increase the odds that you’re not going to get everything right the first time. If you allow the supervillain of perfectionism to master you at this point, your flow will be forfeited. To best this villain, you need to convince yourself that lack of perfection is not only okay but is a clear sign that you’re pushing yourself in ways that you must.
Lack of Conviction
Nearly as devilish a supervillain as perfectionism is a lack of belief in what you’re doing. “The brain perceives uncertainty as a threat, which sparks the release of cortisol, a stress hormone that disrupts memory, depresses the immune system, and increases the risk of high blood pressure and depression,” writes Travis Bradberry, president of TalentSmart.6 If you don’t believe you’re going to accomplish anything of importance, you’ll guarantee that will be the outcome. If you go into a task doubting your ability to complete it, ask yourself these questions: Do I have the necessary skills to do this? Do I have all the information I need to do this? Do I have enough passion for this project to do this? If the answer to any of these is no, set the task aside until you can answer each of these questions in the affirmative. But if the answer to all three of these questions is yes, take this supervillain down and get into the flow.
