INFO: WHAT IS THE FLOW STATE?

As watersports practitioners we have incredible luck. We are able to easily escape the worries of everyday life as soon as we step into the water. Better, when the conditions are right, a state of grace can be achieved where only the injunctions of the sea matters. Everything else no longer exists.

  This level of intense focus is what psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi named the Optimal Experience or flow state*. When this flow is reached, we allow ourselves to be completely absorbed by the present moment, to the point of losing track of time and even self-awareness. We no longer think about eating or drinking. All that matters is getting the most out of the session.

  We can achieve this state in any field depending on our interests and skills (for example: playing music, driving a sports car or cooking). The intense conditions are particularly favorable. In board sports, the concentration increases with the size of the waves, the force of the wind or the complexity of your maneuvers.

The flow state is a fairly common occurrence in children when playing. Their real environment disappears in favor of a total concentration on the game. As we age we lose this ability to let go completely because we are exposed to more distractions, responsibilities and stress.

Fortunately, there are still doors that allow us to reach the flow state. You just need to use the right keys. Mihály Csíkszentmihályi gives the main ones:

• Concentration: the flow state can not be provoked, it comes naturally when you practice an intense activity. It is easier to reach it alone.
• Passion: if you are not passionate about the activity, you have little chance of getting there.
• The difficulty: if the stakes are low, it will be difficult to reach the flow state. Complexity, novelty or risk play a huge role in your concentration. Within a limit that must remain reasonable, a situation that is too difficult could give way to frustration or stress.

 

The flow state is even accessible at work, if you are lucky enough to combine your work and your passion, for example during a particularly demanding task. In sport, being “in the zone” corresponds to this state. It is mentioned when athletes achieve a very high level of performance. The flow allows you to enjoy great self-confidence. You don’t feel any anxiety exercising your sport, only a feeling of control. Everything works out for you. In watersports, these are the days when everything goes well in magnificent conditions. We dare all the maneuvers and we make them stick. We’re on cloud nine. Our sports are physically exhausted and are hard to learn. It takes patience and persistence. Nature sometimes puts us in our place. So these magical sessions where it’s only the present moment that counts are incredibly rewarding. We’re in the flow. What the flow produces becomes a reward in itself, a feeling of ecstasy, an impression of being outside of everyday reality. The post-session bonus is the satisfaction of being on top of things. This feeling of serenity can last for a long time. For Martin Sigelman, pioneer of positive psychology, the flow state is even a prerequisite for happiness. So this weekend, don’t hesitate, go in the water;)

  *Mihály Csíkszentmihályi  develops those concepts in his book “Flow – The Psychology Of Optimal Experience”.