The Flow
by Brad Yates, first brought in Hawaii Sport, March-April 2008
The term "flow" can be misleading when
associated with activities that require little energy or attention; i.e., to go with the
flow. The power of flow is the product of hard work and a laser-like focus; a very
special energy that allows you to breathe, be relaxed and calm as you work your way
through self-imposed limits.
The Power of Flow
The power of flow is the authority that you give yourself to
push through resistance and discomfort: It is a feeling that makes a difficult task feel
easy, a boring task fun, and a very scary task feel both necessary and manageable.
The power of flow is present when you have the confidence to accept your situation, when
you enjoy the process, and when you have the enthusiasm
needed to accomplish specific results.
Reflection: My introduction to the "flow" was a
mystical like experience, an altered-state of consciousness as presented by Michael Murphy
and Mike Spino in their work at the Esalen Sports Center in the Seventies. I
utilized this approach to creating the flow swimming at sunset in Waimea Bay in the
summer, surfing in small waves in the spring and fall and running in soft sand at Sunset Beach…
again in the summer. All of these locations
share the beauty and power of the North Shore of Oahu.
Swimming at Waimea Bay, looking down in the crystal clear water and then
looking up at the light show created by the sunset reflecting off of the mountains. Surfing in the perfection of clean and mellow surf
that happens before and after the storm season, waves that make you feel like you are a
genius compared to the challenge of surfing the same spots in the winter. Running in the sand at Sunset Beach, almost
impossible except for those few months in the summer when the beach flattens out. During this time you can run right next to Ocean,
sometimes all the way from Sunset Point down to Off the Wall and back. The magic of these environments combined with the
exhilaration of training hard was enough to put me in the flow for long periods of time.
In this “state”; I was able to swim, surf and run better, harder and longer than ever
before. Twenty to thirty some years later and
I remember these moments in living color. Such
is the power of flow to create strong emotions and memorable performances.
Acceptance
To access the power of flow you must make a conscious decision
to be in charge of your own experience. Acceptance allows the breath to quiet
the mind so you can settle into your emotions and operate in the present moment.
Reflection: In the eighties, I became more adapt at experiencing
the "flow" in a wider range of activities including my work as a teacher.
The "responsibility movement" made taking responsibility and choosing to do what
needs to be done much more appealing than being the "victim" and creating
resistance and discomfort for your self.
Enjoyment
To maintain the "power of the flow" you must be able
to find enjoyment in the process. In short, the task of performing the work must
become fun. Both in practice and in competition! The presence of the fun
stimulates the creativity needed to imagine, visualize, and manifest expected outcomes.
Reflection: In the nineties, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book
the FLOW clearly demonstrated that the flow-state was a function of "joy, creativity
and the process of total involvement in life." This awareness created the need for me
to write about and understand the ability to express the fire; the interest, excitement,
intense desire and passion you have for what you love to do. Hence, the title of my
book, FUEL THE FIRE, Perform with Passion!
Enthusiasm
The power of flow to produce results is linked directly to the
enthusiasm associated with the accomplishment. The feeling of "enthusiasm"
is the basis of momentum, that spurt of energy that comes when you can see the "top
of the hill" and you know that you can finish strong and get the job done.
Reflection: The power of flow to create outcomes has become
readily apparent to me as many of my clients have learned to operate at acceptance, feel
the enjoyment and harness the enthusiasm for what they want to accomplish. Their success
has inspired me to write about this process. The power of flow can be captured by
anyone in any task, and any individual who experiences the flow must be prepared to
actively sustain it if they hope to accomplish great things.
As with any powerful emotion, the intensity of the moment must always be
balanced by equal amounts of calm to maintain the proper focus and achieve the desired
result. It’s like the swimmer that
experiences the power of flow and then loses focus in the race and swims off course or
misses an opportunity to win the race.
The Power of Flow
The example I use to describe the power of flow is that of a
long distance runner. The runner in question is planning to experience the power… he has
worked very hard to get here. He is very grateful for this opportunity. He
shows up at the starting line wanting to compete, he is very present, he feels excited and
yet calm… focused on his plan for the race.
As the race starts he gets off the line with just the right
amount of intensity… he quickly establishes the pace and gets into position and
maintains contact with the runners that are slightly ahead of him… running with good
form he settles into the race. The joy of running allows him to stay physically
engaged in each stride… each moment. His face and upper body are relaxed; he uses
his breathing to manage his emotions; and when the discomfort hits, he uses his
imagination to quiet his mind and call on his base of fitness to push on and through to
the other side… to a feeling that says' GIYAH… I CAN DO THIS… at just the right
moment he starts his sprint and finishes strong… feeling great about his effort.
The power of flow here is the heightened state of awareness that
merges the mind and body and creates the calm resolve: the state of "natural
knowing" that underlies success in endurance activities as well as all areas of life.
Keep It Simple
The long distance athlete experiences the power of the flow!
The acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm are all very much a part of his ability to
give a personal best effort and feel very good about the results. My intention in
this column is to present similar information and examples to make it easier for you to
experience the power of the flow and accomplish the performance goals that represent
personal bests for you in acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm.
Brad Yates HiLevel Coaching Service hilevel@bradyates.com,
www.bradyates.com
737.1272
HiLevel Profile: John Flanagan
By Brad Yates,
first brought in Hawaii Sport, January-February 2008
John Flanagan is a legend as a distance
swimmer. He sets the standard for confidence and discipline. He trains and races with a
concrete focus that has helped him succeed at every level — from age-group to Punahou
School to Auburn University to local, national and international competition. That success has not changed him, though. He
competes to satisfy an innate love of racing — a drive to compete that has not
diminished over time. He simply loves to race.
Recently, he received a huge gift: the
opportunity to make a comeback, to be up for a serious challenge, and to complete his
career.
THE
COMEBACK
Having retired from international
competition in 2001, Flanagan was pulled back in when the International Olympic Committee
approved the open-water 10K event for the 2008 Games in Beijing. He currently is training
5 to 6 hours a day, pushing all of his limits.
JF
“I’m completely immersed in preparing for the Olympic Trials on October 21st. This commitment involves my wife, Rae, and our
young daughter, Kai. We decided as a family that I would come back.”
THE
CHALLENGE
At 32, Flanagan could be considered past
his prime. But he doesn't consider his age a major factor. In a recent meet, he finished
third, only seconds behind the leader, to qualify for the Olympic Trials. In the Trials,
he will need to finish in the top two to move on to the World Championships. Once there,
he must finish in the top 10 to become an Olympian.
JF
“I feel very fit and ready to compete. I’m right where I want to be. I have a
legitimate shot at reaching the highest level of competitive swimming.”
THE
COMPLETION
The stage is set. Flanagan has a chance to
become an Olympic athlete.
JF
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity. This is a dream come true! Win or lose, make
the team and continue on or come up short and be done. I will accept the results and move
on.”
KEEP
IT SIMPLE
Swimming a 10K demands a special focus. The
open-water course is made up of a series of legs that connect point A to point B. To
compete at this elite level, a heightened sense of awareness is needed, one that merges
the physical with the mental. This state of mind or “natural knowing” underlies
athletic success. To make it happen, Flanagan will race with calm resolve to place first
or second. That's all!
JF
“I agree, as a coach, teacher and athlete, I work at living the process described here
and making it fun. I’m proud to represent Hawaii, myself and my family at this
prestigious event. A special thanks to all of the people that have given me so much
support throughout my career.”
THAT WAS THEN AND THIS IS NOW
Flanagan swam in
the Olympic Trials October 21st and finished eighth. Not the results he wanted, but he is
grateful.
JF “I’m stoked that my training paid off. I was able to give my best effort. My age was not a
factor. It feels good to know that I have the strength and endurance to win that race.”
THE RACE IN REVIEW
The top finisher followed a strategy that
worked. He hung behind the pack and took over the race in the last five minutes.
Flanagan's strategy was to stay with the pack and break loose at the end. Unfortunately,
being in the pack meant the contest was too often about contact rather than swimming.
Contact that was at times intentional. Contact that proved to be as intense as water-polo
or rugby!
JF
“The contact was by far the biggest drain on my energy. The poundin,g combined with the
need to be hyper-alert, proved to be more exhausting than the actual pace of the race.
Each open-water race is unique and this race might have just been
the most challenging I have done. I did my best to keep my focus, follow my race
plan, and stay positive."
THE
VICTORY
Flanagan embraced his comeback.
JF “At times in my career I have been disappointed
in my ability to produce the results I wanted. Not this time. I feel good knowing that I
was up for the challenge of competing at this level. The win for me is that I was able to race
from start to finish. I was present and focused throughout. I never backed down or gave
less than my best. I feel complete … not done … just ready for the next challenge.
More than anything, I want to move forward in my life, to learn from my efforts and build
an active life that includes and nurtures my family.”
THE
ACKNOWEDGEMENT
Flanagan's performance throughout his
Olympic quest was excellent; a credit to his integrity, skills, fitness and focus.
Integrity
In his workouts, races and life, the truth of his commitment is demonstrated through
his actions. In a word, he is solid. He works
hard and enjoys the process.
Skills: As they say in the South, the boy can flat out
motor. The power of his stroke seems to come
from his soul. He swims for the right reasons, he loves to compete and he loves the sport.
Fitness:
He beat back father time by training 6 to 7 hours a day … without getting injured or
burning out.
Focus:
Mental toughness only partially speaks to the issue of getting kicked in the head and not
losing sight of his goal. Make no mistake, he
has mastered the inner-skills of breathing, self-soothing, visualization and letting go.
The legend is confirmed! John Flanagan is a world-class athlete and person.
Brad
Yates HiLevel Coaching Service www.bradyates.com
737.1272
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