The Dots:
We’re always trying to better ourselves, right? Two big ideas can help us with this: flow and resistance. These ideas come from some pretty smart folks – Steven Kotler, the author of ‘The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance,” and Steven Pressfield, the author of ‘The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.’
Flow: Being Our True Selves
What’s flow all about? Well, Steven Kotler says it’s more than just being creative. It’s about performing our best and getting into what we’re doing. It’s like being a musician lost in their music. In this state, we can express ourselves and grow as individuals.
Resistance: The Sneaky Saboteur
Steven Pressfield talks about something called resistance. This is all the stuff that gets in our way when trying to improve ourselves. It could be self-doubt, fear, putting things off, or getting distracted. Resistance tries to keep us in our comfort zones and stops us from becoming our true selves. So, part of our journey is about facing and overcoming this resistance.
An Analogy: Flow, Resistance, and Electricity
Let’s think about flow and resistance like electricity. When there’s a lot of resistance, electricity can’t flow well. Too much resistance can cause a wire to overheat, spark and start a fire. It’s the same with us. We can’t express our true selves and grow if we have too much resistance. But when there’s less resistance in a wire, electricity can flow freely. In the same way, when we reduce resistance in our lives, we can enter a state of flow. Our actions align with our true selves, helping us grow and show our true genius.
The Power of Self-Awareness: Focusing Your Lens
Dr. Tasha Eurich, the author of Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think, says, “…self-awareness is the metaskill of the 21st century.” By increasing our self-awareness to better understand our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we can spot resistance and understand what’s causing us to stand on our own hose. Self-awareness helps us identify what’s holding us back and how to overcome it.
Balancing the Scales: More Flow with Self-Awareness
What is the trick to finding an equilibrium between flow and resistance? You guessed it: self-awareness. It’s an essential ingredient in our recipe for authenticity. Sure, a pinch of resistance can help keep our egos in check, but pile on too much, and we’re staring at a transformation roadblock.
Looking back to our electrical analogy, we will see that the optimal current of self-improvement, much like that electrical current, leans more toward flow than it does resistance. By noticing and managing our flow versus resistance balance, we can navigate our personal growth journey with authenticity and grace. To accelerate growth and express true genius via a maximum flow state, strive to achieve hyper-self-awareness.
Connecting the Dots
In the ‘always a student’ mindset for self-improvement and personal growth, flow and resistance serve as invaluable navigational aids. Flow facilitates our connection with our authentic selves, aligning our actions to unveil our dormant potential. On the other hand, resistance presents formidable challenges that we must confront and transcend on our transformation journey.
Just as with the flow of electricity, our journey toward self-realization can be hindered or propelled by our personal resistance. By fostering self-awareness, we empower ourselves to identify and confront resistance effectively. With this delicate balance, we nourish our authenticity, setting our course toward our end goal to Let Your Genius Out.
Scott Stanfield
Change Catalyst. Modern Longevitarian. & Dot Connector.