The holiday season across a diverse array of cultures is full of celebrations, recreation, down-time and the dreaded goal setting for the New Year.
Goal time – The discussions I have had on annual New Year’s goals were presented in two ways; the first is the individual is pumped up and primed for the new year for a clean slate and sets huge goals; the second is the I should have, would have and could have done that, but I didn’t last year. I am not saying setting huge goals is bad, it is awesome – go ahead crush it and knock the cover off the ball, but find your flow.
Definition of Flow: The mental state of operation, proposed by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does. Proposed by, this positive psychology concept has been widely referenced across a variety of fields.
According to Csikszentmihalyi, flow is completely focused motivation. It is a single-minded immersion and represents perhaps the ultimate experience in harnessing the emotions in the service of performing and learning. In flow, the emotions are not just contained and channeled, but positive, energized, and aligned with the task at hand.
It is not about discipline – and I will say that three more times, since some of the folks I mentor are steadfast in their thinking that is all that you need.
It is not about discipline
It is not about discipline
It is not about discipline
To me, discipline is about doing things in a precise way, with exact timing and in accordance with a strict regimen. It’s about doing things when and how they ought to be done, whether or not you feel like it at the time. Unfortunately, when it comes to finding our own personal routes to success, many of us get detoured or stuck by preconceived notions of what our journeys will require.
If you’re convinced that reaching your goals is going to require “discipline,” and that doesn’t happen to be your strong suit, it’s easy to get discouraged and to overlook the strengths and assets you do have — your own unique resources, friends, influences, strengths, and style.
For some discipline is all they need, but today we are faced with distractions and a shortage of time. It requires much more than discipline today to keep people motivated they need to find their own flow and tap into fluidity and creativity. Leveraging all three rather than focusing on what will hold us back in achieving the goals set forth – getting into the flow.
Getting back to Csikszentmihalyi, psychologists have found that what makes people truly satisfied and fulfilled is not so much the achievement of any particular outcome or station in life, but rather the experience of being fully engaged in pursuits that require every bit of their attention and skill.
Application and Action
Flow does not necessarily require that we apply any one particular ability, but rather that we wholeheartedly invest those strengths we possess – it requires mindfulness, focus and flow.
Even the most challenging situation, the most intimidating goal, can become engaging when we commit ourselves to giving it the very best of our abilities and attention — and, perhaps more important, our conscious intention - mindfulness.
