At 2am, the day before Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, the American basketball legend Michael Jordan was feeling very sick.
He was curled up in the foetal position and sweating profusely, and hardly had the strength to sit up in bed. His trainer told him that there was absolutely no way he could play the next day.
But, despite his physical condition, he got out of bed at 5.50pm on Wednesday, just in time for the 7pm tip-off at the Delta Center, where he went on to score an incredible 38 points helping his team win a crucial game against the Utah Jazz.
Footage from the game shows him completely ‘in the zone’, barely aware of the crowd, the scoreboard, or his own physical discomfort
In that state, Jordan was solely focused on each moment of the game. He wasn’t overthinking his shots or movements; it was as if time had slowed down just for him. All the noise and distractions faded away, and it was just him and the hoop.
People often refer back to this game not only as a highlight of athletic achievement but also as an incredible example of what the human mind can do when it’s fully engaged in a task.
This is what’s commonly known as the ‘flow state’.
If you’ve ever found yourself so into a task that you totally lose track of time and you’re not distracted by your phone, the TV, or anything else, then you’ve probably experienced this ‘flow state’ too. It’s basically the superhero version of productivity.
A psychologist named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi did tons of research on this. And he found that when you’re in a flow state, you’re fully immersed in what you’re doing. You’re so engrossed that you forget about the world around you and the work you’re doing doesn’t even feel like work.
But, flow only happens when the task you’re doing is just the right level of challenging – not too easy, but not so hard that you’re stressing out. It’s like playing a video game at the perfect difficulty level. You’re constantly engaged, but you’re not pulling your hair out because it’s too tough.
So next time you’ve got a project or something you really want to dive into, think about how you can set things up to help you get into that flow state. Cut down distraction by turning off notifications on your phone, finding a quiet space, and setting aside some focused time. And break down the project into smaller parts, so it’s still challenging but not overwhelming.
Remember, you don’t have to be a basketball legend to experience the benefits of a flow state. It’s accessible to all of us, waiting to turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.
Quote of the Day
You are where you are and what you are because of yourself, nothing else. Nature is neutral. Nature doesn’t care. If you do what other successful people do, you will enjoy the same results and rewards that they do. And if you don’t, you won’t.
Tool of the Day
⚖️ Withings Smart Scales
Withings Smart Scales serve as a valuable productivity tool by streamlining the process of health monitoring. Instead of manually tracking metrics or visiting healthcare providers for routine measurements, you can effortlessly gather comprehensive data right at home. This includes not just weight but also body composition, heart rate, and even air quality. And the scales even sync automatically with mobile apps, offering easy-to-read trends and graphs