Getting into "Flow"

Design a plan identifying the factors and ingredients required for you to engage to reach states of performance “flow.”

Williams and Krane (2015) report athletes are more likely to experience “flow” when:

· They have appropriate focus

· Optimal mental and physical preparation

· Optimal motivation

· Optimal arousal

· Positive thoughts

· Positive emotions

· Confidence

· Positive feedback

· Good team play and interactions

· Optimal environmental and situational conditions

To attain appropriate focus and arousal athletes should practice relaxation and energization skills. Practicing daily meditation and energization and pairing that state with a cue word (such as “relax”) will assist the athlete in becoming ready in game-time situations. Diaphragmatic and box breathing are techniques used to relax the body and the mind. Breathing slowly while maintaining awareness with the breath deep into the belly is known as diaphragmatic breathing. Box breathing is the inhalation to the count of 5, holding for the count of 5, breathing out to the count of five, and holding the exhalation for a count of 5. Doing this practice 3 or 4 times relaxes the body and lowers arousal to broaden the attentional focus of the athlete.

Rapid energization techniques are used to heighten arousal and supply the body with overload of oxygen that will raise energy levels. Rapid breathing in and out while focusing on an image that excites the individual is useful to gaining heightened arousal levels for a desired state.

The athlete must be physically conditioned for their performance. Sport psychology is not just a end-all-be-all to performance excellence. “Flow” state does not just happen if the athlete is not physically prepared for the demands of the sport. Confidence does come from the mind, however the physicality of the sport is important for this belief in self. Otherwise, athletes must understand self-talk strategies.

Awareness of negative self-talk (especially after mistakes or setbacks) can create a path to changing the conversation to a positive affirmation. “Why do I have this negative belief?” Often, we need to uncover the reasoning of negative self-beliefs to discover new routes of successful confidence in self. Changing the negative to a positive will help create positive thoughts that lead to positive emotions and behaviors that will affect interactions with the environment. Perception is everything.

Optimal motivation is an understanding of values that relate to the individual’s goals. A goals list written down, and why the athlete wants those goals, what makes it important to attain, is helpful when maintaining motivation. Keep that goals list where you can see it daily. We use SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

Reflect on whether states of “flow” can be planned or whether it is the connection of a number of variables that organically culminate in this state.

We cannot choose to enter “flow” at any given time, but we can set up the right principles, factors, and pre-, during-, and post-performance routines to experience a state of “flow” more effectively. There is a tool for every counteracting impedance to the “flow” state. Working with a Sport Psychology Coach will help uncover your specific obstacles to obtain “flow” more readily when it is needed most!

Reference

Williams, J. M., & Krane, V. (2015). Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.