Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have Yale University addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, who outlines how we get in our own way. Using examples such as Lolo Jones tripping on a hurdle in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and smokers resisting their cravings, Judson describes how we can get caught up in thinking, as well as resisting our body sensations, and prevent ourselves from performing optimally in any situation.
We all have experienced moments where everything comes together in an almost magical way. These moments are timeless, effortless, and delicious! As described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this is “flow.” Flow is often a hallmark of exemplary performance — whether it is Mozart composing an epic symphony or Michael Jordan scoring 50 points in a basketball game, drafting a novel in a month or rising to a seemingly impossible challenge.
Everyone, but particularly those engaged in creative pursuits, needs to access flow. Is it hard to achieve? What are the barriers? Judson explains how we can access this flow state and improve our performance on virtually any task, including creative ones. Enjoy!
Have you ever achieved a flow state? Would you like to? How might this flow enhance your creativity? What would you accomplish if it were effortless and delicious? Share your thoughts below.
Until next time,
Cynthia Patton
