Flow States

Flow is when the work takes you and forgets to give you back. You begin with a task. The task is hard enough to matter and clear enough to hold. Then the noise falls away. Time stops keeping count. You do not think about yourself. You do not think about the clock or a glass of water. You do not reach for praise or fear failure. You see what must be done, and you do it. One thing leads cleanly to the next. The hand moves. The mind follows. Effort is there, but it does not feel heavy. You are not fighting the work. Art, music, writing, running, brick-laying or baking a cake. Doesn't matter. You are inside it. When it ends, you look up and find that hours have passed. You have been absent from yourself and present in the task. That is flow. Don't ask me how I know. I can't tell you much.Some call it perfect rapport. I'm not sure who these people are. Perhaps they're in a band.But nobody invented it. It's as old as time. Then one day somebody gave it a name. Flow State. That's useful. Now…