Cyber-psychologist Berni Goode talking about Flow on Charlie Brooker’s How Videogames Changed the World.
Flow is extremely important. So, so important.
It’s what keeps some people sane. It’s what drives the world’s most skilled and accomplished athletes, the most intense gamers, the hardcore hobbyists, even many of the most talented artists, musicians and actors – flow is what you get when unstoppable drive meets an unflinching will and unlimited dedication.
Flow is being utterly, truly “in the zone”. And it’s one of the most amazing feelings there is.
This is why finding a sport, or a hobby, or a martial art, or a handicraft, or a new video game, or any skill-based activity that uses focus and requires practice and repetition is so beneficial for things like depression and anxiety and overall mental/physical well-being.
This quote “flow is what you get when unstoppable drive meets an unflinching will and unlimited dedication” makes it sound like you have to be some kind of super motivated and dedicated person to achieve this mental state, but, yeah no, we’re all capable of it. And why chilling out to rock some video games or do whatever you need to for that kind of mental relaxation is NOT a waste of your time.
I wonder if this is why, when I try running, I sort of crap out and meh. But when I dance, I go for it and kick ass.
This is what happens with me in sparring vs running. I hate running with a passion. Even at the peak of my fitness, when I was in Taekwondo and training for tournaments, I could not run more than like 400m/0.25mi at a go. Put me in a sparring match, though, and it’s a whole different ballgame. I could go for 15 minutes straight at full strength, and if forced to I could go another 30 minutes at half-strength. Meanwhile, I can’t even run for more than like a minute straight.
FantasyBoudicca 