the rise of superman: decoding the science of ultimate human performance

Textcopyrightcopy2014byStevenKotlerAllrightsreserved

Nopartofthisworkmaybereproducedorstoredinaretrievalsystemortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeanselectronicmechanicalphotocopyingrecordingorotherwisewithoutwrittenpermissionofthepublisher

PublishedbyAmazonPublishingSeattle

wwwapubcom

AmazontheAmazonlogoandAmazonPublishingaretrademarksofAmazoncomIncoritsaffiliates

eISBN9781477850831

CoverdesignbyDaveStantonAuthorphotographcopyRyanHeffernanCoverartcopyScottSerfas

ContentsStartReading

PrefaceTheWhyofFlowIntroductionBeforetheFlowPARTONEHEISTHISFRENZY1TheWayofFlow2TheWaveofFlow3TheWhereofFlow4TheWhatofFlow5TheFlowShortcutPARTTWOFLOWHACKERNATION6OuterFlow7InnerFlow8TheWeofFlow9TheFlowofImaginationPARTTHREETIMETORISE10TheDarkSideofFlow11TheFlowofNext12FlowtoAbundanceAfterwordAuthorrsquosNoteNotesAbouttheAuthorIndex

Thetoolsformanagingparadoxarestillundeveloped

ndashKEV I N K E L LY

PrefaceTheWhyofFlow

ThisisabookabouttheimpossiblebutitstartswiththeinvisibleOverthepastthree decades an unlikely collection ofmen andwomen have pushed humanperformancefartherandfasterthanatanyotherpointinthe150000-yearhistoryofourspeciesInthisevolutionaryeyeblinktheyhavecompletelyredefinedthelimitsofthepossibleButherersquosthestrangerpartthisunprecedentedfloweringofhumanpotentialhastakenplaceinplainsightoccasionallywithmillionsofpeoplewatchingndashyetalmostnoonehasnoticed

The reason for this is simple virtually all of this massively acceleratedperformance has occurred within the world of action and adventure sportsCertainly surfingandskiingmake forgood recreation and theXGames lookexcellentonTVbutwhenitcomestoriding100-footwavesandhucking100-footcliffsmostofusseedaredevilmagicunfathomablestuntsinsaneathletesndashenoughsaid

YetwhatappearstobeimpossibleisactuallyprogressiveBehindeachofthese feats is a litanyof small steps history technology trainingndashandnot justphysical training mental training as well Success in these danger-fueledactivitiesrequiresincrediblepsychologicalandintellectualtalentsgritfortitudecouragecreativityresiliencecooperationcriticalthinkingpatternrecognitionhigh-speed ldquohotrdquo decisionmakingndashon andon and all under someof themostextremeconditionsimaginableResearchersrecentlycoinedthephraseldquoTwenty-First-Century Skillsrdquo to describe those myriad abilities our children need tothrive in this centuryndashabilities not currently taught in school but desperatelyneededinsocietyActionandadventuresportsdemandthemall

Yet even this is just the beginningOf all the things these athletes haveaccomplishednothingismoreimpressivethantheirmasteryofthestateknowntoresearchersasflowMostofushaveatleastpassingfamiliaritywithflowIfyoursquoveeverlostanafternoontoagreatconversationorgottensoinvolvedina

workprojectthatallelseisforgottenthenyoursquovetastedtheexperienceInflowwearesofocusedonthetaskathandthateverythingelsefallsawayActionandawarenessmergeTimefliesSelfvanishesPerformancegoesthroughtheroof

We call this experience flow because that is the sensation conferred Inflow every action each decision leads effortlessly fluidly seamlessly to thenext Itrsquos high-speed problem solving itrsquos being swept away by the river ofultimate performance ldquoFlow naturally catapults you to a level yoursquore notnaturally inrdquo explains Harvard Medical School psychiatrist Ned HallowellldquoFlow naturally transforms a weakling into a muscleman a sketcher into anartistadancerintoaballerinaaplodderintoasprinteranordinarypersonintosomeoneextraordinaryEverythingyoudoyoudobetterinflowfrombakingachocolatecaketoplanningavacationtosolvingadifferentialequationtowritinga business plan to playing tennis tomaking love Flow is the doorway to thelsquomorersquomostofusseekRatherthantellingourselvestogetusedtoitthatrsquosallthereisinsteadlearnhowtoenterintoflowThereyouwillfindinmanageabledosesallthelsquomorersquoyouneedrdquo

Flowisanoptimalstateofconsciousnessapeakstatewherewebothfeelour best and perform our best It is a transformation available to anyoneanywhere provided that certain initial conditions are met Everyone fromassembly-line workers in Detroit to jazz musicians in Algeria to softwaredesigners in Mumbai rely on flow to drive performance and accelerateinnovationAnditrsquosquiteadriverResearchersnowbelieveflowsitsattheheartofalmosteveryathleticchampionshipunderpinsmajorscientificbreakthroughsand accounts for significant progress in the artsWorld leaders have sung thepraisesofflowFortune500CEOshavebuiltcorporatephilosophiesaroundthestate From a quality-of-life perspective psychologists have found that thepeoplewhohavethemostflowintheirlivesarethehappiestpeopleonearth

PutdifferentlyarecentGallupsurveyfoundthat71percentofAmericanworkers were ldquonot engagedrdquo or ldquoactively disengagedrdquo from their jobs Thinkabout this for a moment two out of three of us hate what we do with themajority of our time This is a crisis of commerce to say the least Yet wealreadyknowwherethesolutionliesTheother29percentofworkershavejobsthatgenerateflowFlowdirectlycorrelatestohappinessatworkandhappinessatwork directly correlates to success As CNN recently reported ldquoA decade ofresearchinthebusinessworldproveshappinessraisesnearlyeverybusinessandeducationaloutcomeraisingsalesby37percentproductivityby31percentandaccuracyontasksby19percentaswellasamyriadofhealthandquality-of-lifeimprovementsrdquo

YettherersquosarubFlowmightbethemostdesirablestateonearthitrsquosalso

themostelusiveWhileseekershavespentcenturiestryingnoonehasfoundareliablewaytoreproduce theexperience letalonewithenoughconsistently toradically accelerate performance But this is not the case with action andadventuresportsathletesQuitesimplythezoneistheonlyreasontheseathletesaresurvivingthebig-mountainsbigwavesandbigriversWhenyoursquorepushingthelimitsofultimatehumanperformancethechoiceisstarkitrsquosflowordie

Ironically this is very good news Scientists have latelymade enormousprogress on flowAdvancements in brain-imaging technologies like fMRI andconsumer ldquoquantified selfrdquo devices like theNike Fuel band allow us to applyseriousmetricswhereoncewasmerelysubjectiveexperienceUntilnowtherersquosbeennoway to tie all this disparate information together but recent events inactionandadventuresportssolvethisproblemKnowingthatsurvivaldemandsflowgivesusaharddatasetwithwhichtoworkWedonrsquothavetowonderifourresearchsubjectsarereallyinflowiftheylivethroughtheimpossiblewecanbecertainMoreoverbymappingthisnewscienceontotheseextremeactivitieswecanstarttounderstandexactlyhowflowworksitsmagicFinallyifwecanfigureoutexactlywhattheseathletesaredoingtoreliablyreproducethisstatethen we can apply this knowledge across the additional domains of self andsociety

InotherwordsdespitetheunusualldquothemrdquoatthecenterofthisstorythisbookisreallyaboutusyouandmeWhodoesnrsquotwanttoknowhowtobetheirbest when it matters most To be more creative more contented moreconsumedTosoarandnottosinkAsthedeedsoftheseathletesproveifwecanmasterflowtherearenolimitstowhatwecanaccomplishWeareourownrevolution

TowardtheseendsthisbookisdividedintothreepartsPartOneexaminesjusthowfaractionandadventuresportsathleteshavepushedtheboundsofthepossibleandexploresthescienceofwhy(thisworkisbasedonoveradecadeofresearchunlessotherwisenotedallquotescomefromdirectinterviewsbetweenthesubjectandtheauthororhistoricaldocuments)Itrsquosherethatwersquollseehowflowworks in thebrainand thebodyhowitmassivelyacceleratesmentalandphysical performance how its allows these athletes to accomplish theimpossibleAscapturinglightninginabottleisnoteasyPartTwoofthisbookprobesthenatureofthechasehowtheseathleteshavemasteredflowhowtheyhave redesigned their lives to cultivate the state andhowwecan tooFinallyPart Three looks at the darker side of flow wider cultural impacts and thefuture

ThegreatcivilrightsleaderHowardThurmanoncesaidldquoDonrsquotaskwhattheworldneedsAskwhatmakesyoucomealiveBecausewhattheworldneeds

mostismorepeoplewhohavecomealiverdquoThedataisclearFlowistheverythingthatmakesuscomealiveItisthe

mystery It is the point Put another way There are difficult and dangerousactivities described in the pages of this book The people involved are highlytrainedprofessionalsSopleasepleasepleasetrythemathomeBecausewhattheworldneedsmostisSuperman

Itistimetorise

IntroductionBeforetheFlow

SHANE McCONKEY

We like our geniuses a certainway here inAmerica If they are scientificallyminded we prefer them wild-coiffed calculation-spouting so far beyond theconfinesofstandard intelligence thatonlyexoticmetaphorsmayapply If theyareartisticwe like them likewersquovealways liked themndashexiledonMainStreetmelancholyandmisanthropicoccasionallydrug-addledoftendrunkIftheyarerichgeniuseswepreferthemhavingbegunpoorIftheyarepoorgeniuseswewant them once rich and now having lost it at all tenaciously staging acomebackWhatwedonrsquotwantatleastnotoftenisgeniusnakedandspread-eagle and forty feet off the groundndashbut that my friends is where this storybegins

Actually it begins a few days earlier The year is 1993 A twenty-four-year-old skier named Shane McConkey was putting on quite a show at theCrestedButteExtremesWithinadecadeMcConkeywouldbecomeoneofthemost beloved and revered athletes in the world a dual sport master of theimpossible one of the greatest skiers to have ever lived one of the mostinnovative skydivers in history Back then though almost no one knew hisname

Steve Winter who co-runs the ski filmmaking company MatchstickProductionscertainlydidnrsquotknowhisnameButhewasimpressedenoughwithMcConkeyrsquos performance that he invited him to film with MSP after theconclusionoftheeventDuringthatsessionthefirstthingtheydidtogetherwashikeouttoacliffbandintheColoradobackcountryWinterandhiscrewsetup

the camera below a large cornice McConkey hiked up top There was acountdownndashthree two one droppingndashand McConkey dropped all right HeblastedoffthecliffHisgoalappearedtobeadoublebackflipbutafewthingsshouldbementionedThefirstisthatbackin1993noonewasthrowingdoublebackflips and certainly not off forty-foot cornices The second Neither wasMcConkey

ldquoShanedidoneandahalfrotationsandlandedonhisheadrdquosaysWinterldquoWewereallthinkingthesamethingHolyshitthisguyrsquosgonnakillhimselfrdquo

Many thingscanhelpa skierrsquos careerndashbeing stupid in thebackcountry isnot among them ldquoThere are a lot of unexpected risksout thererdquo saysWinterldquoThe last thingwewant is somekookgoing crazy for the cameraButShanekeptdemandingasecondshotatthedoublebackflipWekepttryingtotalkhimoutofitndashsayingthecliffrsquosnotbigenoughhedidnrsquothavethetricktherewasnowaytogetenoughspeedrdquo

McConkeywasnrsquothearinganyofitHestompedoffandhikedupWinterstayed belowHe had a bad feeling in his stomach Above him out of sightMcConkeygotreadyThefeelinggotworseThroughhisheadsetWinterheardthecountdownThatrsquoswhenithappenedMcConkeyblazedoffthecliffndashwearingnothing but his ski bootsHe did not throw a backflipHe threwwhatwouldsoonbecomehissignatureagiantnakedspread-eagle

ldquoWhatcanIsayrdquoasksWinterldquoItwasfuckinggeniusrdquo

THENEWHIGHBAR

Genius Really According to Dictionarycom genius is defined as ldquoanexceptional natural capacity of intellect especially as shown in creative andoriginal work in science art music etcrdquo But that doesnrsquot help us much inathletics especially when the sports in question are of the action-adventurevarietyWhatdoesgenius look likewhensnowboardingWhatdoescreativitymean for a skydiver How canwe tell if a particular surfer is doing originalworkwhentheproofofthatworkvanisheswiththecrashingofawave

Well for starters the obvious we all seem to agree genius begins withfeatsofmentalgreatnessThethinkingneedstobenovelsotheresultsneedtobebeyondwhatmostcanenvisionAsittakescouragetopushpasttheconfinesof culture the thinking must also be brave Because an athletersquos canvas isnothing more than his body moving through space and time then an act ofgeniusmustalsobedefinedasanactofredefinitionndashredefiningwhatispossible

forthehumanbodyWhichistosayintheworldofactionandadventuresportstheeasiestway tohuntgenius is to look for thoseathletesconsistentlybettingtheirassesontheimpossible

Andthisiswherethingsstarttogetstrangendashbecausequiteafewasseshavebeen on the line these last two decadesNot too long ago the idea of anyonejumpingamotorcycleoverabunchof schoolbuseswas so incredible that thewholeworld tuned in every timeEvelKnievel decided to give it a go Thesedaysonanygivenweekendinarenasallovertheworldyoucanwatchdozensof riders jumping similar distancesndashonly backflipping as they go Go backtwenty-fiveyearsinskiingandthe360wasjustaboutthehardesttrickanyonecouldthrowThesedaysitrsquostheentrypointtojibskiingndashmeaningkidsagesixarepullingthemoffroutinelyOntheothersideofthatcoinin1998whenski-industry giant Salomon introduced the 1080ndashtheir first twin-tip skindashtheyweregiventhatnamebecausethreespins(1080degrees)wasjibskiingrsquosHolyGrailan impossibleWell been there done that In 2011 Bobby Brown threw theworldrsquos firstTripleCork1440ndashwhich is four spinsand three flips andalloff-axis

AlongthewayworldrecordshavebeenbrokenandbrokenagainManyofthesearerecordsnoonethoughtshouldevenexistrecordsthatwerebeyondthepalebeyondthepossibleKayakerspaddlingstraight-dropwaterfallsareagoodexampleIn1997TaoBermanblewmindswhenhesentaneighty-three-footeron theElTomataRiver nearVeraCruzMexico It should have been aworldrecordbutasclosetoanofficialmeasurementasanyonegotwasnotingthataseventy-foot rope tossed over that cliff ldquoappearedrdquo to end ten feet above theground While that argument was going on Shannon Carroll popped offOregonrsquosSahalieFallsndashamereseventy-eightfeetndashbutstillstaggeringandhighlyvisible and the record was hers Two years later Berman stormed backdroppingallninety-eight feetand four inchesofUpper JohnsonFalls inBanffNational Forest That record stood for nearly ten yearsndashan eternity in todayrsquosgamendashbuttheneightornineathletes(theninthbelongingtoaccordingtoCanoeampKayakmagazineldquothecreepyGermanguyonYouTubewhosefootagecannotbeconfirmedrdquo)battledthenumberupto108feetonlytobefoughtoffin2009byPedroOliviarsquos127-footlaunchontheRioSacreinBrazilOliviaenteredthewateratseventymilesperhourwhichwassofarbeyondwhatmostthoughtakayaker could survive that this record too was believed unbreakable ThatthinkinglastedthreemonthsuntilTylerBradtplunged189feetoffWashingtonStatersquosPalouseFallsmarkingtheoccasionwithashortvideoofhisowntellingaudiencesldquo[T]hisisamajorstepupfromwhatanyonersquosdonebeforeItrsquoskindofanunknownrealmforkayakingandwhatthehumanbodycantakeoffofa

waterfallrdquoYeahyouthinkOddlythoughhereintheearlytwenty-firstcenturytherersquosplentyoftalk

about our sports becoming softer milder less deadly Interest in boxing forexample continues to wane The new illegal-hits rules in the NFL protectldquodefenselessplayersrdquowhichmoreandmore seems to includeanyonewearingpads The 2011 technical-foul changes in basketball make even aggressivegesturesndashpunchingtheairjumpingupanddownwavingarmsindisbeliefndashoff-limitsAs a result pointguards almostbydefinition the smallestguyson thecourtarehavingtheirgreatestseasonseverandtheNBAenforcerRonArtestndashinfamous for coldcocking a fanndashofficially changed his name to Metta WorldPeace

But thatrsquos only half the picture At the same time that competitive ballsports have become less dangerous action and adventure sports have becomeincreasingly harebrained In rock climbing skydiving snowboarding skiingmotocross mountain biking mountaineering skateboarding surfingwindsurfingkitesurfingcavedivingfreedivingparkouretcthelistofonce-impossiblefeatscontinuestoshrinkldquoInthisdayandagerdquosaysMicahAbramsformer ESPNcom senior editor for action sports ldquothe upper echelon ofadventure sport athletes are grappling with the fundamental properties of theuniversegravityvelocityandsanityTheyrsquoretoyingwiththemcheatingdeathrefusingtoaccepttheremightbelimitstowhattheycanaccomplishrdquo

TheseathleteshellipwellthatrsquosthegreatironyrightManypeopledonrsquotevenconsider them that Theyrsquore the poster children of the slacker generation theonesmarkedwithanXwhostillsometwodecadesafterthefactcontinuetosmell like teenspiritButalongtheway theyhavesomehowbecomesomuchmore a force pushing evolution further the tip of the spear the ones chargedwithredefiningwhatitmeanstobehumanAsMikeGervaisoneoftheworldrsquostop peak-performance psychologists says ldquoTherersquos a natural urge to compareathletestoathletesbuttryingtocompareaguylikeShaneMcConkeytoaguylike Kobe Bryant misses the mark entirely Itrsquos almost apples and orangesMcConkeyrsquos got more in common with fourteenth-century Spanish explorersthan anyone playing on the hardwoodYouwant to compare these athletes tosomeonewellyoursquovegottostartwithMagellanrdquo

ULTIMATEHUMANPERFORMANCE

EvenifyoustartwithMagellancomparisonsarestillproblematicTheissueisevolutionspecificallythesnailrsquospaceatwhichittypicallyproceedsAsathleticabilityisdirectlyshapedbynaturalselectionformostofthe150000yearsourspecies has been on this planet progress has been incremental at bestHistorically our ancestors performed pretty much the way their ancestorsperformedCertainlytherehasbeensomeimprovementbutwhenplottedonagraph the results showslowchangestretchedacrosscenturiesAtnoperiod inhumanhistorydidweaddanextrafoottoourverticalleapbetweengenerationsDaughters could not outpace mothers and mothers could not outpacegrandmothersandthiswasjustthewaythingswere

ButintheworldofhighadrenalinethisisnolongerthewaythingsareExamples are helpful The sport of platform diving debuted at the 1904

OlympicsThatyearanAmericaneyedoctornamedGeorgeSheldontookgoldwithwhatwasthenconsideredadifficultanddangerousdive thedoublefrontsomersaultTodayslightlymorethanahundredyearslaterthereversefourandahalfoccupiesasimilarspotIfyoumeasureprogressusingdegreesofrotationthenasingleflip(orspin)produces360degreesofrotationandSheldonrsquos1904doubletotaledoutat720degreesMeanwhilethe2004reversefour-and-a-halfproduces1620degrees(180forthedirectionchangeanadditional1440fortheflips)Thismeans the sportofdiving tookmore thana century to advanceby900degreesofrotation

Now compare this to the past decade in ldquoBig Airrdquo skiing Exactly as itsoundsaBigAircompetition isnothingmore thanagiant jumpwithskiersndashmuchlikediversndashjudgedonthemaneuverstheycanexecutebetweentakeoffandlanding In 1999 Canadarsquos JF Cusson won the first ever X Games Big Aircompetition with a Switch 720 ldquoSwitchrdquo means he took off backward (andlandedbackward)whilethe720isameasureofdegreesofrotationAndforgetdifficult and dangerous in 1999 the Switch 720 was considered downrightinsane

ThatdesignationdidnrsquotlastlongJusttwelveyearslaterduringthe2011XGamesTJSchillertookBigAirsilverwithaDoubleCork1620Corkisanoff-axis flip (meaning the athletes tumble through the air sideways instead ofvertically)soadoublecorkistwooff-axisflipsor720degreesofrotationThe1620measurerefers toflatspinsndashin thiscase fourandahalf Ifyoudiscounttheaddeddifficultyof flippingwhilespinningandsimplymeasureprogress inrotations from takeoff to touchdown Schillerrsquos trick measured out to 2340degreesofrotationThinkaboutthisforamomentDivingtookacenturytoadd900degreestoitstallybutskierssomehowpushedtheirtotalup1640degreesinslightlymorethanadecade

Sucheye-poppingprogressisnrsquotjustfoundinskiingTheBakerRoadgapisoneofsnowboardingrsquosmosticonicjumpsSituatedonMountBakerdeepintheCascadeRangethegapmeasuresfortyfeetendtoendandisconvenientlypositioned on the road that runs between the resortrsquos main lodge and upperlodgeIn1990whenShawnFarmerfirstclearedthischasmhiswasoneofthebiggest jumps anyone had ever undertaken In 2005 the appropriatelynicknamed Norwegian rider Mads ldquoBig Nadsrdquo Jonsson launched 187 feetsetting a new world record along the way and raising an obvious questionWhen in the history of sport has athletic performance quintupled in fifteenyears

Then therersquos freestylemotocross Since the invention of themotorcyclethebackfliphasbeenthesportrsquosHolyGrailBecauseoftheweightofabikeandtheaerodynamicsinvolvedeveryonefromprofessionalscientiststoprofessionalathletes considered the feat impossible Then both Travis Pastrana and MikeMetzgerlandedbackflipsduringthe2002XGamesThefollowingyearathletesaddedamidairheelclick to the trickTheyweresoondoing themone-handedandno-handedandno-footedandoff-axisJustfouryearslaterPastranadoubleddown on impossible and pulled off theworldrsquos first double backflip ldquoTherersquosjust no easyway to describewhatwersquore seeing inmotocrossrdquo saysDrAndyWalsheheadofathleticperformanceatRedBullldquoThesport issochallengingandtheriskofserious injurysohigh itrsquodberidiculous toexpectanythingbutincrementalprogressIttookridersdecadestocloseinonthebackflipTogettodoublebackflipsfouryearslaterItrsquoshardtowrapyourheadaroundthatrdquo

AndthereyouhaveitthecentralmysteryofthisbookHowisanyofthispossibleWhyat the tailendof the twentiethcenturyandtheearlyportionofthe twenty-first are we seeing such a multisport assault on reality Did wesomehowslipthroughawormholetoanotheruniversewherethelawsofphysicsdonrsquotapplyWheregravityisoptionalandcommonsenseobsolete

ThesearemorethanidlecuriositiesIfthetermimpossiblemeansanythinghere it means the barriers being shattered exist beyond the confines of bothbiology and imagination These feats are paradigm-shifters Historically inscience and culture breakthroughs of this ilk emerge once or twice a centuryNotfivetimesadecadeSodecodingthesephenomenatellsussomethingdeepandimportantaboutacceleratinghumanpotentialcreativityandinnovationndashbutittellsusmorethanthat

The past three decades have witnessed unprecedented growth in whatresearchers now term ultimate human performance This is not the same asoptimalhumanperformanceandthedifferenceisintheconsequencesOptimalperformanceisaboutbeingyourbestultimateperformanceisaboutbeingyour

bestwhenanymistakecouldkillBothcommonsenseandevolutionarybiologytell us that progress under these ldquoultimaterdquo conditions should be a laggardrsquosgamebutthatrsquosnotexactlywhatthedatasuggests

Instead over the past thirty years in theworld of action and adventuresports in situations where asses really were on the line the bounds of thepossiblehavebeenpushedfurtherandfasterthaneverbeforeinhistoryWersquoveseen near-exponential growth in ultimate human performance which is bothhyperbolicparadoxandconsiderablemysterySomehowagenerationrsquosworthoficonoclasticmisfitshave rewritten the rulesof the feasiblenot just raising thebar but often obliterating it altogether And this brings up one final questionWherendashifanywherendashdoouractuallimitslie

THEQUESTIONOFCOST

IfyouwanttoreallyunderstandthisquestionoflimitsyouhavetounderstandDecember231994ndashthedaythegamechangedTheepicenterof thisshiftwasMaverickrsquos a dark gray beast of a wave located two miles off Pillar PointHarbor twenty-two miles south of San Francisco deep in the shark-infestedwatersofCaliforniarsquosRedTriangleSurfermagazineoncedescribedthespotasldquogloomy isolated inherentlyevilrdquoand thewebsiteMavericksurfcomexplainswhy ldquoWith waves cresting as high as fifty feet ridiculously strong currentsdangerousrocksperilouslyshallowreefsandbone-chillingwatertemperaturesMaverickrsquosislikenootherplaceonearthrdquo

Itrsquos also a place that wasnrsquot supposed to exist ldquoSince the beginning ofmodernsurfingrdquosaysprofessionalsurferandsurf filmmakerChrisMalloyldquoifyou wanted to ride big waves you were going to Hawaii because everyoneknew thatwas the only place in theworldwith real bigwavesWhen storiesaboutMaverickrsquosstartedhittingtheislandsnoonebelievedthemTheideathattherewasatruebeastbreakingoffthecoastofNorthernCaliforniawasheresyrdquo

AndthenitwasnrsquotMaverickrsquoswasfirstdiscoveredbackin1962butonlyalocalnamedJeff

Clarkwascrazyenough topaddleoutAndhekeptpaddlingoutClark in asclosetoadefinitionofmadnessascanbefoundinthesportsurfedMaverickrsquosalone for over fifteen years In the early 1990s he finally decided somecompanywasinordersoheinvitedafewfriendsalongfortherideItwasquitearidePrettysoonasJonKrakauerpennedinOutsideldquorumorsstartedtodriftup and down the coast about a mysto surf break near Half Moon Bay that

generatedthickgrindingbarrelstallenoughtodriveabusthroughTheywerereputedtobeatleastasbigasthefamouswavesthatrumbledashoreatHawaiirsquosWaimeaBaytheMountEverestofsurfingrdquo

For the surferswhomade their names ridinggiants inOahuMaverickrsquoswasthewavetheyrefusedtobelieveinthewavethatthreatenedtheirterritorialholdonunparalleledexcellenceButtherumorsdidnrsquotstopandsomethinghadto be done So in December of 1994 when a monstrous Aleutian storm sentfurious pulses down the California coast three of the worldrsquos most famousHawaiianbig-waveridersndashKenBradshawBrockLittleandMarkFoondashboardedred-eyeflightstoSanFranciscotoseeforthemselves

OfthetrioFoowasarguablythemostwellknownThiswasnrsquotjustabouttalentAllthreewereferociouswatermenbutFoowasequallyferociousaboutfameInthelate1980swhenhequittheprotouranddecidedtomakehisbonesinbigsurfhisstrategywastwofoldUntilhisarrivalbig-waveridershadtakena no-frills shortest-path-out-of-danger approach to their craft Wipeouts wereavoidedatallcostsbecausewipeoutscouldkillButFoocarriedhissmall-waveslasherrsquosstyleintothelargersurfHetookbiggerrisksandndashtheotherportionofhisstrategyndashhebraggedaboutthemtooldquoIfyouwanttoridetheultimatewaverdquosaidFoondashasoftenaspossiblealwayswhentherewerejournalistsaroundndashldquoyouhavetobewillingtopaytheultimatepricerdquo

FoocultivatedfameHisRolodexcontainedthenamesandnumbersoftheworldrsquos best surf photographersRarely did he venture into thewaveswithoutmakingafewphonecallsfirstOnDecember231994hedidnrsquothavetobotherThroughout the 1990sMaverickrsquos fearsome reputation had been growing butthewinter of rsquo94brought someof thebiggestwaves inhistory toCaliforniarsquoscoast Decemberrsquos four weeks would soon be dubbed ldquothe month full ofmonstersrdquoandthemediacouldnrsquotresistBythetimeFooBradshawandLittlemade it out to the lineup there was a helicopter buzzing overhead and threeboatsfilledwithphotographersparkedjustoutsidetheimpactzone

Despite thehype thatmorning turnedout tobedisappointingAfewbigbeasts rolled through not the bedlam that had been expected This changed afewminutes before noon Black lines appeared on the horizon and someoneonshore screamed ldquoSetrdquo The events that would make this date famous inhistorywereonlyhorriblymomentsaway

The gentlemen from Hawaii wasted no time Both Foo and Bradshawstarted paddling for the second wave of the set According to surferrsquos codebecauseBradshawwaspositioneddeeperndashthat is closer to thewaversquoscurlndashtheridewashisTobesuretherewereplentyofdayswhenBradshawwouldhavestaked that claimndashhell therewas a river of bad blood betweenBradshaw and

FoondashbutduringthepastyearthetwohadbecomecloseTohonorthatfriendshipin adecisionhersquoll spend the restofhis life second-guessingBradshawpulledoutofthewave

FoodroppedinIronicallythewavewasnrsquotmuchbylocalstandardsFacestherehavebeen

measuredtoeightyfeetndashthesizeofanapartmentcomplexThisonewasmerelyahouseButsurf legendBuzzyTrentsaid itbestldquoWavesarenotmeasured infeetand inches theyaremeasured in incrementsof fearrdquoAndMaverickrsquosnomatter the size is the stuff of nightmares Just the hydraulics alone areridiculous In seconds the wave can radically change shape wall drop liftkink shimmy shakeAnd for first-time riders therersquos really no tellingwhatrsquoscomingnext

Inthisparticularcase thewavejackedupandthebottomfelloutIntheresulting chop Foo dug a rail and pitched himself headfirst into hell For amomentitlookedlikehehadenoughspeedtopunchstraightthroughthewavebuthedidnrsquotdivedeepenoughThecurlcaughthimsnatchinghimuphurlinghim over the falls In photographs of the event Foo can be seen just then inghostlysilhouettetrappedinsidetheverybellyofthebeast

Thesephotographsare the last timeanyonesawMarkFooaliveExactlywhatkilledhimnooneknowsMaybehehithisheadonthereefandblackedoutmaybehesnaggedhisleashonarockandcouldnrsquotpullfreeWhateverthecasehisbodywas foundanhour later floating facedown in thewateroutsidetheharborentrance

Word of his death traveled fast and far Newspaper stories magazinearticles television featuresndashthe coverage kept coming ldquoThe publicitysurroundingtheeventwasunprecedentedrdquowroteJasonBorteatSurflineldquoThestoryquicklyspreadaroundtheworldAlthough[Foo]wasnrsquotaroundtoenjoyititwas the sort of famehe alwayswantedrdquo Itwaswithout question themostpublic moment in surf history It was also something of an ldquoI told you sordquomoment

Sincetheearly1980sactionandadventureathleteshadbeenpushingintoincreasingly dangerous territory If for no other reason than the law of largenumbers and the frailties of the human body it was only a matter of timeEverybody knew sooner or later somebody was going to die ldquoThe fact thatsomeonehaddiedsurfingMaverickrsquoswasashockrdquowrotebig-waveriderGrantWashburninInsideMaverickrsquosPortraitofaMonsterWaveldquobutnotsurprisingThatitwasFoooneofthemostexperiencedandpreparedathletesinthesportwashardtograspHewasoneof thebestandthat leftusallmorevulnerablethanwehadhopedrdquo

ThustheplotthickensThetheoryofevolutionsaysweexisttopassalongourgenesFundamentalbiologytellsusthatsurvivalisthenameofthegameSopotentisthisdictatethatin1973thepsychologistErnestBeckerwonaPulitzerPrize for The Denial of Death arguing that everything we think of ascivilizationndashfrom the citieswe build to the religionswe believe inndashis nothingbeyondanelaboratesymbolicdefensemechanismagainsttheawfulknowledgeofourownmortalityAchorusof researchershassinceseconded thisopinionThese days scientists consider the fear of death the fundamental humanmotivatorthemostprimaryofourprimarydrives

ThenMarkFoodiedBeforehispassing it couldbe said that the consequencesof tickling the

edgewerestillsomewhatunknownCertainlyothershaddiedforthesedreamsMountainclimberswentbythedozenSkydiverstooAndskiersInChamonixalonenearlysixtyperishedeveryyearSomehowthoughtherehadalwaysbeena way to rationalize these events Inexperience bad equipment bad weatherfreak accidentwhateverMarkFoo thoughwas a household nameWhenhewenthetookplausibledeniabilitywithhim

Evolutionary science tells us his extremelywell-publicized death shouldhaveproducedaseriousdowntickinthepursuitofthedumbandthedangerousAthletesrealizingtheirlivesreallywereonthelineshouldhavestartedbackingawayfromthelineButndashumndashthatrsquosnotwhathappened

NotevencloseIn 1994 the number of big-wave riders in theworld totaled less than a

hundred These days itrsquos well into the thousands The same holds for theextremewingofeveryotheractionandadventurecategoryThephenomenonisubiquitousRightnowmorepeopleare risking their lives for their sports thaneverbeforeinhistoryandasThomasPynchonwroteinGravityrsquosRainbowldquoItisnotoftenthatDeathistoldsoclearlytofuckoffrdquo

Trying to explain why this is happening is not easy In the years sinceDarwinpublishedTheOriginofSpeciessurvivalandprocreationhavebecometheonlyscientificallyacceptableanswerstoldquoWhatisthemeaningofliferdquoThisrecent upswing in gleeful wanton abandon pushes hard on these answerschallenging foundationalnotions inbiologypsychologyandphilosophyThisthenisthegauntletthrownbythelikesofMarkFooandShaneMcConkeytheveryfar frontier the razorrsquosedgeofourknowledge theuneasyandsomewhatspiritual truth that for an ever-burgeoning segment of the human populationthesesportsreallyareworthdyingfor

P A R T O N E

HEISTHISFRENZY

WhereisthelightningtolickyouwithitstongueWhereisthefrenzywithwhichyoushouldbeinoculatedBeholdIteachyoutheovermanHeisthis

lightningheisthisfrenzyndashFRIEDRICHNIETZSCHE

1

TheWayofFlow

DANNY WAY AND THE SHORTEST PATH TOWARDSUPERMAN

Itrsquos the last day of the womenrsquos team gymnastic competition in the 1996Olympics In the history of the games theUnitedStates has never beaten theRussiansinthisparticularcontestbutthatrecordlooksabouttofallGoingintothe final rotation the US has a significant 0897-point advantage Only acomplete collapseon thevault standsbetween thesewomenand their dreamsThen the unthinkable begins to happen The first fourAmerican gymnasts alltakeextra stepson their landingsNextDominiqueMoceanu fallsonher firstvault then again on her second That commanding lead has been erased Itrsquosdown to Kerri Strug but hers is a difficult trick and she underrotates landsawkwardly and hears a loud snap Her ankle is now badly sprained She islimping in considerable pain but if she doesnrsquot stick her next attempt theRussianswilltakehomegold

TheUnitedStatesisinatoughspotStrugafour-foot-ninegymnastfromTucsonArizonahas alwaysbeen theirweakest linkAsESPNTheMagazineonce wrote ldquoStrughellipdoes not possess the fearlessness the toughness theaggressivenesstheheartandthethresholdofpainasherteammatesrdquoAllofthischanges on her second attempt She tears down the runway nails her backhandspringflawlesslyflipsoverthevaultandperfectlylandsadifficulttwisting

dismount On impact she hears another snap Gingerly like a dancer Strugtucks that legbehindher never losingherbalanceShehops inonedirectionthen another both times raising her arms in the traditional judgesrsquo salute Aninstant later shecollapsesbutnotbeforescoringa9712and takinghome thehardware

Imentionallofthisinabookaboutactionandadventuresportsbecauseagain comparisons are helpful Strugrsquos vault is considered one of the greatestmomentsingymnasticshistoryandthedefiningmomentofthe1996gamesTheentirewomenrsquos team isnow rememberedas theMagnificentSeven andStrugherself earned the athletic trifecta her face on a Wheaties box a SportsIllustratedcoverandatriptotheWhiteHouseDannyWayhasnoneofthesethings In factunlessyouarea seriousskateboardingdevotee therersquosaprettygoodchanceyoudonrsquotknowhisnameletalonewhatheaccomplishedonJuly122005

SoletrsquosreturntoStrugrsquosfinalvaultImagineasimilarsetofcircumstanceswith a few key differences Instead of a bad sprain the ankle is shatteredFractured into pieces The foot is the size of a cabbage and the knee isnrsquotworkingquiterightInsteadofhavingtoweighaninjuredjointandstumblefiftyfeettothestartoftherunwayimaginehavingtoclimbtenlongflightsofstairsonabrokenboneThepainisagonizingbuttheviewfromthetopevenworseThelaunchpadisawobblyplatformacouplehundredfeetoffthegroundNosafetynetseithersoanyfallcouldbefatal

JusttokeepthingsinterestingletrsquosmakeafewmorechangesStruglatertoldreportersshersquodperformedthatexacttrickoverathousandtimesafactnotdifficult tounderstandbecause thevaultdoesnrsquotchangebetweenattemptsButwhatifitdidInsteadofthesameoldapparatusimagineabrand-newonemdashthelargesteverconstructedlongerthanafootballfieldwithaspringboardcapableofpitchingahumanbodysomeseventyfeetintotheairSuddenlythisisnotavaultthatanyonehasdoneathousandtimesmdashitrsquosaldquomegavaultrdquonoonehaseverdone beforeA completely de novo experience an unknown an impossiblemdashand one with exceptionally dangerous consequences Now hopefully yoursquorestarting to understandwhatDannyWaywas up againstwhen he attempted tojumptheGreatWallofChinaonaskateboard

IfnotmdashwellyoursquorenotaloneDannyWayconsideredbymanytobethegreatestskateboarderofalltime

first introduced the world to theMegaRamp in the 2003 skate flick The DCVideo Very few knew what to make of it At first glance the contraption isutterly befuddling more like an outtake from a surrealistic painting thananything anyone would ever skate down ldquoIt was like three times the size of

anythingIhadeverseeninskateboardingrdquoproAustralianriderJakeBrowntoldthe New York Times ldquoIt was crazy It still is crazyrdquo Brown it should bementioned once crashed fifty feet straight down on a MegaRampmiscalculationHehitsohardthathissneakersshotoffandhewasknockedoutcoldManywhowitnessedthatfallthoughthewasdead

In2004WayconvincedtheXGamestomaketheMegaRampthecenterof their skateboarding competition claiming it was the only way hersquod everconsidercompetingintheeventNotsurprisinglyhetookhomegoldThatsameyear he also saw the Great Wall from an airplane window and decided thatjumpingoveritwasthenextthinghewantedtoaccomplishHewenttoChinaonaninspectiontriptryingtofindasuitablelaunchpointfinallysettlingonthemajesticJuYongGuangateldquoItrsquosthewidestspotinthewallrdquosaidWayldquowhichI thinkdoes themost justice toskateboardingandthepossibilityofbreakingaworldrecordrdquo

It turned out the spot was actually a little wider A few weeks into theramprsquosconstructionthearchitectsrealizedtheyrsquodmadeameasurementmistakeand the distance required to jump thewallwas considerably greater than firstimaginedWaynowbackintheStateswasreachedviasatellitephoneldquoIthinkyoursquoregoing tohave toclearmore thanseventy feet tomake itrdquohewas toldldquoisnrsquotthatImeanjusttoognarlyrdquoDannydidnrsquotevenpauseldquoNordquohesaidinastatementthathassinceendedupprintedonT-shirtsldquoNothingrsquostoognarlyrdquo

Stillwhencompleted theGreatWallMegaRampwas prettygnarlyTheroll-in stretchedmore than 100 feet roughly the same size as anOlympic skijumpThisledtoaseventy-footgapjumpoverthewallwhichdroppedintoathirty-two-foot quarterpipe the largest ever constructed According to Wayrsquoscalculations the pipe would launch him some thirty-five feet straight upmdashalmostseventyfeetoffthedeckmdashsoofcoursetherersquosnomarginforerrorButherersquosthetrickypartskatersmakeerrors

ldquoSkateboarding isagameof failurerdquo saysWayldquoThatrsquoswhatmakes thissportsodifferentSkatersarewillingtotakeagreatdealofphysicalpunishmentWersquolltrysomethingendlesslyweeksonendpainfulfailureafterpainfulfailureafterpainfulfailureButformewhenitfinallysnapstogetherwhenIrsquomreallypushing the edge and skating beyond my abilities therersquos a zone I get intoEverythinggoessilentTimeslowsdownMyperipheralvisionfadesawayItrsquosthemost peaceful state ofmind Irsquove ever known Irsquoll take all the failuresAslongasIknowthatfeelingiscomingthatrsquosenoughtokeepgoingrdquo

AndWaykeepsgoingThatishistrademarkHearrivesinChinaonedaybefore the event and climbs to the top of the MegaRamp The platform isunsteadyHebouncesupanddownthewholestructurestartstoshakeThisis

notagoodsignTwoyearsprioraBMXridertriedtojumpthewallbutshoddyrampconstructionsenthimoverthelandingpadandintothesideofamountainHediedfrommassiveinternalorganfailureafewhourslaterDespiteallofthisWaydecidestotakeapracticerun

ItwillbehisonlyoneWay trained in the desert where the air was thin In China with the

humidity it is far too thickThedenser atmosphere slowshimdownandWayunder-jumpsthegappancakeshardandrag-dollsformorethanfiftyfeetHisankle isfracturedhisACLtornhissteeringfootswollenbeyondbeliefHeisrushedtothehospitalbutnotwantingtoknowtheextentoftheinjuryhobblesoutbeforetreatmentWhilethisisgoingonconstructionworkersgetbusyTheroll-inislengthenedthegapisshortenedandifWaydecidestotryagainitrsquollbeanotherfirstdescent

OfcoursehetriesagainTwenty-fourhourslaterandbarelyabletowalkWay climbs those ten flights of stairs a second time He moves slowly hisbreathing laboredhisheadhangingdownMore than125millionChinesearewatchingmost hold their breathAtop the launch platformWay paces like acagedanimalFinallyhedecidesitrsquostimeAone-armsalutetoquietthecrowdashiftofhisweightforwardandthelonelythumpofhisboardcontactingtheramp

OneMississippitwoMississippihellipIt takes five painfully long seconds for him to hit the edge of the jump

Five seconds after that it is over Danny Way under ridiculously adverseconditionsandwithconsiderableaplombjustbecamethefirstpersontoleaptheGreatWallofChinaonaskateboardHebroketwoworldrecordsalongtheway

AndifthisweretypicalathleticfarethisiswhereourstorywouldendButthe triumph of the podium is rarely what drives action-sport athletes Waydoesnrsquot skate to break records orwin championshipsHe skates Period PlusMegaRampscostoverhalfamilliondollarstobuildmdashsotheopportunitytoplayononedoesnrsquotcomealongeverydayThuswithnothingleft toproveandhislifeon the lineDannyWaydragshis sorryassup ten storiesonceagain thistimethrowingaperfect360overthegapAndjusttomakesurethatonewasnrsquotaflukehediditthreemoretimes

ldquoLookrdquo says freestylemotocross legend Travis Pastrana ldquoon that rampwithtotallyhealthylimbsDannyrsquosriskinghislifeButhedestroyedhissteeringfootandkneeOncehesetshimselfontheboardifeithertheankleorthekneegivesbyevenafractionofaninchhersquosgoingtoflyoffthesideanddieIfyouwant to talk about pushing limits most people canrsquot even stand on a brokenankleDannynotonly stoodhewithstood fourGsofpressuregoing into that

quarterpipemdashfivetimesinarowrdquoOneGistheforceofEarthrsquosgravitymdashtheforcethatdetermineshowmuch

we weigh Formula One drivers when cornering pull two Astronauts ontakeoff suffer three Most people black out at five The four Gs that Wayexperiencedequate tomore than800poundsofaddedpressuremdashall supportedbyashatteredlimb

And forget the external pressures what about the internal ones WaybelieveitornotisafraidofheightsldquoIrsquovebeenwithDannyonlocationscoutingtripsrdquosaysDarrylFranklinoneofWayrsquosmanagersldquowersquollbeuphighandhersquollturnwhiteassheetHersquosterrifiedcanrsquotwaittogetdownrdquoButtokeepthatfearin abeyancewhile standing atop theGreatWallMegaRampmdash200 feet up andwobblyTohave theconfidence tomake that runwhennoonehaseverdoneanythinglikethisbeforeOnabrokenlimbWhenthelastguywhotrieddiedforhiseffortAgainthequestionattheheartofthisbookHowisanyofthispossible

WelltostartwheremoststartthepsychologicaltheundisputablefactthattheghoststhathuntforDannyWayareunremittingTheyarelegionTheghostsofhisinjuredbrotherhisalcoholicmotherhisdeadfatherhisdeadstepfatherhisfirstcoachthemanwhosavedhimfromhimselfT-bonedatastoplightanddeadalsohisbestfriendinjailformurderhisbrokenneckhisbrokenbackhisumpteensurgerieshisangerhispridemdasharelentlessroaronlytrulysilencedbythesalvationoftheedge

TheedgeistheoneplacetheseghostscanrsquotfollowAnd to be certain this alone provides plenty of motivation but it still

doesnrsquotanswerourquestionTheweightofWayrsquospastandhisdesireforescapemerelyexplainpartofthewhymdashwhyhestartedskatingwhyhekeptskatingmdashbut little of the how Way feels the same ldquoYou want to know how I didsomethinglikejumptheGreatWallonafracturedanklerdquohesaysldquoIcanrsquotreallyanswerthatAllIcantellyouiswhatIalreadytoldyouWhenIrsquompushingtheedgeskatingbeyondmyabilitiesitrsquosalwaysameditationinthezonerdquo

This then isouranswerThis isourmysterya rareand radical stateofconsciousness where the impossible becomes possible This is the secret thatactionandadventure athletes likeWayhaveplumbed the real reasonultimatehumanperformancehasadvancednearlyexponentially thesepast fewdecadesThezonequiteliterallyistheshortestpathtowardsuperman

Andthisisabookaboutthatzone

ALBERTHEIMWILLIAMJAMESWALTERCANNONANDTHEHISTORYOFPEAKPERFORMANCE

Albert Heim found the zone as wellmdashfound it when he fell off the side of amountain This was in the early spring of 1871 Heim his brother and threefriendshadsetouttoclimbtheSantisthetwelfth-highestpeakinSwitzerlandAll five men had been playing in the Alps since childhood but none wereconsideredexperiencedmountaineersThatissuewashistoricalmdashalmostnoonewasconsideredanexperiencedmountaineerin1871

While the first recorded climb in historywasRoman emperorHadrianrsquos121CEscamperupMountEtna(towatchthesunrise)historiansdatethesporttoSirAlfredWillsrsquos1854summitingoftheWetterhornForcertainlocalguideshadalreadytoppedthatpeakbutSirAlfredwasanEnglishmananditwastheEnglishwhowerethenkeepingscoreEitherwayWillsrsquosconquestmarkedthebirth of ldquosystematic mountaineeringrdquo and the start of the ldquoGolden Age ofAlpinismrdquo adecade-long stretchwhereinmostof the first ascents in theAlpswerecompleted

AlbertHeimmeanwhilearrivedafewyearstoolatefortheGoldenAgeNopeak-baggingexploitsarecreditedtohisnameInfacthersquosnotrememberedforhis contribution tomountaineeringhistoryRather hersquos remembered as thepointwhenthathistorytookaturnfortheweird

TheeventsthatearnedHeimthisdistinctiontookplacejustabovetreelineat the point where the Santisrsquo verdant lower flanks give way to an enormousbladeofrockBythetimehispartyhadreachedthebottomedgeofthismassifsunnyskieshadturnedtoheavysnowWhite-outconditionstrappedtheminthemiddleof a rocky ledgeTheway forwardwasdownadicey slope steepandnarrowwithcliffsonall sidesAnargumentbrokeoutaboutwhat todonextbuttheywereunderdressedandoverexposedandHeimdecidedtopushonJustasheliftedhislegtotakeastepagustofwindsnatchedhishatfromhisheadAndHeimwithoutthinkingaboutittriedtosnatchitback

ThesuddenmotionunbalancedhimandtheangleoftheperchdidtherestHeim fell sideways flipped upside down and spun around backward BeforeanyonecouldreacthewasrocketingtowardthelipofamassivecliffnowaytoslowdownHis iceaxewasoutof reachHe trieddrivinghisheadandhandsinto thegroundbuthis skull slammed into rockshis fingersground topulpsEvenbeforethatpaincouldregisterhewasairborne

Heimrsquosactual flightcoveredsixty-sixfeetandlastednomore thanafew

seconds but thatwasnrsquot his experienceThe first thingHeimnoticedwas thathersquod dropped into another dimensionHis senseswere exquisitely heightenedhisvisionpanoramicTimehadslowedtoacrawlHecouldseehisbrotherandhisfriendsandthehorrifiedlookontheirfacesbutmdashasheexplainedlatermdashfeltldquono anxiety no trace of despair or painhelliprather calm seriousness profoundacceptanceandadominantmentalquicknessrdquo

With his life unfolding in slow motion Heim had time to survey theterritory and begin making rescue plans He imagined scenarios for slightinjuriesothersforseriousinjurieswherewouldhelandhowwouldhebounceandhowhiscompanionswouldmakeitdowntohisbodyThenherealizedhewasnevergoingtosurvivethisfallandthuswouldbedeadandunabletodeliverthelecturehewassupposedtogiveinfivedaysAtOxfordUniversitynolesshisfirstmajorOxfordlectureHersquodhavetofindasubstituteThenagainhersquodbedead so someoneelsewasgoing tohave to finda substituteNexthe tried totake off his glassesmdashto protect his eyes of coursemdashbut was unable to reachthem Instead he said goodbye to his family and his friends and was thatheavenlymusicheheardButwaitifhedidsurvivethefall thenheprobablywould be stunned by the impact Since he didnrsquot want to go stumbling offanothercliffthefirstthingheneededtodowasrevivehissensesAfewdropsof vinegar on his tongue should do the trick and on and on until as he laterrecountedldquoIheardadullthudandmyfallwasoverrdquo

Heim survived the impact but the mystery never left him PanoramicvisionTimedilationHeavenlymusicNoneofthismadeanysenseHewasascientistby trainingageologistwhowouldgoon todo fundamentalworkonthestructureoftheAlpsandbecomeamemberoftheOxfordRoyalSocietyyethisexperienceseemedbeyondtheboundsoftherationalNotknowingwhatelsetodoHeimconductedasurveyofthirty-twootherswhohadallsurvivednear-fatalfallsAstaggering95percentreportedsimilaranomalouseventsWhatwascausingthemwouldremainamatteroflongdebatebutHeimrsquosworkmarksthefirst scientific investigation into the fact that high-risk activity can profoundlyalterconsciousnessandsignificantlyenhancementalabilities

Heimwrote thisallupina longessayentitledldquoRemarksonFatalFallsrdquowhichwaspublishedin1892Historiansconsideritthefirstwrittenaccountofaldquonear-deathexperiencerdquobut that term ismisleadingManyofHeimrsquos subjectsreportedtheseprofoundlyalteredstateswithoutbeinginactual jeopardymdashtheyonly thought they were in life-threatening situations This was a key detailThese experiences seemedmystical If theyonly arose solely indire straightsthen perhaps they really were communiqueacutes from beyond the beyond Yet ifperception and psychology were the triggers then the puzzle was more

physiologicalthanparanormalmdashandthatopenedthedoortoconsiderablymoreinterestingpossibilities

OneofthefirsttonoticethesepossibilitieswasphilosopherphysicianandpsychologistWilliamJamesThiswasperhapsappropriateWhileJamestaughtatHarvardhewasalsooneofsciencersquoswildermenanextremesensationseekerwho often ran experiments on himself In the early 1880s those experimentsinvolvedpsychedelicsprimarilynitrousoxidebuthe toyedwithmescalineaswell Concurrently James had been conducting a broad survey of theworldrsquosspiritual literature trying to come up with an accurate catalog of all possibletypesofmysticalexperiencesandtheirpsychologicalramificationsHenoticedthatitdidnrsquotseemtomatterwhatdrughetriedorspiritualtraditionhestudiedalloftheseso-calledmysticalexperiencesseemedtosharedeepcommonalitiesallvariationsonthesamethemesthatHeimreported

JamesalsonotedtwomorekeydetailsThefirstwasthattheseexperienceswereprofoundmdashpeoplewereradicallydifferentontheothersideHappiermorecontentsignificantlymorefulfilledTheresultswereundeniableNomattertheseemingly fantastic nature of the events James was certain they producedchangesthatwereundeniablypsychologicallyreal

Secondly high-risk adventure tended to amplify not only mentalperformance but physical performance as well This discovery made Jamescurious about the limits of human potential and led him to his famousconclusionldquoMostpeopleliveinaveryrestrictedcircleoftheirpotentialbeingTheymakeuseofavery smallportionof theirpossibleconsciousness andoftheir soulrsquos resources in general much like a man who out of his wholeorganismshouldgetintoahabitofusingandmovingonlyhislittlefingerrdquo

But James critically realized peoplewere not doomed to stay thatwayldquoOurnormalwakingconsciousness rationalconsciousnessaswecall it isbutone special type of consciousness whilst all about it parted from it by theflimsiestofscreensthereliepotentialformsofconsciousnessentirelydifferentWe may go through life without suspecting their existence but apply therequisitestimulusandatatouchtheyarethereinalltheircompletenessrdquo

Whatis therequisitestimulusPsychedelicdrugscertainlyprovoketheseexperiences as do a host of spiritual practices But if itrsquos truly a question ofunlocking hidden abilities James shared Heimrsquos opinion high-risk activityseemedthemost likelypathoncewritingldquoGreatemergenciesandcrisisshowushowmuchgreaterourvitalresourcesarethanwehadsupposedrdquo

TheworkofHeimandJameslaidthefoundationforadeeperinquiryintohuman potential but it was the discovery of one of Jamesrsquos studentsWalterBradford Cannon that truly changed the nature of the game Cannon was

interestedinthestrangephysiologicalchangesproducedbypowerfulemotionsInallmammalsrageangerandfearproduceanassortmentofpeculiarityheartrates speed up pupils dilate nostrils flare muscles tighten digestion ceasessensesperkandsharpenmdashthelistgoesonAround1916Cannondecidedthesedisparate reactions were actually a global response by the nervous system toextremestressaresponsewithapurposeincreasestrengthandstamina

Cannonhaddiscoveredtheldquofight-or-flightresponserdquoandthisrewrotetherule book Until then performance enhancement had always been divine inoriginWanttowriteasonnetTalktotheMusesWantabettertimeinthe100-yard dash Hermes can help But the fight-or-flight response changed theequationturningagiftfromthegodsintoabyproductofstandardbiology

AndbiologywashackableThe trail of Heim to James to Cannon went from psychology into

physiologyItwasatrailofmechanismmindsetimpactsemotionwhichaltersbiology which increases performance Thus it seemed by tinkering withmindsetmdashusing everything from physical to psychological to pharmacologicalinterventionsmdashonecouldsignificantlyenhanceperformance

Out of thiswork emerged one of historyrsquos strangermovements the epicquest to hack ultimate human performancemdasha giant global mostlyunderground often DIY 100-plus-year effort to decode the mysteries of thezone Adventurers artists academics bohemian outcasts maverick scientistscredentialedscientiststhepsychedelicundergroundparanormalresearchersthemilitaryrsquos special forces thePentagonrsquos topbrass theCEOsofmajorFortune500companies allgot involvedYetoutof thishodgepodgemdashfor reasons thatcomprise the bulk of this bookmdashaction and adventure sport athletes havebecome the most advanced practitioners of this art an elite cadre of zonehackersmastersofthestatenowknowntoscientistsasflow

THEWAYOFWAY

Threeweeksafter returning fromAsiahisanklebrokenhisknee torquedhisfoot still plenty sore Danny Way has a decision to make The fifteenthinstallmentoftheSummerXGamesarebeingheldindowntownLosAngelestheMegaRampthecenterpieceoftheskateboardingcompetitionWayhadtakenhomethegoldthepreviousyearbutwiththeinjuriessustainedinChinanooneexpectshimtodefendhistitleNoonethatisexceptWayhimself

Waywon his first contest at age elevenwas twice selected asThrasher

MagazinersquosSkateroftheYearfivetimesanXGamesgoldmedalistsixtimesan X Games podium finisher and seven times a world record breaker Heremains theonly skateboarder tohavehisname inscribed ingold in theGreatWallofChinaldquobombdroprdquosixty-fivefeetofftheguitarinfrontofVegasrsquosHardRock Casino or have sideline careers in professional motocross andsnowboardingButofallthethingsWayrsquosdonenothingismoreimpressivethanhisabilitytotriumphoverinjury

ldquoDannyWaysingle-handedlyinventedsportsmedicineforskateboardersrdquosays Jacob Rosenberg who directed the excellent Danny Way documentaryWaiting for Lightning ldquoWhen he broke his neckmdashthat was a career-endinginjuryAthletesretiredforfarlessButDannywouldnrsquotacceptthatHefoundhisowndoctorsHepioneeredhisownmethodsrdquo

WayrsquosmethodsarelegendaryOnanumberofoccasionsinordertogainabetterunderstandingofhis injuryhechose tohavesurgerywithoutanestheticBig-wave riderChrisMalloy tells a story about the time he andWay had theexact sameprocedureon their knee ldquoI have aprettyhigh threshold for painrdquorecountsMalloyldquoIkindofenjoyseeingwhatIcanendureButwhenIgothomefromthehospitalIwassemiconscious inextremeagonyabouttheworstIrsquoveeverfeltAfewdays laterIcalledupDannyandmentionedhowgruelingthatwasHesaidlsquoYeahthedrivehomewasgnarlyrsquoWehadthesameprocedureIwas insomuchpain IkeptblackingoutDannydrovehimselfhomefromthehospitalrdquo

ThusperhapsnotsurprisinglyjustthreeweeksafterreturningfromChinaWaystepsontotheXGamesMegaRamplaunchplatformandsurveysthesceneHis appearance sends the crowd into a tizzy he barely notices ldquoIrsquove gottenreally good at pulling the veil downrdquo says Way ldquoat camouflaging realitylockingoutmyconsciousmindandridingmyfocusintothezonerdquo

The samemust be true for JakeBrownMoments later he kicks off thecontest with a seventy-foot 360 mute grab over the gap and aMcTwistmdashaninvertedbackside540withanothermutegrabmdashoutof thequarterpipeTherersquosanelectronicheightmeterpositionedbehindtherampAt theapexofBrownrsquosMcTwist themeter blinks twenty-two feetmdashand thatrsquos above a twenty-seven-footquarterpipeSoyeahgameon

ButnotquiteBobBurnquistdrops innextcomesoffhisboardmidwayoverthegapandgoesheadfirstintothelandingTypicalBurnquistKnownforextremelytechnicaltricksinextremelydangeroussituationshesurvivesduetocatlike reflexesand seriouslygoodkarmaThis time isnodifferentBurnquistgetshiskneesdownatthelastmomentandridesthefalloutonhispads

Next up isWay He sails cleanly over the gap stomps the landing and

blazesintothequarterpipeTheneverythinggoessidewaysHesoarstwenty-twofeetintotheairbutdropsdownatabadangleandsmasheshisfootontheedgeofthepipemdashthesamefoothemangledinChinaTheimpactrebreakstheanklethenflipsWayupsidedownHefliesanothertenfeetslamshardbouncestwiceand doesnrsquot move The medical staff rushes over the air sucks out of thestadiumAtoptherampBurnquistburieshisheadinhishands

Eventually three people help Way to his feet but he shakes off theassistance nearly stumbles then drags himself to the side of the ramp Itrsquos abraveperformanceyet theannouncersayswhateveryone is thinkingldquoIdonrsquotknowhowintheuniverseDannycouldcomebackfromthatrdquo

AgoodquestionIn 1907William James challenged psychologists to explainwhy certain

peoplecandrawondeepreservoirstoaccomplishsignificantlymorethanothersAsanexamplehereflectedontheideaoftheldquosecondwindrdquo

[F]atiguegetsworseuptoacertaincriticalpointwhengraduallyorsuddenlyitpassesawayandwearefresherthanbeforeWehaveevidentlytappedalevelofnewenergymaskeduntilthenbythefatigue-obstacleusuallyobeyedTheremaybelayerafterlayerofthisexperienceAthirdandafourthldquowindrdquomaysuperveneMentalactivityshowsthephenomenonaswellasphysicalandinexceptionalcaseswemayfindbeyondtheveryextremityoffatigue-distressamountsofeaseandpowerthatweneverdreamedourselvestoownsourcesofstrengthhabituallynottaxedatallbecausehabituallyweneverpushthroughtheobstructionneverpassthoseearlycriticalpoints

DannyWayhasspenthislifepushingpastobstructionSkatinggavehimafamilyandasenseofbelongingandhefeelsstronglythattheonlywaytohonorthat debt is to continue progressing his sport To that point themedical staffchecksouthisankleItrsquosclearlydestroyedTheytellhimheneedstogotothehospitalthatheshouldseriouslyconsidercallingitadayWayshakeshisheadagainsttheidea

ldquoThatrsquosnotmystylerdquohesaysThusnotmuchmorethantenminuteslaterWayreturnstothetopofthe

MegaRampshakesoff thepainandthrowsarocketairbackflipover thegapOn its own in his condition just a rocket air would have been a victoryInvented byChristianHosoi in 1986 the trick requires a skater to standwithbothfeetonthetailof theboardwhilebothhandsgripthenoseandthenby

shovingtheboardforwardtheskaterandhisboardformtheroughoutlineofarocket But adding a broken ankle and a backflip to this mix Itrsquos the roughequivalent of Leonardo da Vinci painting theMona Lisa with a steak knifeshovedintohiseye

ldquoThatrsquospartoftheproblemwithtryingtodiscussthelevelofperformancein action sports todayrdquo says Travis Pastrana ldquoDannyWay did a seventy-footbackfliponabrokenankleButhowmanypeopleintheworldcaneventhrowabackflip On flat ground Over a seventy-foot gap How about a rocket airNone of these are everyday skills To put them together in front of a liveaudienceingoldmedalcompetitionMostpeoplewouldsaythatrsquosahomerunto win the World Series but Danny wasnrsquot even done he still had thequarterpipeaheadofhimrdquo

ThequarterpipethrowsWayabouttwentyfeetintotheairandWaythrowsavarial 540mdashmeaning at the same time that hersquosdoingone and ahalf spinshersquosalsoreachingdownbetweenhislegsandspinninghisboard180degreesmdashthenlaces(comesinsmooth)thelandingPandemoniumeruptsldquoIfeveryousayyoucanrsquotdosomethingrdquoshoutstheannouncerldquorememberDannyWayrdquo

ButtherersquosnoneedtoremembermdashbecauseWayisnrsquotdoneOverthenexthour he and Burnquist and Brown enter into one of the greatest duels in XGameshistoryInthemiddleofitWaytakesanotherfallstunninglyhardbutcomesbackasecondtimeHehasonerunleftTopullbackintofirstplaceheneedstopulloffsomethingspectacularHedoesnotdisappoint

WaybackflipsoverthegapandsoarsoutofthequarterpipeandthrowshellipwellnooneisstillsureHespinsaroundtwiceandsails toofarfromthevertwall then tries to alter his flight path by torquing sideways This addedmomentumover-rotateshistorsohisfeetsailuptowardhisheadhisbodyspinsnearly upside down Hersquos fifty feet above the deck and falling fast TheannouncersaysldquoOhnordquoTheentirestadiumbracesforimpactThenWaymdashascalmlyasageishapouringteamdashsetshisfeetbackontheboardandstompsthelanding

ldquoIrsquove been shooting action sports for twenty yearsrdquo says photographerMikeBlabacldquoIrsquoveneverseenanyonedosomethinglikeitrdquoNotmanyhaveItrsquosbeensaidthatthefour-weekstretchfromWayrsquosfirstattemptattheGreatWalltotheXGameslandingofhis540miracleisoneofthemostastoundingexamplesof athletic performance in action sport history Maybe some say the mostastoundingUltimatelyitrsquosprobablytoodifficulttomakesuchcomparisonsbutifnothingelseWayrsquosperformancedemonstratesthedepthofourignoranceWereallyhavenoideahowdeepourreservoirrunsnoclearestimateofwhereourlimitslieYouwantmoreproofIntheBigAircompetitionDannyWayplaced

secondBobBurnquistonthelastrunofthecontestbustsoutamovehehasyetto

attempteither inwarm-upsoratanypointduring thecontestHegoesswitchoverthegapandswitchintothequarterpipethentossesanindiebackside360offthevertwallmdashoneofthehardertricksinskateboarding(ironicallyitrsquosatrickinventedbyWayintheearly1990s)LandingonerequirescominginbackwardandblindBurnquistthrewthebiggestindiebackside360everfallingmorethantwentyfeetbeforetherampsnappedintoviewWatchingfromthesideWayjustshakeshisheadandstartsclapping

ldquoEverygoodathletecanfindtheflowrdquocontinuesPastranaldquobutitrsquoswhatyoudowithitthatmakesyougreatIfyouconsistentlyusethatstatetodotheimpossibleyougetconfidentinyourabilitytodotheimpossibleYoubegintoexpect itThatrsquoswhywersquoreseeingsomuchprogression inactionsports todayItrsquosthenaturalresultofawholelotofpeoplestartingtoexpecttheimpossiblerdquo

THEGODFATHEROFFLOW

ItwasMihalyCsikszentmihalyi(pronouncedMe-highChick-sent-me-high)theformer chairman of theUniversity ofChicagoDepartment of Psychology andnowatClaremontGraduateUniversitywhofirstcoinedthetermflowThiswasinthelate1960sCsikszentmihalyiwasinthemidstofwhatwouldsoonbecomethelargestglobalhappinessstudyeverconductedthoughthiswasasomewhataccidental outcome To borrow Daniel Gilbertrsquos phrase Csikszentmihalyi hadmerelystumbleduponhappinessWhathersquod reallybeensearching forwas themeaningoflife

IthadbeenquiteasearchCsikszentmihalyiwasborninFlumeItalywhichisnowRijekaCroatia

on September 29 1934 The son of aHungarian diplomat his childhoodwaswar-torn spent in flight from both the Nazis and the Russians One of hisbrothers was killed another exiled to SiberiaWhen he was seven years oldCsikszentmihalyiwassenttoanItalianprisoncamp

InthecampCsikszentmihalyilearnedtoplaychessHebecameobsessedwith the game When at the board nothing else seemed to penetrate hisconsciousness no missing siblings no armed guards no prison he couldnrsquotleaveChessallowedhimforgetthetumulttomakethebestofabadsituationThishenoticedwassomethingofararetalent

ldquoInprisonrdquoCsikszentmihalyitoldaudiencesatTEDldquoIrealizedhowfew

ofthegrown-upsaroundmewereabletowithstandthetragediesthewarvisitedupon them how few of them had anything resembling a normal contentedsatisfied lifeonce their job theirhome and their securitywasdestroyedSo Ibecameinterestedinunderstandingwhatcontributedtoalifeworthlivingrdquo

After the war Csikszentmihalyi read philosophy studied religion gotinvolvedintheartsmdashall thethingsthatsupposedlygavelifemeaningNothingquitesatisfiedThenoneSundayafternooninZurichheattendedafreelectureby Carl Jung the founder of analytical psychology Csikszentmihalyi enjoyedthetalkstartedreadingJungrsquosbooksandprettysoondecidedpsychologywasthebestwaytoanswerhisquestion

In the coming years his studies took him to theUniversity of Chicagowhere Csikszentmihalyi zeroed in on one of the hot topics of the timemotivation After Freudrsquos unconscious had been dethroned by SkinnerrsquosbehaviorismpsychologistsbeganhavingahardtimeexplainingwhypeopledidthethingstheydidThebehavioristssaiditallcamedowntoneedandrewardWedoXtogetYThis isknownasldquoextrinsicmotivationrdquobut theconclusionneversatrightwithAbrahamMaslow

One of the greatest psychological thinkers of the past century Maslowbegan his career in the 1940s on staff at Brooklyn College where he wasmentored by anthropologist Ruth Benedict and Gestalt psychologist MaxWertheimerBackthenmostofpsychologywasfocusedonfixingpathologicalproblemsratherthancelebratingpsychologicalpossibilitiesbutMaslowthoughtBenedict and Wertheimer such ldquowonderful human beingsrdquo that he beganstudyingtheirbehaviortryingtofigureoutwhatitwastheyweredoingright

Over time he began studying the behavior of other exemplars ofoutstanding human performance Albert Einstein Eleanor Roosevelt andFrederick Douglass each came under his scrutiny Maslow was looking forcommontraitsandcommoncircumstanceswantingtoexplainwhythesefolkscould attain such unbelievable heights while so many others continued toflounder

High achievers he came to seewere intrinsicallymotivatedTheyweredeeply committed to testing limits and stretching potential frequently usingintensely focused activity for exactly this purpose But this focused activityMaslow also noticed produced a significant reward of its own alteringconsciousness creating experiences very similar to those James had dubbedldquomysticalrdquo Except the key difference few of Maslowrsquos subjects were evenreligious

SoMaslowsecularizedJamesrsquosterminologyldquoMysticalexperiencesrdquowereoutldquopeakexperiencesrdquowereinmdashthesensationthoughwasthesameldquoDuring

apeakexperiencerdquoMaslowexplainedldquotheindividualexperiencesanexpansionof self a senseofunity andmeaningfulness in lifeTheexperience lingers inonersquosconsciousnessandgivesasenseofpurposeintegrationself-determinationandempathyrdquoThesestatesheconcludedwerethehiddencommonalityamongallhighachieversthesourcecodeofintrinsicmotivation

Thepeakexperienceisfeltasaself-validatingself-justifyingmomenthellipItisfelttobeahighlyvaluablemdashevenuniquelyvaluablemdashexperiencesogreatanexperiencesometimesthateventoattempttojustifyittakesawayfromitsdignityandworthAsamatteroffactsomanypeoplefindthissogreatandhighanexperiencethatitjustifiesnotonlyitselfbutevenlivingitselfPeakexperiencescanmakelifeworthwhilebytheiroccasionaloccurrenceTheygivemeaningtolifeitselfTheyproveittobeworthwhileTosaythisinanegativewayIwouldguessthatpeakexperienceshelptopreventsuicide

Csikszentmihalyi arrivedon the scene a fewyears laterThebirth of hishappiness study was a more pedestrian version of Maslowrsquos inquiryCsikszentmihalyiwasnrsquotjustinterestedinhighachievershewascuriousaboutwhat motivated the average citizen What activities produced their deepestenjoymentandgreatestsatisfactionThiswasthebirthofhishappinessstudymdashthedesire toaskpeopleabout the times in their liveswhen they felt theirbestandperformedattheirbest

He started out interviewing experts rock climbers dancers artistssurgeons chess players and the likeNext he expandedhis search to includeItalianfarmersNavajosheepherdersChicagoassembly-lineworkersrebelliousJapanese teenagers elderlyKoreanwomenmdasha gargantuan assortment in totalSurprisinglyandregardlessofculturelevelofmodernizationagesocialclassorgenderallofthesepeopletoldhimthesamethingwhentheywereat theirbestandfelttheirbestwaswhentheywereexperiencingsensationsverysimilartoMaslowrsquospeakexperiences

Thiswas a fairly startling finding Itmeant thatwhile the things peoplefound enjoyable varied completelymdashthe Japanese teenagers liked to swarmaroundonmotorcyclesandtheelderlyKoreanwomenpreferredmeditationmdashthefeeling the activity produced the why behind the enjoyment was globallyubiquitous In fact when Csikszentmihalyi dove deeper into the data hediscoveredthatthehappiestpeopleonearththeoneswhofelttheirliveshadthemostmeaningwerethosewhohadthemostpeakexperiences

MoreoverthisdidnotcomedowntochanceorluckThehappiestpeopleonearthworkedhardfortheirfulfillmentTheydidnrsquotjusthave themostpeakexperiences theyhaddevotedtheir lives tohaving theseexperiencesoftenasCsikszentmihalyi explained in his 1996 book Creativity going to extremelengthstoseekthemout

ItwasclearfromtalkingtothemthatwhatkeptthemmotivatedwasthequalityoftheexperiencetheyfeltwhentheywereinvolvedwiththeactivityThefeelingdidnrsquotcomewhentheywererelaxingwhentheyweretakingdrugsoralcoholorwhentheywereconsumingtheexpensiveprivilegesofwealthRatheritofteninvolvedpainfulriskydifficultactivitiesthatstretchedthepersonrsquoscapacityandinvolvedanelementofnoveltyanddiscovery

InhisinterviewstodescribetheseoptimalstatesofperformanceflowwasatermhissubjectskeptusingWheneverythingwasgoingrighttheworkwaseffortless fluid and automaticmdashflowy So Csikszentmihalyi in keeping withtradition renamed ldquopeak experiencesrdquo instead calling them ldquoflow statesrdquo Hedefinedthestateasldquobeingsoinvolvedinanactivitythatnothingelseseemstomatter The ego falls away Time flies Every action movement and thoughtfollowsinevitablyfromthepreviousonelikeplayingjazzYourwholebeingisinvolvedandyoursquoreusingyourskillstotheutmostrdquo

AndthoseskillsaresignificantlymagnifiedPhysicalskillsmentalskillspsychologicalskillssocialskillscreativeskillsdecision-makingskillsmdashthelistgoes on A ten-year study done by McKinsey found top executives reportedbeinguptofivetimesmoreproductivewheninflowCreativityandcooperationaresoamplifiedthatGreylockpartnerventurecapitalistJamesSlavetinarecentarticleforForbescomcalledldquoflowstatepercentagerdquomdashdefinedastheamountoftime employees spend in flowmdashthe ldquomost important management metric forbuildinggreatinnovationteamsrdquo

FlowalsohasanincredibleyetunsungimpactonoureconomyldquoWhenwewatch a live concert or a traditional sports eventrdquo says former head ofinnovationatYahooandSingularityUniversityglobalambassadorSalimIsmailldquowersquore essentially paying to watch people in a flow stateWhether itrsquos KobeBryantRogerFedererJay-Zorajazzcroonertheyrsquoveallputinendlesshoursof work so that when performance time comes they are fully present and inflowAnactorwithscreenpresenceistheretooAgreatpoetcandeliverflowtothereaderjustthroughthepowerofwordsWepaytowatchreadorbeinthe

presenceofaflowexperienceIfquantifiedyoursquodfinditrsquosamajorchunkoftheGDPrdquo

Of course flowrsquos effects extend beyond profits turned and abilitiesenhancedThedataCsikszentmihalyicollectedwasclearFlowismorethananoptimalstateofconsciousnessmdashonewherewefeelourbestandperformourbestmdashit also appears to be the only practical answer to the questionWhat is themeaningoflifeFlowiswhatmakeslifeworthlivingldquoTherearemomentsthatstand out from the chaos of the everyday as shining beaconsrdquo wroteCsikszentmihalyialongsidepsychologistSusanJacksoninFlowinSportsldquoInmanywaysonemightsaythatthewholeeffortofhumankindthroughmillenniaofhistory has been to capture these fleetingmoments of fulfillment andmakethempartofeverydayexistencerdquo

FlowwasagroundbreakingdiscoveryandonewithconsiderableimpactIn thecomingyears itwouldquietly reshapeourworld radically alteringourthinking about everything from the limits of human performance to theneurobiology of religious experience It would launch outstanding scientificdebate and either wholly create or significantly impact a half-dozen fields ofacademicresearchCorporationslikePatagoniaToyotaEricssonandMicrosoftwouldmakeflowacriticalpieceoftheirstrategyandcultureEntireindustrieswouldbenefitcoders inflowbuilt theInternetgamers inflowbuilt thevideogameindustryandofcoursethesportsworldhasneverbeenthesame

Forathleteshuntingthezonebooksandtrainingprogramsappearedbythescore Flow in golf Flow in tennis Flow in archery In 1993 coach JimmyJohnson credited Csikszentmihalyi with helping the Dallas Cowboys win theSuper Bowl and suddenly flow in football Temple University sportspsychologist Michael Sachs who made an extensive study of these statessummed this up nicely ldquoEvery goldmedal orworld championship thatrsquos everbeenwonmostlikelywenowknowtherersquosaflowstatebehindthevictoryrdquo

YetoutofallofthesegroupsitrsquosactionandadventuresportathleteswhohavetakenthingsthefarthestSomeofthiswasaccidentalsomeintentionalbutifyoursquorelookingforonereasonwhytherehasbeennear-exponentialgrowthinultimatehumanperformanceoverthispastgenerationthefirstthingtoknowisthemoststraightforwardwhilefindingflowmaybethegoalofeveryathleteontheplanetforactionandadventuresportsathletesitrsquosanecessity

In all other activities flow is the hallmark of high performance but insituations where the slightest error could be fatal then perfection is the onlychoicemdashandflowistheonlyguaranteeofperfectionThusflowistheonlywaytosurvive in thefluid life-threateningconditionsofbigwavesbigriversandbig-mountainsWithoutitequipmentliketheMegaRampremainapipedream

oradeathsentenceNecessityastheysayisthemotherofinventionOr as Danny Way explains ldquoItrsquos either find the zone or suffer the

consequencesmdashtherersquosnootherchoiceavailablerdquo

2

TheWaveofFlow

THE M I L L ENN IUM WAVE

Intheannalsoffindthezoneorsuffertheconsequencesthereislittlethatcancompare to Teahupoo (pronounced cho-poo) The word translates from theFrenchPolynesianas ldquowallof skullsrdquoor ldquoplaceof severedheadsrdquobutneitherdescriptionquitecapturesSurfersdescribeTeahupooasldquohideousrdquoldquodeadlyrdquoldquoawar zonerdquo ldquoliquid napalmrdquo ldquothe grinding eye of doomrdquo and of course ldquouptherewithanything for tonsofbrutalityper square inchof skinrdquoThewebsiteSurfline might have said it best ldquoThis isnrsquot your fatherrsquos perfect wave andunless seeingyournextbirthdaydoesnrsquot rankonyour list ofpriorities it isnrsquotyourseitherrdquo

TeahupoositsaquartermileoffthesouthwesterncoastofTahitiItisnotacold-water wave like Californiarsquos Maverickrsquos nor a tall wave like HawaiirsquosJawsInsteadofexplodingverticallyTeahupoodetonateslaterallyproducingabarrel that has accurately been compared to the LincolnTunnel It is also theheaviestwaveintheworldmdashthemostmassthemostpowerthemostferocitymdashbutunlikeotherfamousbig-wavedestinations(JawsWaimeaBayMaverickrsquos)Teahupoo breaks in incredibly shallow water Less than three feet below thesurface of thewater sits a razor-sharp coral reef Surf legend LairdHamiltonsummedupthe issuenicelyldquoJawsisallabout theholddownTeahupooisallaboutthebouncerdquo

AnditwasHamiltonwhoonAugust172000justsevendaysaftersurferBrieceTaereadiedfromTeahupoorsquosbouncetuckedhisfeetintohisfootstrapsgrabbedholdofatowropeandheadedouttothisfamedlineupHawaiianbig-wave chargerDarrickDoernerwas piloting that JetSki and consideringwhatwouldsoonunfoldthiswasperhapsappropriate

Some eight years prior Hamilton and Doerner had together made thediscovery that made surfing Teahupoo even possible The issue was one ofphysicsCatchingawaverequirespaddlingasurfboardtoaspeedroughlyequalto the waversquos speed but big waves travel far faster than a human being canactuallypaddleAsaresultsincetheearlydaysofsurfingwavesinexcessoftwenty-fivefeethavebeendeemeduncatchablethusunridableAsauthorSusanCasey explained in The Wave ldquoAnything bigger is simply moving too fasttryingtocatchasixty-footwavebywindmillingawayonyourstomachis liketryingtocatchthesubwaybycrawlingrdquo

To get around this problem in the mid-rsquo90s Laird Hamilton DarrickDoerner and Buzzy Kerbox invented the sport of tow-in surfing Instead ofhaving topaddle intomonsterwaves thesesurferscouldhitcharideona towlinehungbehindaJetSkiTheskicouldthenwhipthesurferintothewavewithexacting precision and more than enough speed to catch the behemoth TheresultwasaparadigmshiftakintoDannyWayrsquosinventionoftheMegaRampmdashitmeantthatonceoff-limitsmonstersweresuddenlyopenforbusiness

AndbusinesswasgoodIf yoursquore looking for another example of the recent and accelerated

progressinultimatehumanperformanceconsiderthatPatCurrenrsquos1960rideofa twenty-five-footer atWaimea Bay had long been deemed the biggest waveevercaughtldquoIn1996rdquowrotesurfhistorianMattWarshawinSurfridersldquoLairdHamilton caught the biggestwave of the yearmdasha thirty-five-footerA ten-footjump after thirty-six years doesnrsquot seem like much The fact that a full threequartersofthatheightjumpwasmadefrom1993to1996howeverisnothing

lessthanamazingrdquoItwasalsojust thebeginningHamiltonDoernerandKerboxweresoon

joinedbyDaveKalamaBrettLittleRushRandleMarkAnguloMikeWaltzePete Cabrinha and Brian Keaulanamdashan exceptional bevy of big-wave talentwhotogetherformedtheldquostrappedcrewrdquoareferencetothefootstrapsusedtoholdthesesurfersontheirboardsThesemenpioneeredbothtow-insurfingandthenextphaseofbig-waverescueanattempttomakethecolossallydangerousmerelyexceptionallydangerousOtherssoonborrowedtheirtechniquesandbydecadersquos endwaves in excess of fifty feetwere being toyedwith on a semi-regularbasis

Butnothingaccomplishedinthe1990scomparedtothemadnessDoernerandHamiltonawoketothatsunnydayin2000WhenbothmengottothebeachthesurfwasbigToobigldquoThedaystartedoutwithusbeingtoldTeahupoowascompletelyunridablerdquo recountsHamilton ldquoThey said lsquoWedonrsquot goout therewhenitrsquoslikethisrsquoButallthepeoplewhodowhatwedowhodothingsthatnoonehasdonebeforewersquorenot thetypetoaccept thatanswerAllnomeansistheydonrsquotknowforsureortherersquosasecretbeingkeptlikesomeonersquostryingtohidesomethingreallygoodEitherwaywehavetotryrdquo

AndbyldquowerdquohemeansofcoursehimselfHamiltongrewupinHawaiiHisadoptedfatherBillHamiltonconsidered

themoststylishsurferofhiserahadnoproblemtakinghissontothebeachAtthetimethebeachwasthelegendaryBonzaiPipelineoneofthemoreviciousbreaksinsurfingButPipelinewasBillrsquosplaygroundthusitbecameLairdrsquosaswell

ldquoPeoplealwaysaskmeifIfeelfearinthebigwavesOfcourseIrsquomafraidIf I was out in fifty-foot surf and Irsquom not feeling fear then Irsquom not properlyassessingthesituationButitrsquosdifferentwhenyoursquoreraisedintheseconditionsWhenIwasakidIwasrescuedeveryfourorfivedaysatPipelineThecurrentswouldcatchmeanddragmeoutandthelifeguardswouldhavetocomegetmeEventually theygot sopissedoff they toldmy father to lockmeupwhilehesurfedrdquo

LittlehaschangedWhenitcomestothequestionableedgeofbigwavesevenamonghisexceptionallytalentedgroupoffriendsHamiltonhasremainedas he puts it ldquothe crash-test dummyrdquo In this particular case he had an earlymorning session riding beastly Teahupoo and no problem He loved everyminuteSotherestofthecrewwentouttoseeforthemselves

ThatsessionwentwellAfterhisfriendshadtheirfillHamiltondecidedhewantedanothergoHistimingcouldnrsquothavebeenbetterOrworseRightwhenhegrabbedthetowropetobeginhissecondsessiontherealheartoftheswell

arrivedldquoImaginationrdquosaysfuturistandphilosopherJasonSilvaldquoallowsustoconceiveofdelightful futurepossibilitiespick themostamazingoneandpullthepresentforwardtomeetitrdquoButthewavethatHamiltonchosemdashitwasnrsquotafutureanyonewantedtomeet

DoernerfromhispositionontheskisawwhatwasabouttohappenandtriedtoshoutHamiltonoutofthewayOthersdidaswellEvenbeforewhatisnowknownastheldquoMillenniumWaverdquoroseanywhereclosetoitsfinalheightachorusofldquoDonrsquotgordquoeruptedfromsurfersandspectatorssittinginthechannelButitwastoolateHamiltonwasalreadygone

TheMillenniumWavewasa roguewavea freakish titan theproductoftwodifferentswellsintersectingandstackingatopeachotherTheresultslookedless like a product of hydrodynamics than a very special effect cooked up bywizards inHollywoodldquoOnanynormalwaverdquosaysMattWarshawldquothe lipmdashthepart that ispitchingaheadandforming the tubemdashisonlya tiny fractionofthe wave On the Millennium Wave it was almost half It was like a damburstinglikesomeonehaddroppedtheseafloorbythirtyfeetandtheoceanwasdesperatelytryingtofindlevelgroundrdquo

SomuchforcewasbeinggeneratedthatHamiltonashewastryingtogetintopositionforthetuberidefoundhimselfgettingsuckedupthewaversquosfaceToholdsteadyhehadtoreachdowntotheoutsideofhissurfboardanddraghisrighthandinthewaterItwastheperfectmoveandtheonlyreasonhersquosalivetodaymdashbutherersquosthethingnoonehadevermadethatmovebefore

ldquoLairdhadtodraghisbackhandrdquosaysformerSurfereditorSamGeorgeinStacyPeraltarsquos filmRidingGiants ldquoon theopposite sideof theboard tokeephimselffromgettingsuckedupinthathydraulicInthemiddleofthatmaelstromhowdidhismindsaythisiswhatIhavetodoNoonehadeverriddenasLairdrodeonthatwavebeforeHecouldnrsquotpracticeSoitwashisimaginationdealingwiththatunimaginableenergyandcomingupwiththeplanspontaneouslyrdquo

And then things got really crazy That monster lip cantilevered into thereefandtheresultingthunderclapsplashwentofflikeamegatonbombShockwaves pulsed into the channel The spray shot up almost sixty feetAs far asanyonecouldtellHamiltonhadbeenswallowedwhole

Seconds later though the mists parted and out he rode tall andtriumphant It is no exaggeration to say nothing has been the same sinceldquoLairdrsquos wave at Teahupoo was thehellipsingle most significant ride in surfinghistoryrdquo continues George ldquoMore than any other ridehellip [W]hat it did wascompletelyrestructureourentirecollectiveperceptionofwhatwaspossiblerdquo

Or at least thatrsquos how the history books tell the story The real truth isevenmorepeculiarldquoWedonrsquottalkaboutitmuchbecauseofthefilmandallthe

pressattention that followedrdquoexplainsHamiltonldquobut I rode twootherwavesthat day that were bigger than the MillenniumWave One of them had boatwakesrunningthroughitSonotonlywasitbiggerbut just tomesswithmymind a littlemore I had to jump these little rollers as Iwas riding down thefacerdquo

I AMTRYINGTOFREEYOURMINDNEO

Bynow it should come as no surprise thatHamilton found himself in a flowstatewhileridingthoseTeahupoowavesFlowtendstobethepsychicsignatureof world-class performance and paradigm-shifting breakthroughs and clearlyHamiltonrsquos effort falls into both categoriesMoreover asDannyWay pointedout therersquos just nootherway to survive such a situationBut thegoal ofPartOneofthisbookistounderstandhowflowmakesthesethingspossiblesothesefactsdonrsquottakeusveryfarInsteadtogetattheanswerswewantwersquoregoingtoneedtodrawamuchmoredetailedmapoftheexperience

Flow cartography begins in the brain Of course it does To paraphraseauthorDianeAckerman That little huddle of neurons calls all the plays Buthowitcallsaplay like flow isacomplicatedaffairThebrainsendsmessages(ie calls plays) electrically and chemically and both are important hereMoreoverwhere in thebrain thesemessagesarebeing sent furtheraffects theexperienceSotocompleteourmapofflowweneedtounderstandhowthestateimpacts neuroelectricity (later in this chapter) neuroanatomy (Chapter Three)and neurochemistry (Chapter Four) Yet before we can answer these specificquestionswemustfirstaddressafewgeneralconcerns

For starters why are we examining events like the Millennium WaveAfter allmany of uswill never surf a day in our lives let alone paddle intoanything nearly as fearsome as Teahupoo But that doesnrsquot mean we havenothing to learn Action and adventure athletes have used flow to pushperformancefasterandfarther thananygroup inhistoryso their triumphscanbecome our teachers These events are our yardsticks (so we can see whatrsquosactually achievable) and case studies (so we can figure out how to achievesimilarheights)Thepointisnotthattheimpossibleispossiblefortheseathletesalonemdashifwediligentlyapplythelessonsdetailedhereinmdashitrsquosactuallypossibleforallofus

OurnextgeneralconcernisthedefinitionoftermsWhatisflowexactlyScientistsdescribeiteitherasaldquostateofconsciousnessrdquooranldquoalteredstateof

consciousnessrdquothoughneitherphrasecompletelysatisfiesConsciousnessitselfisaslipperysubjectThereisnoagreedupondefinitionofthetermnoraccuratetaxonomy of its various states Traditionally researchers divide consciousnessintosleepingwakinganddreamingthenfurthersubdividebydegreesoffocusand alertness The results are a progression of attentional categories from theldquototal unresponsivenessrdquo of a vegetative coma to the ldquohypervigilancerdquo of thefight-or-flightresponseFlowstatesfallonthisscalebutnotexactly

ThezonerequiresattentionbutofaveryspecifickindWhenitcomestothetaskathandconcentrationisnearlytotalLairdHamiltonsaweverynuanceof detail of theMillenniumWaversquos faceYet beyond this field his awarenessdroppedoffprecipitouslymdashieheneverheardthecriesofwarningcomingfromthe spectators in the channel Hamilton was hypervigilant and totallyunresponsive and both at the same time So unlike most other states ofconsciousness which are defined by a singular type of attention flow breaksboundariesstraddlingmultiplecategoriesatonce

Nor does flow fit comfortably into the standard definition of an ldquoalteredstate of consciousnessrdquo which using psychologist Charles Tartrsquos classicdescription is a ldquoqualitative shift in the pattern ofmental functioningrdquo [Tartrsquositalics] The issue is thatmost of these shifts are emotionally unstableWhilesleepingwehavegooddreamsandbaddreamswhiletakingpsychedelicswehave good trips and bad trips Flow on the other hand is always a positiveexperience No one ever has a bad time in a flow state So while the zoneprovidesaqualitativeshiftinmentalfunctioningitrsquosafarmoreconsistentshiftthancanbefoundinotheralteredstatesofconsciousness

Consider for example howHamilton describes the experience of ridinggiantsbetheyatTeahupooorotherwiseldquoWhenyoursquoreinthatmomenttherersquosno beginning and no end It starts off where it left offWhen you go to thatplace therersquosno timeand therersquosdefinitelyno thought Itrsquos justpureYouareanditisandthatrsquoswhywecontinuallyseekitoutandalwayssearchforitandneed itWe need it to feel alive and to feel complete and to bring it all intoperspectivemdashit just makes everything else fall in line fall in place It makeseverythingelsetolerablerdquo

InhiswordswehearplentyoffamiliarechoesJustlikeHeimHamiltonexperienced timedilation Just likeDannyWayhevanished into themomentThe same intrinsic motivation that fascinated Maslow shows up as doesCsikszentmihalyirsquos meaning-of-life ramifications So while flow might bedifferentfrombothtraditionalandalteredstatesofconsciousnessthestabilityofthesecomponentpartsallowsustozeroinonthephenomena

TodojustthatletrsquosprydeeperintoHamiltonrsquostaleHerersquoshismemoryof

the takeoff ldquoI remember lettinggoof the rope just asDoubleD (akaDarrickDoerner)yelledoutlsquoDonrsquotletgorsquoAndotherpeoplewereshoutinglsquoDonrsquotgoDonrsquotgorsquoIrememberseeingthemagnitudeofthewallasitstoodupadoublewallandthenputtingmyselfinpositionhellipandthentimejuststoodstillThenitwas like Ihadanangelonone shoulder andadevilon theother as I thoughtaboutwhat I shoulddonext and theywere saying lsquoJumpoffStayon JumpoffStayonrsquoEventuallytheangelwonandIstayedonandthatrsquostheonlywayImadeitrdquo

Within this experiencewe discover three of themore curious and basicproperties of flow theprofoundmental clarity providedby the state (note thecalm rational nature of the mental argument) the emotional detachment thattends to accompany this clarity (Hamiltonwatchedhisownminddebate itselffrom a removed position) and a hint of its automatic naturemdashhow one rightdecision always leads to the next right decisionWithin the zone all of theseelementsarestandardfareturningupinthousandsuponthousandsofanecdotalreportsInfactdespitetheephemeralnatureoftheexperiencesoconsistentareitsvarious features thatCsikszentmihalyiwasable tosift through thedataandisolatetencorecomponentswhichdemarcatethestateHerersquoshislist

CleargoalsExpectationsandrulesarediscernibleandgoalsareattainableandalignappropriatelywithonersquosskillsetandabilitiesMoreoverthechallengelevelandskilllevelshouldbothbehigh

ConcentrationAhighdegreeofconcentrationonalimitedfieldofattention

Alossofthefeelingofself-consciousnessThemergingofactionandawareness

DistortedsenseoftimeOnersquossubjectiveexperienceoftimeisaltered

DirectandimmediatefeedbackSuccessesandfailuresareapparentsobehaviorcanbeadjustedasneeded

BalancebetweenabilitylevelandchallengeTheactivityisneithertooeasynortoodifficult

Asenseofpersonalcontroloverthesituation

Theactivityisintrinsicallyrewardingsoactioniseffortlessness

Alackofawarenessofbodilyneeds

Absorptionnarrowingofawarenessdowntotheactivityitself

OtherresearchershavesincevalidatedthesetencategoriesandtheystandasclosetoaworkingdefinitionofflowasanyonehasyetproducedStilloutofthis total three of the componentsmdashclear goals immediate feedback and thechallengeskill ratio (all of which wersquoll explore in greater detail later)mdashareconsideredldquoconditionsforflowrdquoTheydonotactuallydescribe thestate itselfMoreover flow exists on a continuum so not all of the remaining sevenelementsneed tobepresentat thesame timeCsikszentmihalyiuses the termsmicroflowandmacroflowtoexplainthesevariationsInmicroflowonlyafewofhis categories are fulfilledmdashsay clear goals concentration and absorption orwhatwouldhappen ifLairdHamiltonpaddledout for anafternoonofmellowMalibu surf Macroflow on the other hand is what occurs when all ofCsikszentmihalyirsquosconditionsarriveatoncemdashitrsquosthefullTeahupoo

Yetstillmissinginthisdescriptionistheoneelementthattrulysetsflowapart the creative problem-solving nature of the state Because flow requiresactionmdashotherwiseactionandawarenesscannotmergemdashtherersquosdecisionmakinginvolved at every step This is not a consistent feature of any other state ofconsciousness alteredorotherwisePsychedelicsmeditation anddreamsmaybringfreshinsightbutnonerequiresthatknowledgebeimmediatelyacteduponEven in thosewaking stateswhere decisionmaking occurs the process is notconsistentenoughtobeconsideredpartof thestatersquosdefinitionButrememberCsikszentmihalyirsquos explanation of the zone ldquoEvery action movement andthought follows inevitably from the previous one like playing jazzrdquoWhat isjazz Itrsquos the acoustic result of high-speed problem solving of near-perfectdecisionmaking

So ifwersquore really hunting for qualities that distinguish flow from otherstates of consciousness the place to startmay not even bewith its individualcomponents ratherwith itspracticalvalueFlow is anextremelyefficient andeffective decision-making strategy But this does raise an additional questionHowdoesflowenableus tomakesuchgooddecisionsAfterallasHamiltonhimself pointed out if the angel and the devil arguing on his shoulders had

reached the wrong conclusion wersquod still be picking pieces of him out ofTeahupoorsquosreef

BRAINWAVESANDBIGWAVES

LeslieSherlin studies thebrains of peoplemakingdecisionsmdashvery verygooddecisionsHersquos oneof theworldrsquos leading experts in theneuroscienceof highperformance having spent his career trying to figure outwhat separates guyslikeLairdHamiltonfromtherestofusldquoItrsquosnot just talentand trainingrdquosaysSherlinldquoitrsquossomethingelseAndwhateverthatsomethingelseisIsuredonrsquothaveitrdquo

YethealmosthaditmdashwhichwasexactlytheproblemSherlingrewupinPowellTennesseeWhileneitherofhisparentsplayed

aninstrumentbothfeltmusictobeanimportantpartofachildrsquoseducationandintroducedtheirsontothepianoatagefiveItwasloveatfirstsoundSherlinwasanaturalHedisplayedasignificantaptitudefortheinstrumentthoughsoonswitchedhisattentiontothetrumpet(alsotheuprightbassandguitar)

During thoseearlyyearsSherlinrsquosmusic teacherwasdeeply involved inthelocalsceneldquoEvenbeforeIwasoutofmiddleschoolrdquohesaysldquoIwasbeinggroomed fora spoton theUniversityofTennesseersquosmarchingbandrdquoOnce inhigh school Sherlin continued to outshine his classmates Certainly hepracticed but progress came effortlessly So did advancement By the timeSherlinwasoutofhighschoolhersquodearnedhimselfafreeridetotheUniversityofTennesseeandaspotontheir400-piecemarchingbandButitwastheendoftheline

ldquoIn college I experiencedwhatmy classmates had felt in high school ImaxedoutOtherkids in themusicdepartmentwerelearningmuchfaster thanwaspossibleformeIhadtoworkandworkandworkandstillcouldnrsquotkeepupThey barely had to practice yet continued to excel And I got to know thesekidsalotofushadsimilarbackgroundsmdashhigh-qualityinstructioninnatetalentsimilar hours of practice similar socioeconomic statusmdashbut there was stillsomethingfundamentallydifferentinourabilitiesrdquo

Sherlin became obsessed with figuring out the exact nature of thisldquosomethingrdquo He changed directions replacing baroque and classical withpsychology and neuroscience specifically focusing on qualitativeelectroencephalography (EEG)mdashwhich had the benefits of being cheap easyreliableandtheexactrighttoolforthejob

ldquoWhenever you encounter stimuli or have a thoughtrdquo explains SherlinldquothebrainhasanelectricalresponseEEGmeasuresthoseresponsesdowntothe11000ofasecondrangewhichallowsustotrackhowthebrainchangesacrosstimeWhensomeone isdecisionmakingmdashand thiscanbeanathlete solvingaphysical problemor an artist solving an aesthetic onemdashwecan see everythingthatleadsuptoadecisionthedecisionitselfandeverythingthathappensasaresultNoothertechnologycandothatrdquo

AsthoseelectricresponsesoccurinburststheycreatewavesmdashtechnicallyldquobrainwavesrdquomdashwhichiswhatanEEGactuallymeasuresTherearefivemajorbrain-wavetypeseachcorrelatingtoadifferentstateofconsciousnessldquoDeltardquotheslowestbrainwave(meaningtheonewiththelongestpausesbetweenburstsofelectricity)isfoundbetween1Hzand39HzWhensomeoneisinadeepdreamlesssleeptheyrsquoreindeltaNextupbetween4Hzand79HzisldquothetardquowhichcorrelatestoREMsleepmeditationinsightand(asisoftennecessaryforinsight) the processing of novel incoming stimuliBetween8Hz and139HzhoversldquoalphardquothebrainrsquosbasicrestingstatePeopleinalphaarerelaxedcalmand lucid but not really thinking Beta sits between 14 Hz and 30 Hz andsignifies learningandconcentrationat the lowend fearandstressat thehighAbove30Hztherersquosafast-movingwaveknownasldquogammardquowhichonlyshowsupduringldquobindingrdquowhendifferentpartsof thebrainarecombiningdisparatethoughtsintoasingleidea

EEG has another feature that makes it useful for decoding decisionmakingitisverygoodatdetectingnetworksWhileitdoesnrsquothavethedetailedspatial resolution of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) thetechnology can seewhich parts of the brain are talking to one another at anygiventimeThuswhendecisionsarebeingmadeEEGcanhelpdeterminethestructure of the network involved in the process In fact it was this networkdetectionabilitythatgaveusourfirstneurologicalinsightsintoflow

Back in the1970sCsikszentmihalyi usedEEG to examine thebrainsofchess masters midgame He found a significant decrease in activity in theprefrontal cortex the part of the brain housing most of our higher cognitivefunctions Thismay seem surprisingChess is a game of reasoning planningandstrategy three things thatappear torequirehighercognitivefunctionsButthisisnrsquottheonlywaythebraincanmakedecisions

Human beings have evolved two distinct systems for processinginformation The first the explicit system is rule-based can be expressedverballyandistiedtoconsciousawarenessWhentheprefrontalcortexisfireduptheexplicitsystemisusuallyturnedonButwhenthecoldcalculusoflogicisswappedoutforthegutsenseofintuitionthisistheimplicitsystematwork

This system relies on skill and experience is not consciously accessible andcannotbedescribedverbally(ietrytoexplainahunch)Thesetwosystemsareoften described as ldquoconsciousrdquo versus ldquounconsciousrdquo or ldquoleft brainrdquo versusldquorightbrainrdquobutneithercomparisonisentirelyaccurate

ldquoThinkofafactoryrdquosaysSherlinldquoIfalltheworkersarebrokenintolittlepods and theyrsquore all doing unique things at unique times thatrsquos the explicitsystem On an EEG it shows up as beta Replace those pods with a giantassembly line one where the work is extremely rhythmic fluid andcollaborativemdashaimedatacollectivegoalmdashthatrsquostheimplicitsystemItrsquosusuallydenotedbyalowalphahighthetawaverdquo

TherearetwoadvantagestothebrainusingtheimplicitsystemThefirstisspeed ldquoWhen the brain finds a task it needs to solverdquo writes BaylorneuroscientistDavidEaglemaninIncognitoldquoitrewiresitsowncircuitryuntilitcan accomplish this taskwithmaximum efficiency The task becomes burnedintothemachineryhellipAutomatizationpermitsfastdecisionmakingOnlywhentheslowsystemofconsciousness ispushedto thebackof thequeuecanrapidprograms do their work Should I swing forehand or backhand at theapproachingtennisballWithaninety-mile-per-hourprojectileon itswayonedoesnotwanttocognitivelyslogthroughthedifferentoptionsrdquo

Efficiency isthesecondadvantageOurbrainis2percentofourbodybyweightyetconsumes20percentofourenergyAsaresultitrsquosalwayslookingforwaystoconserveUsingtheexplicitsystemtothinkthroughdecisionsburnsalotofcaloriesbutswitchingtotheimplicitminimizestheenergyrequiredtosolveproblems

This is also why Csikszentmihalyi found little activity in the prefrontalcortex of chess masters After years of playing theyrsquod internalized boardpatternsandmovesequencesanddidnrsquothavetorelyontheirconsciousmindtowork througheveryoption Instead their explicit systemwent offline and theimplicitsystemturnedonSincelowalphahighthetaisthedominantbrainwaveproduced by the implicit system this frequency has long been considered thesignatureofbothhighperformanceandflowstatesButthisideaisnowstartingtochangemdashandSherlinispartofthereasonwhy

While he runs a number of different companies and holds four differentacademic appointments Sherlin also serves as chief science officer forNeurotopia a leader in the research and use of EEG for improving athleteperformance In 2009 he got a call from Red Bullrsquos director of athletic highperformance Dr AndyWalshe The energy-sports-drink company has been alongtime supporter of all things action and adventure sponsoringmanyof theworldrsquosmost accomplished athletesWalshewanted to help these athletes get

bettermdashandthatrsquoswhereSherlinfitinTogether Red Bull and Neurotopia established a neuroscience skunk

worksTheirgoalwasstraightforwarduseEEGtofigureoutwhatthebrainsoftopactionandadventureathletesweredoingandhelpthemdomoreofitTothisend thousands and thousands of subjectswere analyzedBat andball athleteswerecomparedtoactionandadventureathletesAmateursagainstelites(top5percent) against superelites (top 1 percent) In the beginning they examinedrestingstatesbutbeyondmorelowalphahighthetainthebaselineofexpertsmdashwhichfortheaforementionedreasonswastobeexpectedmdashtherewasnrsquotmuchtoseeOncetheygotthoseathletesmovingthoughthatstorystartedtochange

ForthisportionofthestudySherlinusedasimpletarget-acquisitiontaskSubjectshadtostareatascreenasimagesflashedbyIftheimagewasatarget(twelvepinksquaresarrangedasacube)theyhadtoreactIftheimagewasnrsquotatarget(elevenpinksquaresarrangedasacubewiththecentersquaremissing)theyhad to suppress the reaction ldquoIt sounds really simplerdquo saysSherlin ldquobuttherersquosactuallyalotgoingonItrequiresspeedstaminafocusandreallygooddecision-makingabilitiesrdquo

Whenanyofusmakedecisionsourbrainsgo throughasix-stagecycleBefore the novel stimuli shows up (which is what starts the whole process)wersquoreinabaselinestateThenwemovetoproblem-solvinganalysispre-actionreadiness action post-action evaluation and back to baseline Each of thesestages requiresdifferentpartsof thebrain andproducesdifferentbrainwavesthetaforprocessingnovelstimulibetaforanalysisalphaforactionetcWhenSherlin and his team examined the datawhat became clearwas that the bestathletesmoved through this entire cycle fluidly seamlessly transitioning fromsteptostep

ldquoThatrsquos the secretrdquo says Sherlin ldquoextremely fluid brain control Mostpeople canrsquotmake it through thewhole cycle They get hung up somewhereThey either canrsquot generate all the necessary brain states or they canrsquot controlthemEliteperformerscanproducetherightbrainwaveattherighttimevaryitsintensityasneededthensmoothlytransitiontothenextstepMentallytheyjusttaketotalchargeofthesituationrdquo

FlowstateswhichcanbeconsideredeliteperformanceonoverdrivetakethisprocessonestepfartherldquoInthezonerdquosaysSherlinldquoyoustillseethissamefluidity in the transitions between states but you also see evenmore controlInstead of producing all these other brain waves really great athletes cantransitionsmoothly into thezonecreating that lowalphahigh thetawaveandthen hold themselves there sort of in suspended animation shutting out theconsciousmindandlettingtheimplicitsystemdoitsstuffrdquo

To illustrate this further consider Hamiltonrsquos experience on theMillenniumWave ldquoBefore he grabbed the tow roperdquo says Sherlin ldquohe wasassessing the situation trying to predict the future feeling fearmdashthat classicbetaButoncehewasbeingpulledtowardthewavewhenhestartedtoshutoutoutside stimuli and focus on the task at handmdashthatrsquos a burst of alpha TheangeldevilargumentwasreallyaboutalphaversusbetaTheangelwasalphaItwastheimplicitsystemsayinglsquoletrsquosgoforitweknowwhattodorsquoThedevilwasbetamdashitwastheexplicitsystemsayinglsquoholdupasecondletrsquosjustgathermore datarsquo But the angel wonHamiltonmade the right decision suppressedthat beta wave and got himself to alphathetamdashthe zonemdashand held himselfthererdquo

Of course the Millennium Wave didnrsquot end when Hamilton found thezoneMoments later hewasgetting suckedup thatwaversquos faceSowhile theimplicitsystemiscapableofhigh-speedpatternrecognitionmdashwhichhelpedhimrealize what was happening a little soonermdashit took more than just that tosurviveHestillhadtohaveacreative insightnoonehadeverhadbeforeandpull off a difficultmove that no one had ever attempted beforemdashwhich as itturnsoutisparforthecourseforLairdHamilton

SUDDENDEATHORSUDDENINSIGHT

Off the shores of northernMaui beyond the sugarcane fields and themuddyroads and the tall cliffs lies a reef breakknownas Jaws It too is a terrifyingcolossuslongconsideredanimpossibleFormorethanfiftyyearssurfershavebeen staring at this spotmdashitrsquos hard not to When powerful northern Pacificstorms blast down from the Aleutian Islands the results travel thousands ofmiles unhindered only to run smack into a fan-shaped reef Two deepwaterchannels on either side of the break increase the upward pressure Thecombinationcreatesperfectmonsterswavesthatcanreacheightyfeetinheightwaves that crashwith somuch force that the soundhasbeencompared to theexplosion of an atomic bomb Surf legend Gerry Lopez is known for hisfearlessness in heavy surf but back in the 1960s he said he got nauseous justlookingattheplace

Oneof thefirst tobravethesewaveswasDaveKalamaaformerworld-championwindsurferandoneofthemostaccomplishedwatermenontheplanetBackin1998KalamaandacoupleoffriendsdecidedtowindsurfJawsItwasasmall day maybe fourteen feet but that was enough He didnrsquot go back for

yearsAndwhenhedidreturnhebroughtreinforcementsKalamawasafoundingmemberoftheldquostrappedcrewrdquoactuallypartofthe

reason the crew got its name In 1991whileHamiltonKerbox andDoernerwereexperimentingwithtowingasurferbehindaninflatableZodiac(lateraJetSki)KalamaBrettLittleandMarkAngulohadbeguntoyingwithfootstrapson normal surfboards When the two groups decided to combine theirinnovationsitwaswithonepurposeinmindtosurfJaws

NoonehadeversurfedJawsbeforemdashnotwhenitwasbigOnthosedaysthewavepunchedacross thatreefatover thirtymilesperhourfarbeyondthepaddling speed achievable by surfers But Jet Skis tipped those odds and thestrappedcrewusedthisadvantagetoattackmdashliterallyldquoWhenyouletgoof theropeanddropinrdquoKalamaoncesaidldquoyougointowarriormodemdashyouflexyourmusclesyougrityour teethyoursquore readyforanything Irsquomso focused Icanrsquothear thewavewhen Irsquom riding it It feels like riding in an elevatorwhen thecablesbreakmdashallofasuddenyoursquorefallingandscreamingandthen thecablereengagesandyouslowdownandstepoffandtrytorecoverfromaheavydoseofadrenalinerdquo

Adding to that dose is barrel height If Teahupoo produces the heaviesttube in theworld Jawsproducesoneof the tallest also themeanest Imaginebeing in themiddle of a ten-story buildingwhen it collapsesAnd collapse itwill ldquo[L]ike all sets of Jawsrdquo explains author Susan Casey ldquothis one had atendencytosnapshutswallowinganythingunfortunateenoughtobeinsideitAnditsteethhellipwelltheyweremorelikefangsrdquo

WhichiswhyifyoumentionedtheMillenniumWavetoDaveKalamaifyou ask him about Hamiltonrsquos creative insight his out-of-the-blue outer-handdraghejustchucklesandsaysldquoSuretheMillenniumWavewassignificantItchangedsurfhistorybutallLairdreallyneededtodowasnotscrewupIttakesanincredibleamountofskilltostandthereandtakeitandnotscrewupbutifwersquoretalkingaboutmomentsofabsolutecreativebrillianceoftrulyastoundingIrsquoveseenLairdcomeupwithstuffthatisfarmoresignificantrdquo

AndthenhersquolltellyouastoryaboutJawsIt was a big day waves in the forty-to fifty-foot range Kalama and

Hamilton had been there all morning experimenting with the barrel gettingdeeper and deeper gettingmore comfortable as the hourswent by ldquoWeweredefinitely in thezonerdquo recountsKalama ldquobutmaybe too in thezone I towedLairdintoaforty-five-footerandhegotsodeepinthetubewassorelaxeditwasalmostlikeheforgotwherehewasHelethimselfgetpulledupthefacemdashjustwaywaytoohighrdquo

The problemwith getting pulled up the face is therersquos a pointwhen the

wavebecomesverticalmdashitwallsinthelingomdashandthisleavessurfersonlytwooptionsgetpitchedstraightintotheimpactzoneorridethatrollercoasteroverthefallsEitherwayonawavelikeJawstheresultscanbehorrific

ButwhenJawswalledHamiltondidnrsquotgetpitchedintotheimpactzoneorsucked over the falls Instead with his feet still in his footstraps he didsomething no one has ever done before jumped forward hopping the boardclearoutof thewaveandthendroppingfifteenfeetstraightdownHedid thiswhilestillinsidethatroaringbarrelStuckthelandingtooAbsorbedtheimpactandrodeoffclean

ldquoTo merdquo says Kalama ldquothe Millennium Wave might have started arevolutionbutinthehistoryofLairdmakingshitupontheflywhathedidthatday at Jaws Irsquove been around surfing almostmy entire life Irsquove never evenheardanybodytalkaboutanythinglikethatAndIwaswatchingthewholetimeLaird never panicked never even said lsquoOh shitrsquo He just jumped out of thewavedroppedtothebottomandrodeoffNothingtoitrdquo

Of course therewas something to it and it was the exact same kind ofsomething that saved Hamiltonrsquos ass on theMillenniumWavemdashamoment ofsudden creative insight Often these moments are important enough to makehistory Isaac Newton sees an apple fall and BAMMO the theory of gravityarrives fully formed in his brain Archimedes climbs into the bathtub andSHAZAM the solution to the mathematical puzzle of volume pops into hisheadButseriouslyNewtonwaslazingaroundanorchardandArchimedeswashaving a hot soakHamiltonmeanwhile had his creative insightwhile ridingdownthegulletofGodzillaItwasanimpossibletuckedinsideofanimpossiblemdashwhichmakesonewonderhowitcouldhavehappenedatall

Turnsoutoverthepastdecadewersquovelearnedagreatdealabouthowsuchthings happenmdashincluding how flowmaymake them happenmore frequentlyNotsurprisinglyourcreativityliesdeeplyrootedintherightsideofthebrainthe side dominated by the implicit system The reason has to do with thestructureofneuralnetworksWhentheexplicitsystem(mostlyontheleftsideofthebrain)handlesaproblemtheneuronsinvolvedareveryclosetooneanotherThismuchproximityleadstolinearconnectionslogicaldeductionsandalltheotherkeystonesofstandardreasoningWhentheimplicitsystemisatworkitsreachismuchbroadermdashfar-flungcornersofthebrainaretalkingtooneanotherThisisknowntoexpertsasldquolateralthinkingrdquoortothebusinessexecutiveswhosocravethistalentldquothinkingoutsidetheboxrdquoItmeansthatnovelstimulicancombine with random thoughts and obscure memories and the result issomethingutterlynew

Creativityhasabrainwavesignatureaswellalphawavespulsingoutof

the brainrsquos right hemisphere This is considered the readiness state for suddeninsightmdashmeaning not the revelation itself rather its precursor conditionInterestinglyKalamarsquos observationmdashthatHamilton never panickedmdashmay alsoplayaroleasitnowseemsthatwithoutacalmrelaxedframeofmindthebrainisincapableofswitchingfrombeta-dominantlocalizednetworkstoalpha-drivenwidespreadwebs

But this isnrsquot where the process ends Whether wersquore speaking aboutHamiltonrsquoshanddragontheMillenniumWaveorhisdecisiontojumpoutofthebarrelatJawsthatmomentofsuddeninsightcomeswithadifferentbrainwavesignatureExactly thirtymillisecondsbefore thebreakthrough intuitionarrivesEEGshowsaburstofgammawavesTheseultrafastbrainwavesappearwhenabunch of widely distributed cellsmdashie novel stimuli random thoughts andobscurememoriesmdashbindthemselvestogetherintoabrand-newnetworkItisthebrain-wavesignatureoftheldquoAhardquomoment

ldquoBut the interesting thingaboutagammaspikerdquoexplainsLeslieSherlinldquois that it always happens inside of theta oscillations The two waves arecoupledItmakessenseThetaprocessesnovelincomingstimuligammaiswhathappenswhenthosestimulisnaptogetherintonewideasButitrsquoshardtodoanyofthisoncommandIttakesmeditatorsalongtimetogetthatkindofcontrolThis is where athletes in flow have a huge edgemdashtheir brain is already inalphathetaTheyrsquoreholding themselves in theonlystate thatcanproduce thatgammaspikerdquo

Whenyouaddtheseelementstogetheritrsquoseasytoseewhyflowissuchaneffectivedecision-makingstrategyNotonlydoesitelevateourproblem-solvingabilitiesbutmdashbyholdingthemselvesinlowalphahighthetaneededtoproducethat gamma spikemdashpeople in the zone are already ldquoneurologicallyrdquo poised onthebrinkofbreakthroughThismeansflowpacksadoublepunchitdoesnrsquotjustincrease our decision-making abilitiesmdashit increases our creative decision-makingabilities

DramaticallyInflowweareourresourcefulimaginativeingeniousbestBetterstillthe

changesstickAccordingtoresearchdonebyHarvardBusinessSchoolprofessorTeresaAmabilenotonlyarecreativeinsightsconsistentlyassociatedwithflowstates but that amplified creativity outlasts the zone People report feelingextraordinarilycreativethedayafteraflowstatesuggestingthat timespent inthezonetrainsthebraintoconsistentlythinkoutsidethebox

ThisiswhycreativeinsightsareparforthecourseforLairdHamiltonbutitrsquosalsowhywersquoreseeingacceleratedgrowthinultimateperformanceinactionand adventure sports Pushing the limits of human potential requires

considerableinnovationandimaginationByspendingsomuchtimeinthezonethese athletes have found a way to amp up these abilities Moreover byconsistentlyusingthatcreativitytopushlimitstheseathleteshavetakenthingsevenfarther

ldquoEverybodywhohas ever spent any time in flowrdquo explainsNBCactionsports commentator and professional skateboarder ChrisMiller ldquoknows itrsquos adeeplycreativeplaceYoursquorejusttappedintothatcreativeforceonsuchalargerscaleButtherersquosadifferencebetweenwhenthishappensinanartistrsquosstudiooron the tenniscourtversus inside thebarrelofa fifty-footwaveWhenyou tapinto thatmuch forcewhilepushing the absolute limits of humanperformancethatrsquosmorethanjustanimaginativebreakthroughmdashthatrsquosbendingrealitytoyourwillAndwhenyoudothatfrequentlywhichiswhatguyslikeDannyWayandLairdHamiltoncandoimaginewhatthatdoesforyourconfidencerdquo

Or asLairdHamilton once explained in an interviewwithBonHawaiildquo[T]he true challenge is how you continue doing it after yoursquove ridden thebiggestwavecrossedthelongestdistanceYousetupchallengesthataremorethanwhatyoueverdidbeforeAndbygettingthroughityougetthesensationyoursquovecompletedsomethingAndifitrsquosdangerousthenotherthingsthatscareyoutheexperiencewillstrengthenyouforthosesituationsrdquo

3

TheWhereofFlow

DEAN POTTER

MountFitzRoythetallestmountaininPatagoniaisadauntingbladeofrockmdashjaggedandraggedandmeanOnthelistoftheworldrsquosmostdangerousclimbsFitz Roy always ranks in the top twenty often in the top ten It is cold It isisolatedAndgetting to itszenithdemandscrossingaverticaloceanofgraniteprotectedbysomeofthemostferociousweatheronearth

In the early 2000s a climber by the name of Dean Potter thought hersquodsolvedthatpuzzleldquoPatagoniarsquosweatheris terribleIfyougetabreakitrsquosonlygoingtolastadayortwoThatrsquosnotalotoftimeforatraditionalmountaineerrsquosapproach (iemultiplepeopleon the team ropes protection)But I hadbeendeveloping a style of rapid big wall free soloing (ie alone no ropes noprotection)thatIthoughtmightworkwellonthesemoretraditionalroutesrdquo

FreesoloingisthemotherofalldeathsportsTheequationissimpleyoufall youdie It is also at least for a certain breedof athlete deeply pure andundeniablyenticingWithoutropesorgearinthewaythereisonlytheclimberand the rock as intimate and personal a relationship as can be had with bignature ldquoUp on the High Lonesomerdquo explains author John Long (in hisappropriatelytitledbookTheHighLonesome)ldquothesoloistanswerstohisownstandardstheclimbingathandandGodinthatorderrdquo

ManyhaveansweredtoGodOverthepastfewdecadesthedesireforthis

relationshiphasclaimedabevyofourbestclimbersthemajorityofthemdyingonshortersmallerroutesVeryfewpeoplehaveplayedthisgameinthebiggermountainsThatPotterwantedtotestouthisstyleofrapidbigwallfreesoloinginPatagoniaOnabeastlikeFitzRoyWellletrsquosjustsayhehadhisreasons

TounderstandthosereasonsweneedtounderstandmoreaboutthemanPotter was born in Kansas in 1972 the son of an army colonel and a yogateacher Before he was four years old Potter was copying hismomrsquosmovesadding breadth to stretch and twisting himself up like a pretzel ldquoI think yogagavememyfirsttasteofthezonerdquoherecountsldquobutIdefinitelygotarunnerrsquoshigh[nowconsideredalow-gradeflowstate]outtrainingwithmydadandthetroopsrdquo

ThehighstayedwithPottershapedhimbegantodefinehimldquoInoticedtherewasapatterntoitrdquohesaysldquoIrsquodberunninganditwouldbehardandthenIrsquodcheckoutforalittlewhileIsawearlyonthatbeingexhaustedmadeiteasiertoquietthemindandgettothezonerdquo

His most poignant lesson occurred the first time his father took himfishing Getting to their desired spotmeant stepping across a series of slime-covered rocksDeanwas nervous lost his footing and plunged into the riverThe cold knocked the wind from him he scrambled up the bank and startedcryingldquoIdonrsquotlikefishingrdquohebawledldquoIwanttogohomerdquo

Potterrsquos father shook his head no instead he gave his son some adviceldquoPuteverythingasideTherersquosnothingtobeafraidofexceptalittlecoldwaterJustfocusonthenextstepsyouare takingrdquoFocuswas thekeytogettingpastthefearmdashandeverythingelseaswellPrettysoonDeanwasskippingfromstonetostonehisbodyautomaticallygoingwhereitneededtogoBydayrsquosendhewas racing around the river playing in rapids all of his senses remarkablyheightenedldquoThatgavemealotofconfidencerdquohesaysnowldquobutitalsogavemeaglimpseofthesuperpowersandmyfirstmemoryoftheVoicerdquo

The Voicemdashthe voice of intuitionmdashthe center of the zonersquos mysteryEverybodywhohaseverbeeninaflowstatehashearditmdashavoiceverydifferentfrom themindrsquos normal chatterNeuroscientistDavidEagleman likes to quotePinkFloydwhendescribingthisfacetldquoTherersquossomeoneinmyheadbutitrsquosnotmerdquowhiletheIndianphilosopherJidduKrishnamurtireferstothissomeoneasldquotheTyrantrdquoCertainly both statements trackwith Potterrsquos experience ldquoRightbefore I have tomake amove theVoice tellsmewhat to doAnd itrsquos neverwrongWhen theVoice tellsyou todo somethingyoudo it right thendonrsquotthinknoquestionsaskedNotlisteningtotheVoiceiswhatrsquollgetyoukilledIlearnedthatreallyearlyinmyclimbingcareerrdquo

Sowhat is theVoiceCarl Jung defined intuition as ldquoperception via the

unconsciousrdquoandtheVoiceistheendresultofthatperceptionmdashtheunconsciousmind broadcasting its perceptions to the conscious mind Of course itrsquos notalways a voice Some people see images others get strong feelingsOccasionallytheinformationarrivesbymultiplechannelsAndthatinformationarrivesconstantlyIntuitionisapermanentfeatureofstandardbrainfunctionmdashmeaningtheVoiceisalwayscommunicatingwithusmdashyetwecanrarelyhearitThedataisdilutedanddistortedbyeverythingelsethemindisconsideringButin flow for reasons wersquoll explore in this chapter the signal is stronger themessageclearer and for thoseon the receivingend the feelingaccompanyingthatbroadcastisoftenoneofprofoundreliefmdashasensethatfinallyatlonglastsomeoneelseisdrivingthisbus

PotterhasbeenlisteningtotheVoiceoveracareerthatrsquoshadfewparallelsAs a climber his reputation hinges on speed and daring In 1998 he ran upYosemitersquos legendary Half Dome in four hours and sixteen minutesmdashtheprevious record was twenty hours and fifty-sixminutes In 1999 it was HalfDomeandTheNoseonElCapitanintwenty-threehoursmarkingthefirstsoloone-dayassaultofbothroutesIn2000PotterwentaloneandropelessupBlindFaith theRostrumandAstromanmdashthreenotable terrors thatwouldsurelykillmost mortals The following year he broke the four-hour mark on The Nose(threehoursfifty-nineminutesthirty-fiveseconds)whichwouldbealifetimeachievementformostandforhimwasjustthebeginning

In2002with thesewarm-upsbehindhimPotter tookhisone-manbanddowntoPatagoniaWithinafewdaysofarrivalhebecamethefirstpersontofreesoloMountFitzRoysendingSupercanaletamdashaclassicmile-longice-and-rock routemdashin an astounding six and a half hoursNext after little rest and atwenty-four-hour hike including a pitch-black glacier crossing he tackled theSolos Compressor route up Cerro Torremdasha nearby mountain that ranks justbelow Fitz Roy on the climberrsquos list of terrible tyrants Potter didnrsquot seem tomindHetoppedoutinarecord-breakingelevenhoursthenhappenedtoglanceacrossthevalleyandbackatFitzRoy

The most famous route up Fitz Roy is known as Californian Directlybelowitsits thedeadlyPoincenotcouloirLinkingthetwotogetherhasbeenalongtimedreamofclimbersbutagiantseracoverhangingthecouloirmakesthedangerextremeOvertheyearsanuncomfortablenumberofathleteshavelosttheir lives trying to join these routes Making matters more complicated thecouloirandtheCalifornianareconnectedbyafeaturelessstretchofstoneover250 feet high Only when a rare ice flow (a frozen waterfall) forms can thesectionbecrossedWhilePotterisadmittedlynotmuchofaniceclimberwhenhe glanced across that valley and saw the ice flow in place well what other

choicedidhehaveldquoIwasfollowingtheVoicerdquoherecountsldquoandmorefocusedthanIrsquodever

been Iwas doing everything I could to cultivate that heightened awareness IwasdowntherealonesleepingunderrocksnottalkingtoanyonemeditatingmdashalltohelpstrengthenmyintuitionTheVoicesaidclimbsothatrsquoswhatIdidrdquo

WhenPotterstarteduptheroutehedidnrsquotneedhisintuitiontoalerthimtothedangerAbovehim the seracwasmoaning ldquoItwas100000-year-oldblueiceanditwaswailingLikelisteningtoa tickingtimebombMybodyhadaninstinctivereactiontothesoundIstartedclimbinglikeamaniacIcouldnrsquothavesloweddownifItriedrdquo

Potterzippedupthecouloirandthensailedover the iceflowItwasthehardest ice climbing hersquod ever done but nothing could slow him down Hereached thehalfwaypoint on the route in less than fivehoursmdashshaving adayandahalfoffthetraditionalpacemdashbutthefrenzyhadcomeatacost

PotterrsquosheartalreadyracingstartedskippingbeatsCertainhewasabouttohaveaheartattackheateallhisfoodtryingtogivehisbodythefueltocalmdownItwasabigbetStilltocomewasthelastbigpushoftheroutea2000-footverticalrockwallldquoItwashugerdquorecountsPotterldquoandIhadnoideawhichwas the rightway togoBut I started following the footholds listening to theVoiceandnotquestioningrdquo

ThiswasnoeasytaskThewallPotterfacedwasoverone-thirdofamilehighmdashor roughly double the height ofNewYorkrsquosChrysler buildingHe hadvery little information about the correct way up and it was biophysicallyimpossibleforhimtojudgethequalityof thefootholdsfromthatfarbelowIfweassumeathree-footheightgainpermovegettingtoFitzRoyrsquosapexmeanttheVoicewouldhavetomake670correctdecisionsinarowmdashandPottercouldquestionnoneofthem

Some of those decisions were fairly unusual Near the top of that finalpushatapointwherethetraditionalroutehuggedacornerPottersawacrackon the face that seemed to be calling to him Really beckoning But crackclimbing without a rope is often an all-or-nothing proposition Once Pottercommitted to the line downclimbing was not a possibility The only way tosurvivewas to finish the ascentBut therersquos noway to judge the depth of thecrackthequalityoftherockoranynumberofotherunfathomablesfrombelowIfPotterrsquosgutwastheslightestbitwrongtherersquodbenoretreatHersquodnevermakeitoffthemountainalive

YetagainhisintuitionwascorrectldquoThecrackwasperfectWhateverIneededtojamintheremdashmyhandmy

feetmykneemdashlikeakeyslipping intoa lock like thecrackhadbeencustom

designedformybodyrdquoThecrackendedintherarestofgiftsPottertoppedoutintoagiantcrystal

gardenHersquodneverseenanythinglikeitshimmeringfractalsoflightallalongthewallrsquos faceArguablyhewas thefirstperson inhistory to layeyeson thisplace Definitely he was the first person in history to free solo three ofPatagoniarsquosbiggestroutesinasingleseasonButhisordealwasnrsquotquiteover

ComingdownoffFitzRoywassupposedtobeeasierPotterhaddecidedtodescendtheldquofriendlierrdquoeastfaceTheroutewasnrsquottheissueTheissuewasabove the routemdashwhere a tremendous snowfield sat jam-packed with looserockWithnothingbeyonda5mmropeandthirtyrappelsaheadofhimPotterwasconcernedAlittlesunshinealittlesnowmeltalittlerockfallmdashitwouldnrsquottakemuchtocutthatropeinhalf

Four pitches into the descent all that listening to his intuition paid offPotterrsquos ears started ringingHe looked up he just knewA few seconds latertherewasadeepboomingcrackandrocksstartedtofallSlabsthesizeofdiningroom tables were pulling free and tumbling down A good-size chunk washeadingstraightforhishead

In this situation standardprotocol is toget smallClimbers try to flattenthemselvesagainstthewallButtheVoicehadyettobewrongPotterwastoldto kick outward and again he did as hewas toldmdashsaving his own life in theprocess

BykickingoutwardPottergothisheadoutoftheprojectilersquosflightpathUnfortunately he exposed his torso The rock clipped his thigh the painknocked him unconscious He came to dangling 4000 feet in the air theappendagecompletelynumbIttooktwentyrappelstogetbacktosolidgroundPottercouldusehislegfornoneofthem

Unable to walk Potter still faced a long hike and a dangerous glaciercrossing He slithered across the ice traversing tiny snow bridges over giantcrevassesonhisbellyIttookhimtwenty-fourhourstoreachhisbasecampHeliterallycrawledoffthatmountainHewasdeeplysatisfied

ldquoIwenttoPatagoniatocultivatemyintuitionmdashtolistentotheVoiceWhenIrsquom really in tune with it really deep in the zone I get to a place where IdisappearcompletelywhereImergewiththerockwhentimeslowsdownmysenses are unbelievably heightened and I feel that oneness that full-bodypsychic connection to the universe It took risking my life to get there butmission accomplished And thatrsquos why I climb I crave these experiences Icertainlydonrsquotclimbtogetontopofrocksrdquo

TRANSIENTHYPOFRONTALITYANDTHEQUIETINGOFDOUBT

Theexperiences thatPottercravesmdashthedisappearanceofself thedistortionoftime and that ldquopsychic connectionrdquo to the universemdashare among flowrsquos morefamousqualitiesalsoitsmostpeculiarWhilethesephenomenaareincludedinmoststandarddescriptionsofthezone theyarealsothereasonWilliamJamesdescribed the state as ldquomysticalrdquo andMaslow borrowed quasi-Buddhist termslike self-actualization for its long-term effects Not surprisingly trying tounderstandhowthebrainproducesthispeculiarityhasbeenalongtimegoalofflowresearchersUnfortunatelyuntilrecentlytherehavebeenissues

Neuroanatomy for starters The brain is specialized Different areas dodifferentjobsSounderstandinghowthebrainproducesanexperiencerequiresunderstandingwhat parts of the brain are involved in that production and formost of the past century our imaging technologies werenrsquot up to the taskNeithertobehonestwereourresearchersThesecondissuewasfamiliaritythescientists most interested in studying flow states werenrsquot always that good athaving flow statesWith neither a technological nor personalwindow into theexperiencetheresultwasablackboxandabigpuzzle

ArneDietrichthoughfacedneitheroftheseproblemsAtallmanwithabaldheadDietrichwasborninGermanystudiedneuroscienceattheUniversityof Georgia and now teaches at the American University in Beirut His earlywork was on learning and memory his later work on creativity andconsciousnessYetdespitetheseriousnessofthesetopicsDietrichhasacasualmanner an easy laugh and a professional biography that includes the lineldquoAfterawhollyuneventfultimeincollegehespentseveralyearsglobetrottingclimbing little known mountains and bushwhacking through the jungle alifestyle interrupted only by the occasional date and a few phone calls to hismotherrdquo

Dietrichstoppedglobetrottingand returned tograduate school in the late1990saroundthesametimethathigh-poweredimagingdeviceslikefMRIwererevolutionizing the fieldFor the first time inhistory scientistshada concretepicture of neurological structure and functionmdasha picture all earlier flowresearchershadlackedButDietrichhadmorethanthatAsalifelongathletehehadactualknowledgeofthezone

A weight lifter and soccer player growing up Dietrich became arecreational mountaineer after college and ldquobecause there were no realmountainsinGeorgiardquoaserioustriathletewhilefinishinghisPhDIntheearly2000sDietrichstartedcompetinginIronmanstrainingoverthirtyhoursaweek

Likemanyenduranceathleteshefoundlongrunswereaneasyentrancetothezonemdashandthisledtoquestions

Formostofthepasthalfcenturyintheldquowhichpartofthebrainproducesflowrdquosweepstakestheprevailingwisdomhascenteredontheprefrontalcortex(PFC)ThismakessenseThePFCistheheartofourhighercognitiveabilitiesItrsquos the placewe collect data problem solve plan ahead assess risk evaluaterewards analyze thoughts suppress urges learn from experiencemakemoraldecisionsandgiverisetoournormalsenseofselfSincethezoneisastateofheightened performance and enhanced decisionmaking it seemed obvious toscientiststhattheentirePFCwasinvolvedarguablyfunctioningatamaximumlevelButthisdidnrsquottrackwithDietrichrsquosexperience

ldquoTheprefrontalcortexiswherethinkinghappensrdquoheexplainsldquoItrsquoswherewetakesimpleideasandaddallkindoflayersofcomplexitytothemButIwasslipping into flow of a regular basis and always amazed by the clarity of thestateAllthatcomplexitywasgoneDecisionswereeasyandautomaticItwasliketheoppositeofthinkingrdquo

So Dietrich started to wonder how the brain was eliminating thiscomplexitymdashwhich is when it dawned on him the brain wasnrsquot eliminatingcomplexity itwas eliminating thevery structures that created this complexityldquoWe had it backwardrdquo he says ldquoIn flow parts of the PFC arenrsquot becominghyperactivepartsofitaretemporarilydeactivatingItrsquosanefficiencyexchangeWersquoretradingenergyusuallyusedforhighercognitivefunctionsforheightenedattentionandawarenessrdquo

Thetechnicaltermforthisexchangeistransienthypofrontalitywithhypo(meaningslow)being theoppositeofhyper (ie fast) In flowwhichpartsofthebrainbecomehypofrontal determines thenatureof the experiencemdashwith aquickruleofthumbbeingthegreaterthedeactivationofneuronalstructuresthemoreprofound(andbizarre)theexperience

In 2006 for example a team of Israeli scientists discovered that whenpeoplelosethemselvesinataskmdashbeitplayingcardsorhavingsexorclimbingamountainmdasha part of the brain called the superior frontal gyrus starts todeactivate The superior frontal gyrus helps produce our sense of self thatintrospective feeling of self-awareness which as the studyrsquos lead researcherIlan Goldberg toldNew Scientist is not always useful ldquoIf there is a suddendanger such as the appearance of a snake itrsquos helpful not to stand aroundwonderinghowonefeelsaboutthesituationrdquo

Another breakthrough occurred in 2008 when Johns HopkinsneuroscientistCharlesLimbbeganusingfMRItoexaminethebrainsofimprovjazzmusiciansandfreestylerappersimmersedinflowHefoundthedorsolateral

prefrontal cortex is also deactivated in the state The dorsolateral prefrontalcortexisanareaofthebrainbestknownforself-monitoringandimpulsecontrolmdashbothofwhichare importanthereSelf-monitoring is thevoiceofdoubtanddisparagement thatdefeatistnagour innercriticSince flow isa fluidstatemdashwhereproblemsolvingisnearlyautomaticmdashsecond-guessingcanonlyslowthatprocessWhenthedorsolateralprefrontalcortexgoesquietthoseguessesarecutoff at the sourceThe result is liberationWeactwithouthesitationCreativitybecomes more free-flowing risk taking becomes less frightening In factwithout this structuredeactivated therewouldhavebeennoway forPotter toldquofollow theVoice no questions askedrdquo The job of the dorsolateral prefrontalcortexistoaskthosequestionstostarttheprocessofsecond-guessingItistheenemyofflowjunkieseverywhere

ImpulsecontrolmeanwhileisanotherenemyInnormallifeourabilitytoresisttemptationiscriticaltosurvivalbutflowisanactionstatetheVoicetellsuswhattodoandwedoitIfwearetryingtocontrolourimpulseshesitationwouldcreepintotheprocessTheendresultwouldbemuchlessdoingandmdashforathleteslikePottermdashfarmoredying

Therersquosalsoaflipsidetotheseeventswhilepartsoftheprefrontalcortexare shuttingdownothersare rampingupmdashand this tooshapes theexperienceLimbforexamplefoundthatflowalsoactivatesthemedialprefrontalcortexapart of the brain that governs creative self-expression This is the reason thatpeople in thezonestillhave individualstylesEven thoughSonnyRollinsandJohn Coltrane both experience flow as an automatic process their sax solosdonrsquot sound the same Instead a hyperactivemedial prefrontal cortex ensuresthatevenwithself-awarenessoutofthewayourpersonalpreferencesstillleakthrough

Beyond these psychological impacts hypofrontality also confers anequally important physical advantage Penn State kinesiologist VladimirZatsiorskyusesthetermsmaximalstrengthandabsolutestrengthtodistinguishbetween the amount of force one can generate through acts of will and theamount of force ourmuscles can theoretically produce Normally people canaccessabout65percentoftheirabsolutestrengthtrainedweightlifterscangetthisup toabout80percentBut thatrsquosusually theendof the line Ifwecouldaccessallourstrengthoncommandwecouldveryeasilyoverextendourselvespushingbeyondourlimitsanddoingseriousdamagealongtheway

Flow changes this entire dynamic For starters in the zone the brainreleases a number of powerful painkillers that deaden us to the damage beingdoneandallowustopushourmaximalstrengthclosertoitsabsoluteboundary(more on this in the next chapter) Simultaneously transient hypofrontality

removesoursenseofselfWithpartsoftheprefrontalcortexdeactivatedtherersquosnoriskassessorfuturepredictororinnercriticaroundtomonitorthesituationThenormalsafetymeasureskeptinplacebytheconsciousmindarenolongerThisisanotherreasonwhyflowstatessignificantlyenhanceperformancewhentheldquoselfrdquodisappearsittakesmanyofourlimitsalongfortheride

UNSTUCKINTIME

In2002whiledragginghisnumblegoffFitzRoyPotterkeptthinkingtherehadtobeabetterwayItseemedridiculousthatheshouldbeabletofreesolouparoutethisdifficultonlytonearlydiewhilecomingbackdownThenitdawnedon him Why bother downclimbing Forget descending With help from aparachutehecouldfinishtheclimbfindtheappropriatelaunchpointandjump

Potter called this combination freeBASE for free soloing meets BASEjumping There was a small problem BASE jumping is skydivingrsquos farmoredangerouscousin itmeansparachutingoff a fixedobject (theacronymstandsforthemostpopularassortmentoffixedobjectsbuildingsantennaespansandearth)AtthetimehedreamedupthisideaforgetBASEjumpingmdashPotterdidnrsquotevenknowhowtoskydive

LearningwasnoteasyAsafreesoloistfallingalwaysmeantdyingThiswasahardnotiontoshakeOnhisfirstfree-fallskydivePotterfreakedHehadacoachwithhimTheyjumpedat13000feetwith5000feetbeingthetimetothrowthepilotchuteButat5000feetwhenPotter reachedbackhegrabbedthe leg loop of his harness by mistake ldquoI started yanking and yanking andnothinghappenedMymindfrozeTotalpanicCoachhadtoputmyhandonthepilotchutesoIcouldpullrdquo

But Potter was committed He kept at it He got better Pretty soon hedecided to try BASE jumping His inaugural leap was off a 500-foot bridgeabove Idahorsquos Snake River It was love at first flight ldquoIt can take a lot ofclimbing for me to get into the zonerdquo he says ldquoOn the speed climb of ElCapitanitdidnrsquothappenuntiltwo-thirdsofthewayupButonaBASEjumpitrsquosimmediateLeapoffacliffandWHAMmdashwelcometoanewrealityrdquo

In2003aboutayearintohisBASEtrainingPotterandafewfriendsweregiven the opportunity to BASE jump into Mexicorsquos ldquoCellar of Swallowsrdquo agargantuan open-air pit 1200 feet deep and actuallymisnamedWhile some50000 birds domake their home in this cave they are swifts not swallowsEitherway the cellar isdeepenough tohousea skyscraperWide tooWitha

diameterrunningbetween170and300feetinlengththecavernprovidesplentyofroomtosteeraparachute

ThegroupspenttwodaysBASEjumpingintothecaveAttheendofthattimewheneveryoneelsewas totallyexhaustedPotterdecidedhewantedonelastjumpldquoInevershouldhavedoneitrdquohesaysnowldquoIwasexhaustedfromallthat jumpingand riggingand Irsquod felt sick foralmostaday IrsquodalsohadabadfeelinginmygutItwasstupidIjustignoredallthesesignsrdquo

HealsoignoredanotherWhenhewenttostraponhischutehenoticedthecanopy was wet It should have been the end of his plans A wet chute isunevenlyweightedWhendeployedpartswillinflateotherswillnotPotternotthinking clearly decided the water was evenly dispersed and wouldnrsquot be aproblem

AnditwasnrsquotaproblemmdashatleastnotforthefirstfivesecondsofthejumpldquoWhen I leapedrdquohe says ldquoitwas right into the zone Immediatelymy sensesstarted peaking I was moving at ninety miles per hour but could see inincredibledetailmdashminutefissuresintherocktinypatchesoflichenbatguanordquo

Atthesix-secondmarkroughly500feetfromthegroundPotterdeployedhis chute It opened asymmetrically Thewet sections collapsed the dry onesinflated Instantly with the air currents unevenly distributed Potter startedspinningFromabovehisfriendsstartedshoutingldquoAvoidthewallsrdquoImportantsafetytipExceptwithhisguidelinestwistedtherewasnowaytosteer

Then the miraculous intervened the guidelines began to untwist PotterseizedthemomentyankingthetogglesHeknewthebettermovewastoreversehisdirectionmdashwhichwouldhavesenthimbackwardandoutintoopenspacemdashbutforreasonshestillcannotfathomheturnedleftinsteadHewasnowheadingdirectlytowardthecavewallWorsethemomentheturnedhischutecollapseddrapingitselfcompletelyoverhishead

ButPotterrsquossenseswerepeakingIn thefleeting instantbeforehisvisionvanished he caught a glimpse of orange ldquoWe were filming the jumpsrdquo herecountsldquosowersquodhungaropeabout400feetoffthedeckforthecameramanItwasglowingorangeAndthatwaswhatIsawaflashofglowingorangerdquo

He reacted immediatelygrabbing for the rope catching it tooBut therewasnowaytotightenhisgripPotterwaslessthan300feetfromthegroundandclosinginonterminalvelocityHishandswerealreadyburningfromthefrictionWhen he tried to clamp down on the rope his flesh flayed then instantlycauterizedThepainwasunbelievable

AbovehimhisfriendswerescreamingldquoHangonrdquoItwashisonlyoptionHeusedallhisstrengtheverylastbitAndPotterdidmanagetostophimselfforamomentmdashbutcouldnrsquotholdit

Again he started plummeting Again he clamped down Again hemanagedtostopNotamomenttoosoonWiththechutestillcoveringhiseyeshehadnowayofknowingbutPotterhadhaltedhimselfmerelysixfeetabovetheground

HisfriendsshouteddownldquoJustletgordquoPotterlandedinaheaponthecavefloorHishandsweredestroyedother

partsaswellHersquodtornall themusclesinhisstomachandhisrectumldquoIblewoutmyassrdquohesaysldquoIdidnrsquotevenknowthatwaspossiblerdquo

ButthatquestionagainHowisanyofthispossiblePotterrsquossurvivalhingedonthesecondofflowrsquosfamousodditiesaradical

shift in time perception ldquoEverything was moving in super slow motionrdquo herecountsldquoIhadtimetoheartheadvicemyfriendswereshoutingdownatmetothinkaboutittoturnmyparachutetohearmoreadvicetoseetheorangeropetorealizewhatitwastograbforittrytohangonnotbeabletoholdithearmyfriendsshoutingmoreinstructions tryagainItwasa lot todoanda longcomplicatedconversationButitwasallhappeningsoslowlyIcouldprocessallthatinformationandmaketherightdecisionsrdquo

ThetechnicalnameforPotterrsquosexperienceisldquotimedilationrdquoNormallyinthezoneafterself-awarenessstartstofadetemporalawarenesstendstofollowIn Flow Csikszentmihalyi explains further ldquoOne of the most commondescriptionsofoptimalexperienceisthattimenolongerseemstopassthewayitordinarilydoesTheobjective externaldurationwemeasurewith reference tooutside events like night and day or the orderly progression of clocks isrenderedirrelevantbytherhythmsdictatedbytheactivityhellip[I]ngeneralmostpeoplereport that timeseemstopassmuchfasterButoccasionallythereverseoccursrdquo

Why this happens asBaylor neuroscientistDavid Eagleman discoveredalsocomesdowntohypofrontalityThesameeventsthateraseoursenseofselfalsodistortoursenseoftimeInaseriesofelegantfMRIexperimentsEaglemanfoundthattemporalawarenessisnotcentralizedinanyonelocationinthebrainratheritiscalculatedbymultipleareasworkingtogetherThismeansthattimemuch like self is a summary judgment ademocratic conclusion reachedby avast prefrontal caucus But this also makes temporal awareness vulnerable tointerruption ldquoBecause flow deactivates large parts of the neocortexrdquo saysEagleman ldquoa number of these areas are offlinemdashthus distorting our ability tocomputetimerdquo

Underlying this loss of time is another efficiency exchange As focustightens the brain stops multitasking Energy normally used for temporalprocessing is reallocated for attention and awareness Instead of keeping time

we are taking in more data per second processing it more completely andperhapsmdashthoughgreatdebateragesaroundthispointmdashprocessingmoreofitpersecond

ItisallthisdatathatactuallyelongatesthecurrentmomentOursenseofhowlongldquothenowrdquolastsisdirectlyrelatedtoinformationprocessingThemorestuffwersquoreprocessingthelongerthemomentappearstolastAndthelongerthemoment lasts the better quantity and quality of information we have at ourdisposalMoredatagivesusashotatsuddeninsightsBetterdataleadstomorecreative solutionsBoth allowus to fine-tune our reactionsThis is the reasonPottercouldmaketheleapfromldquoglowingorangerdquotoldquoclimbingropegrabnowrdquointhemillisecondhehadtoreachthatconclusionmdashitrsquosthereasonhersquosstillalive

THECLOSINGOFTHEDOORSOFPERCEPTION

WhenPotterfinallygotthatparachuteoffhisheadhefoundhimselfsittingontheflooroftheCellarofSwallowsAbovehimhisfriendswererunningaroundtrying to facilitate his rescue He paid them little mind His body was prettydestroyedmdashagainhedidnrsquotnoticeInsteadhisfocuswasentirelyonthegroundbesidehimwhereasmallswiftwithabrokenwinglaydying

InstinctivelyPotterpickedup thebirdcradling it inhisshreddedpalmsThe connection was immediate As soon as their flesh touched he felt apowerful psychic union as if his consciousness had merged with the birdrsquosconsciousnessInthatinstanttheywerenolongertwowoundedcreaturestheyhadbecomeonestrongeranimal

ldquoI know itrsquos hard to believerdquo says Potter ldquobut the experience was sopowerfultheconnectionsotrueIjustsattherewiththatbirdholdingitwhileitdiedWhenitdiedIdiedwithitAndIdonrsquotmeanthatmetaphoricallyImeanIbecamethatdyingbirdrdquo

WhilePotterrsquosexperiencemaybehard tobelievevariationsof itarenotthat uncommon in action and adventure sports Surfers frequently reportbecomingonewiththewavessnowboardersbecomeonewiththemountainldquoItwas like I reached a placewhere clarity and intuition and effort and focus allcametogethertobringmetoahigherlevelofconsciousnessrdquosaysprofessionalkayakerSamDrevoldquoalevelwhereIwasnolongermeIwaspartoftheriverrdquoInfact longbefore theCaveofSwallowsPotter toohadfamiliarityWhenhewenttoPatagoniahuntingthatldquopsychicconnectiontotheuniverserdquothiswastheveryexperiencehedesired

ItwasJeffersonUniversityneuroscientistAndrewNewbergandUniversityofPennsylvanianeuropsychologistEugeneDrsquoAquiliwhogaveusourfirst realinsight into this experience Back in 1991 theywere investigating a differentversion of onenessmdashthe kind produced by meditation In deep contemplativestates Tibetan Buddhists report ldquoabsolute unitary beingrdquo or the feeling ofbecomingonewitheverythingwhileFranciscannunsexperienceuniamysicaoronenesswithGodrsquos loveSoNewbergandDrsquoAquiliputbothBuddhistsandnunsinsideasinglephotonemissioncomputedtomography(SPECT)scannertotrytofigureoutiftherewasbiologybeneaththisspirituality

TheSPECTscanrevealedbiologyallrightandhypofrontalitytobeexactInmomentsof intenseconcentration the sameefficiencyexchange that erasesoursenseofselfanddistortsoursenseoftimebeginstoimpactourrelationshipto space Instead of taking place in the prefrontal lobes this hypofrontalityoccurs fartherback in thecortex in thesuperiorparietal lobeaportionof thebrainthatNewbergandDrsquoAquilidubbedtheorientationassociationarea(OAA)becauseithelpsusorientinspace

When functioning normally the OAA is a navigation system It judgeangles and distances maps course trajectories and keeps track of our bodyrsquosexact location But to do this last part the superior parietal lobe must alsoproduceaboundarylinetheborderofselfthedivisionbetweenfiniteldquousrdquoandtheinfiniteldquonotusrdquothatistherestoftheuniverse

ObviouslydrawingthisborderisnosimpletaskSotheOAAdependsona constant stream of incoming messages All of our senses send data hereIncredible calculations occur But all of this takes a lot of energyWhen thatenergy isneededelsewheremdashlikeduringmomentsof intense focusmdashtheOAAstops performing those calculations because it stops receiving those signalsWithout this data stream this part of the brain is temporarily blindedmdashit toobecomes hypofrontalmdashand to incredible result ldquoOnce this happensrdquo saysNewbergldquowecannolongerdrawalineandsaythisiswheretheselfendsandthis is where the rest of the world begins so the brain concludes it has toconcludethatatthismomentyouareonewitheverythingrdquo

This is a somewhat startling reversalEver sinceAldousHuxley told theworldabouthisexperimentswithmescalinetheideahasbeenthatthedoorsofperceptionneeded tobeopened forcosmicunity tobe revealedNewbergandDrsquoAquili discovered the inverse With hypofrontality attention is narrowingPartsofthebrainareshuttingdownOnenessistheresultofthenarrowingofthedoors of perception not throwing them wide open Huxley had it exactlybackward

Newberg and DrsquoAquili also discovered that what you focus on matters

Surfers with their attention entirely on a wave become one with the waveMeditating Franciscan nuns had Godrsquos love in mind so their experience wasoneness with Godrsquos love And Dean Potter at the bottom of the Cellar ofSwallowshadhisattentionentirelyuponadyingbirdsohedidinfactbecomethatdyingbird

Thisalsoexplainswhyonenesskeepsshowingupinactionandadventuresports Focus is focus Therersquos little difference between the amount ofconcentration needed by a meditator to achieve ldquoecstasyrdquo and the amountrequired by a BASE jumper leaping into a cave Danger heightens attentionThus the big mountains and big waves allow us to cheat this process a factPotteropenlyacknowledgesldquoItaketheeasywayrdquohesaysldquoIcansitonmyassandmeditatefortwohourstogetafifteen-secondglimpseofthisstateOrIcanriskmylifeandgetthereinstantlymdashanditlastsforhoursrdquo

This is not to say these athletes are a new class of enlightened spiritualwarriorsNot close Likemost of us theyrsquorewildly fallible and often flawedBut spirituality isnrsquot their intention Action and adventure athletes want toexperienceonenessbecauseitenhancestheirperformancemdashitmakesthembetterathletes

Thisperformancebenefitemerges fromanumberofdifferentplacesbutfor starters letrsquos return to wherewe began enhanced decisionmaking Sinceflowisafluidactionstatemakingbetterdecisionsisnrsquotenoughwealsohavetoact on those decisions The problem is fear which stands between us and allactionsYetour fears aregrounded in self time and spaceWithour senseofselfoutofthewayweareliberatedfromdoubtandinsecurityWithtimegonethereisnoyesterdaytoregretortomorrowtoworryaboutAndwhenoursenseofspacedisappearssodophysicalconsequencesButwhenall threevanishatonce something far more incredible occurs our fear of deathmdashthat mostfundamentalofallfearsmdashcannolongerexistSimplyputifyoursquoreinfiniteandatemporalyoucannotdie

ThisisalsowhytheVoicecomesthroughsoclearlyinaflowstateWithself time and space erased from the picture all that complexity thatDietrichmentionediseditedout Itrsquosnot that theVoice is turnedup louder in thezoneitrsquosthateverythingthatstandsbetweenusandthemessageisremovedfromthepicture

Yet this begs an even deeper questionmdashwhere does the Voice get itsinformationWhenDean Potterwas climbing FitzRoy he felt ldquoonewith therockrdquomdashbut was this more than a feeling His intuition led him straight up a2000-footwall Foothold to foothold some670decisions in a row theVoicewasneverwrongButtheVoiceshouldstillbesubjecttothelawsofbiophysics

Since the human eye canrsquot detect tiny variations from one-third of a milersquosdistancemdashwheredidtheinformationcomefrom

Toputitanotherwayscientistsassumethatunityisanillusionproducedby hypofrontalityWe feel one with everything but the merger is sensationalratherthanactualYetblindpeopleclaimtofeelthesidewalkthroughthetipsoftheir canes and racecardrivers say they feel the track through their tiresmdashtwobitsofanecdotalevidencethatsuggesttheexpansionoftheboundaryofselfalsoexpandsthereachofoursensesButhowfarcantheprocessgoPotterfeltatonewith themountain andhis astounding route-finding suggests that thiswasmorethanjustanillusion

ThereisafinaladvantagetoconsiderthisonefarlessesotericEverythingwersquore describing heremdashthe loss of self time and spacemdashare not the mostordinaryofexperiencesWhenmostpeoplebump into thesephenomena itrsquosarareencounteranastronautonamoonwalkWithoutanyframeofreferencethebizarreness of the experience tends to dominate By consistently puttingthemselves in flow action and adventure athletes have gained familiaritywithterra incognita Theyrsquore mapping the landscape learning the ins and outs oflunar gravity turning a one-time trip to the moon into a permanent basemdashalaunchpointforfurtherdeep-spaceexploration

AsPotterexplainsitldquoIlearnedthatthezonegavemesuperpowerswhenIwas a kid Inmy early career I spent a really long time figuring out how tocultivatethosepowersNowthethingthatinterestsmeispracticingwiththemtestingtheirlimitsYoursquovegottowonderIsavedmyownlifewhilefallingintoacavewithaparachuteovermyheadandthennottoolongafterwardbecameonewithabirdIfthatstuffispossiblewellwhatelseispossiblerdquo

4

TheWhatofFlow

THE RED BULL A I R FORCE

The first thingMike Swanson didwhen he exited the buildingwas check hisreflectioninthemirrorThiswasnrsquotvanityitwasprotocolThebuildingwastheWillisTower formerly theSearsTower 108 stories of cold steel black glassandmoderningenuityFromthegroundSwansonhaddifficultylookingupHeisseverelyafraidofheightsandjustthesightoftheTowerrsquosupperedgesome1451feetabovemadehimnervousButlookingupwasnrsquottheissuejustthenThatrsquosbecauseSwansonhadnrsquotexitedtheWillisfromthestreetlevelHedidnotusethemaindoorsNorthesidedoorsNoteventheemergencyexitSwansonhadjustjumpedofftheroof

ThiswasinJuly2011AfewmonthsearlierHollywooddirectorMichaelBayhadseenasegmentof60Minutes featuringJTHolmesandJulianBoulleflyingwingsuitsoffcliffsinNorwayBayhadneverseenanythinglikeitbeforethenagainnotmanypeoplehad

Theearliestattemptsatldquohuman-poweredflightrdquodate to thesixthcenturyCEwhenChineseemperorKaoYanggotcuriousabout thepotential for largekitestolifthumanbodiesYangstrappedanumberofvariationsontoprisonersandpushedthemofftalltowersOnedesignactuallyworkedAconvictnamedYuanHuang-trsquooufloatedsafelytotheground

Hiswasararesuccess

For the next 1500 years birdman aspirants have been strapping onhomebuiltwingssteppingoffhighperchesanddyingLiterallyeveryonewhowent down this road has been killed along the way By the tail end of thetwentiethcenturythebodycountwassohighthatmerelymentioningthewordldquowingsuitrdquoatanymajorskydivingoperationwasenough toget thrownoff thepremises

Change came in the 1990s Frenchman Patrick de Gayardon copied thewing design of flying squirrels stretching pliable nonporous fabric into threetriangularwingstworunningwristtoarmpitathirdformingagiantinvertedVbetweenthe legsHisrevolutionary insightwas tostitchaseriesofribsacrossthese wings When aloft ram air inflated the ribs much like modern squareparachutes providing pilots a three-to-one glide ratio (three feet forward foreveryone-footdrop)andanastoundinglevelofin-flightcontrol

In1999FinnishcompanyBirdmanInternationalbroughtasaferversionofthisdesigntomarketthenestablishedtheworldrsquosfirstwingsuitflyingschooltotrainpotentialcustomersInterestwasimmediatelyhighInthefirstyearalone2000skydiverstookthetrainingTherealtippingpointcamein2005whenagroupofNorwegianBASEjumpersreleasedSuperTerminalaDVDcontainingfootage of proximity flying piloting awingsuit a few feet above a cliff faceProximityflyingwastherealdealflyingjustlikethebirdsdoAndseriouslywhodoesnrsquotwanttoflylikeabird

AtthetimeMichaelBaycaughtJTandJulianrsquosacthewasworkingonthethird installment of hismega-franchiseTransformersDark of theMoon TheplotWellnevermindtheplotBayrsquosplanwasbig-budgetspectacularAs theTransformersareanalienraceofgiantrobotsmuchofthatbudgetwasspentoncomputer-generated imagery But Bay is also an archaic throwback whopreferred flesh-and-bloodhumans to do his stunts Immediately he decided tobecomethefirstdirectortoputwingsuitflyingintoanactionscene

Since no one in Hollywood knew too much about wingsuit flying JTHolmes was brought in to help stretch imaginations Holmes is both aprofessional big-mountain skier and a member of the Red Bull Air ForcearguablythegreatestassemblyofskydiversBASEjumperswingsuitflyersandparaglider pilots in the world For teammates he hired from within JulianBoullewould remain thecameraman JonDevoreAndyFarrington andMikeSwanson three othermembers of theAir Forcewere also brought on boardWith over 80000 jumps and a multitude of national and international titlesamongthemthesefivepilotswerealreadythebestofthebestButiftheyweregoing to survive theWillisTower theyweregoing tohave toget awhole lotbetterinahurry

For startersnoonehadever jumped theWillisbefore In factvery fewwingsuitpilotshadevenflownthroughacityBeyondthelegalitiesheightwasanissue1500feetofverticalclearanceistheminimummarginforsafetybutnot too many buildings stand that tall With rare exceptions urban wingsuitflying was terra incognita Unfortunately as Jon Devore points out ldquoonceinflatedthosewingsareextremelyrigidFlyingawingsuitislikepilotinganF-16 in a straight jacket Itrsquos not the ideal situation for encountering theunexpectedrdquo

MorealarmingwasthewindInthemountainswindmoveslikeariverinthecitylikeapinballWingsuitpilotsnotsurprisinglyprefercalmconditionswithgustshigherthanfifteenmilesperhourbeingenoughtocancelmostjumpsldquoWhenweputourheadsoverthesideoftheWillisforthefirsttimerdquocontinuesDevore ldquoit felt like getting punched The windwas blasting up the buildingThatwasabadmomentEveryonegotreallyquiethadalongthinkrdquo

All of them reached the same conclusionThehurricaneonly blew rightnext to the building Five feet out the airwas calmYet thiswouldmake analreadytrickyexiteventrickierBaywantedthemtoflyasagroupsologisticsdictatedasimultaneousdepartureIfanyonegotblownofcourseWithspeedswell over 100miles per hour andwith littlemore than inches between themYeahthewindwasanissue

ButtherealconcernwaslineofflightHolmeshaddecidedthatthemostinteresting choice lay on the south side of theWillis ldquoThis was a once in alifetime opportunityrdquo he says ldquoSo I wanted to do something memorablesomethingthatwouldreallypush theboundariesofurbanwingsuit flyingThejump from the south side was intense It was gnarly But I thought it wasdoablerdquo

BarelyTherewereapairofledgesmdashoneninetyfeetdownanother700feetdown

mdashdirectlybeneaththesouth-sidelaunchpointTheplancalledforthemtoflyinatightdiamondformationJTatthefrontJonandMikeinthemiddleAndyattherearWithfabricstretchedbetweentheirlegsrunningstartswereimpossibleYet clearing both ledges required their wings to immediately inflate whichmeantprejumpingwaddlingthreefeetfromtheedgeanddivingoverblindThiswaswhy Swanson checked his reflection on the side of the buildingHewastryingtomakesurehewasintherightplacemdashhislifedependedonit

Within three seconds they would reach terminal velocity then use thatspeedtothreadtheneedlebetweenarowofbuildingsbeforemakingasharpS-turn a hard left around a skyscraper then an immediate right around anotherThe formerwas their real concern Itwasavery hard left 110degrees at150

miles per hourAt the apex of the turn eachwould pull fourGsmdashlike beingpinnedbeneathamedium-sizemotorcyclemdashandlessthantenfeetfromthesideofthebuilding

JTHolmes fromhisposition flyingpointwould initiate allmovementsYetherersquosthethinginthistightofaformationiftheteamactuallywaitedforHolmes to start his hard left itwouldbe too late ldquoI need toknowwhat JT isgoingtodobeforehedoesitrdquoexplainsSwansonldquoIfIwaitforhimtoactuallygetthroughthemotionthenIwonrsquotbeabletoturnintimerdquo

HisteammateAndyFarringtonputsthingsslightlydifferentlyldquoWestartedcallingitlsquoSuicideCornerrsquoWejusthadnorealideaifitwasactuallypossibletomakethatturnrdquo

ForallofthesereasonsbeforeanyjumpswereattemptedHolmesmadeademandunheardofinmoviestuntcoordinationhewantedtheentireteamflowntoSwitzerlandforamonthoftrainingHewantedtofindnear-verticalcliffstopractice formationswoopingTight turnsdone incloseproximitywerealsoonthe rehearsal menu But mainly because this was the hardest urban wingsuitflight ever attempted and their survival so clearly depended upon it theypracticedESPmdashwhichasitturnsoutisactuallyathingyoucanpractice

PATTERNRECOGNITIONANDESP

In2011 a teamof researchers at theBeckman Institute forAdvancedScienceand Technology at the University of Illinois decided to play a little FroggerActuallytheydecidedtoplayabigFroggerLife-sizebigTheirgoalwastoseehownormalcollegestudentsfaredagainstDivisionIathletesinafewroundsofldquocrossabusycitystreetdonrsquotgetsplattedrdquo

For the experiment a treadmill was placed between three ten-foot-highscreenseachshowingalivelycityscapeJustlikeinthevideogameabustlingboulevard sat center stage Traffic came from both directions whizzing by atspeeds between forty and fifty-fivemiles per hour Athletes from all sorts ofsportswererecruitedEveryonehoppedonthetreadmilldonnedvirtual-realitygoggles to increase depth and verisimilitude and tried to avoid becomingroadkillmdashninety-sixtimesinarow

In the end there was a huge performance gap between normals andathletesNormalsmade it to the other side 55 percent of the time athletes 72percentofthetimeThemoreinterestingpartwaswhy

The assumption was that physical fitness accounted for the athletesrsquo

success But this wasnrsquot what the researchers discovered It wasnrsquot that theathleteswerequickerormoreagileTheydidnrsquotdodgeandweavethroughtrafficbetter than the normal students Instead they could assimilate and applyincoming information with more speed and accuracy than nonathletesNeuroscientistArtKramerwho oversaw thiswork told theNew York TimesldquoTheydidnrsquotmovefasterbutitlooksliketheythoughtfasterrdquo

How they thought fasterhasbeen the subjectofan incredibleamountofrecentresearchOverthepastfewdecadesneuroscientistshavediscoveredthatthe main job of the neocortex is to predict the future This was a radicalrevelation The old idea was interpretation the senses gather data and thendecidewhatrsquosactuallyhappeningin theworldThenewideameans thesensesgatherdataandthebrainusesthatinformationtomakepredictionsaboutwhatrsquoshappeningintheworldbeforeitrsquoshappenedImagineforexampleapproachinga door ldquothinsplsquoPredictionrsquo means that the neurons involved in sensing your doorbecomeactiveinadvanceofthemactuallyreceivingsensoryinputrdquowritesJeffHawkinsandSandraBlakesleeinOnIntelligence

WhenthesensoryinputdoesarriveitiscomparedwithwhatwasexpectedAsyouapproachthedooryourcortexisformingaslewofpredictionsbasedonpastexperienceAsyoureachoutitpredictswhatyouwillfeelonyourfingerswhenyouwillfeelthedoorandatwhatangleyourjointswillbewhentheyactuallytouchthedoorAsyoustarttopushthedooropenyourcortexpredictshowmuchresistancethedoorwillofferandhowitwillsoundWhenyourpredictionsareallmetyouwalkthroughthedoorwithoutconsciouslyknowingthesepredictionswereverifiedButifyourexpectationsaboutthedoorareviolatedtheerrorwillcauseyoutotakenoticeCorrectpredictionsresultinunderstandingIncorrectpredictionsresultinconfusionandpromptyoutopayattentionThedoorlatchisnotwhereitissupposedtobeThedooristoolightThedoorisoffcenterThetextureoftheknobiswrongWearemakingcontinuouslow-levelpredictionsinparallelacrossalloursenses

Soimportantispredictiontosurvivalthatwhenthebrainguessescorrectlymdashiewhenthebrainrsquospattern-recognitionsystemidentifiesacorrectpatternmdashwe get a reward a tiny squirt of the feel-good neurochemical dopamineDopamine feels really good Cocaine widely considered one of the mostaddictive substances on earth does little besides cause the brain to release

dopamine and then block its reuptake This same rush reinforces patternrecognitionmdashitrsquoswhylearninghappens

But dopamine actually does double duty Not only does thisneurotransmitter help us learn new patterns it also amps up attention andreducesnoiseinneuralnetworksmakingiteasierforustonoticemorepatternsAnd noticing patterns actually prepares the brain to noticemore patterns ItrsquoswhycreativeinsightstendtosnowballOncewedothehardworkofidentifyingthatfirstpatternthedopaminedumpedinoursystemprimesustopickoutthenext

AndthenextNeurons that fire together wire together The more times a particular

pattern fires the stronger the connection between neurons becomes and thefaster information flows along this route This is learning and it leads toldquochunkingrdquoWhen thepatternrecognitionsystemcorrectly identifiesapatternitrsquosstorednotasaseriesofstepsratherasawholemdashachunkChunksgetaddedtochunksgetaddedtochunksuntilseeingthefrontedgeofatinypatternallowsustomakeverycomplicatedpredictionsaboutthefuture

It was these predictions that explain why the athletes playing Froggeroutperformed the normals Sports usually involve making calculations aboutapproachingobjectsandreactiontimesTheathletesalreadyhadthesepatternsdownThus their brains could take in a tiny bit of informationmdashavery quickglance at that cityscapemdashand use it tomake a very complicated prediction asafepathacrossthestreet

Something similar happenedwith theTransformers BASE jumpers TheRedBullAirForcewenttoSwitzerlandtolearnoneanotherrsquosticstendenciesandtechniquesmdashtheirpatternsTheydiddozensanddozensofpracticejumpssothesepatternsformedintochunksthatformedintolargerchunksthatpredictedavery sophisticated future TakeMike Swansonrsquos experience In their diamondformationhewaspositionedbehindandtotheleftofJTHolmesThismeanthisin-flight focuswas entirely on thebackofHolmesrsquos left shoeAshe says ldquoitwas almost all I saw on the way downrdquo But to avoid dying along the waySwanson had to learn very subtle patternsmdashlike saywhen JTrsquos heal twitchesslightlyleftanddownhersquosasecondawayfrominitiatingasteepdiveThegoalistocutoutconsciousnessSwansondoesnrsquothavetimetoseeHolmesrsquostwitchdecidewhat itmeans and initiatehis owndiveHeneeds tohave learned thepatterns so well and trust his predictions so much that even before JTrsquos footbegins to twitch his implicit system has already identified the chunk andtriggered the reaction By the time this information trickles up to Swansonrsquosconsciousnesshersquosalreadymidswoop

Swansonthoughhadanotheradvantageinthisefforthewasinflowstateduring that jump They allwere Itrsquos the reason they survived the trip aroundSuicideCornerFlowturnspredictivepatternrecognitionintofull-blownESP

THENEUROCHEMISTRYOFFLOW

Tounderstandhowflowmakesthispossiblerequiresunderstandingalittlemoreneurochemistrybutbeforeweget thereitrsquosworthconsideringthemacroscopicperspectiveFloworiginatesinthebrainthusourattempttounpackthesciencebehindthestatehasbeenfocusedthereAsmostresearchersdescribebasicbrainfunction with a triumvirate approachmdashneuroelectricity neuroanatomy andneurochemistry (ie the twoways the brain communicates internally and theplaces where those communications take place)mdashwe too have followed thatpathwiththischapterbeingthetrilogyrsquoslastinstallmentWhenfinishedwersquollhaveourmapbutthelargerpointisthatcartographyisnotreality

Whatrsquosbeingpresentedhereismorethantheldquominimumviableflowrdquo(ieenoughinformationtogeteveryoneonthesamepage)yetlessthanacompletepicture(iethereisover100yearsofscientificresearchtocover)Fornigglingparticulars potential caveats and larger possibilities check out the endnotesAnd if you want more read my blog Rise (available atwwwriseofsupermancom)andforevenmorethewebsitefortheFlowGenomeProject(wwwflowgenomeprojectco)

Along these same lines there are dozens of neurochemical systemsinvolvedinflowSomearestillunknownsomeirrelevanttothisdiscussionOurfocushereisonaquintetofstarperformersthesubstancesthatmdashtorepriseouroriginaldescriptionmdashhelpsetflowapartfromallotherstatesofconsciousnessalteredorotherwiseFlowrsquostwodefiningcharacteristicsareitsfeel-goodnature(flow is always a positive experience) and its function as a performanceenhancer The chemicals described herein are among the strongest mood-boostersandperformance-enhancersthebodycanproduce

NowsomedetailsAtaverysimple levelneurochemicalsareldquoinformationmoleculesrdquoused

bythebrain to transmitmessagesMostly thesemessagesareeitherexcitatoryorinhibitoryDomoreofwhatyoursquoredoingorDolessofwhatyoursquoredoingButthese small signals addupquickly changingemotions altering thoughts fine-tuningreactionsmdashessentiallyshapingourresponsetoexternalevents

Flow is an extremely potent response to external events and requires an

extraordinary set of signalsTheprocess includesdopaminewhichdoesmorethantunesignal-to-noiseratiosEmotionallywefeeldopamineasengagementexcitementcreativityandadesire to investigateandmakemeaningoutof theworldEvolutionarilyitservesasimilarfunctionHumanbeingsarehardwiredforexplorationhardwiredtopushtheenvelopedopamineislargelyresponsiblefor that wiring This neurochemical is released whenever we take a risk orencounter something novel It rewards exploratory behavior It also helps ussurvive that behavior By increasing attention information flow and patternrecognitioninthebrainandheartratebloodpressureandmusclefiringtiminginthebodydopamineservesasaformidableskill-boosteraswell

NorepinephrineprovidesanotherboostInthebodyitspeedsupheartratemuscle tension and respiration and triggers glucose release sowe havemoreenergy In the brain norepinephrine increases arousal attention neuralefficiencyandemotionalcontrolInflowitkeepsuslockedontargetholdingdistractions at bay And as a pleasure-inducer if dopaminersquos drug analog iscocainenorepinephrinersquosisspeedwhichmeansthisenhancementcomeswithahellofahigh

Endorphins our third flow conspirator also comewith a hell of a highThese natural ldquoendogenousrdquo (meaning naturally internal to the body) opiatesrelievepainandproducepleasuremuch likeldquoexogenousrdquo (externallyadded tothe body) opiates like heroin Potent too The most commonly producedendorphinis100timesmorepowerfulthanmedicalmorphine

Thenextneurotransmitter isanandamidewhich takes itsname from theSanskritwordforldquoblissrdquomdashandforgoodreasonAnandamideisanendogenouscannabinoidandsimilarlyfeelslikethepsychoactiveeffectfoundinmarijuanaKnown to show up in exercise-induced flow states (and suspected in otherkinds) this chemical elevates mood relieves pain dilates blood vessels andbronchialtubes(aidingrespiration)andamplifieslateralthinking(ourabilitytolink disparate ideas together) More critically anandamide also inhibits ourabilitytofeelfearevenpossiblyaccordingtoresearchdoneatDukefacilitatestheextinctionoflong-termfearmemories

Lastlyatthetailendofaflowstateitalsoappears(moreresearchneedstobedone)thatthebrainreleasesserotonintheneurochemicalnowassociatedwithSSRIs likeProzacldquoItrsquosamolecule involved inhelpingpeoplecopewithadversityrdquoOxfordUniversityrsquosPhilipCowentold theNewYorkTimesldquotonotloseittokeepgoingandtrytosorteverythingoutrdquoInflowserotoninispartlyresponsiblefortheaftergloweffectandthusthecauseofsomeconfusionldquoAlotof people associate serotonin directly with flowrdquo says high performancepsychologistMichaelGervais ldquobut thatrsquosbackwardBy the time the serotonin

hasarrivedthestatehasalreadyhappenedItrsquosasignalthingsarecomingtoanendnotjustbeginningrdquo

These five chemicals are flowrsquos mighty cocktail Alone each packs apunchtogetherawallopConsiderthechainofeventsthattakesusfrompatternrecognition through future prediction Norepinephrine tightens focus (dataacquisition)dopamine jackspatternrecognition(dataprocessing)anandamideaccelerates lateral thinking (widens the database searched by the patternrecognitionsystem)TheresultsasbasketballlegendBillRussellexplainsinhisbiographySecondWindreallydofeelpsychic

EverysooftenaCelticgamewouldheatupsothatitwouldbecomemorethanaphysicalorevenmentalgameandwouldbemagicalThatfeelingisdifficulttodescribeandIcertainlynevertalkedaboutitwhenIwasplayingWhenithappenedIcouldfeelmyplayrisetoanewlevelhellipAtthatspeciallevelallsortsofoddthingshappenedhellipItwasalmostasifwewereplayinginslowmotionDuringthosespellsIcouldalmostsensehowthenextplaywoulddevelopandwherethenextshotwouldbetakenEvenbeforetheotherteambroughttheballinboundsIcouldfeelitsokeenlythatIrsquodwanttoshouttomyteammateslsquoItrsquoscomingtherersquomdashexceptthatIkneweverythingwouldchangeifIdidMypremonitionswouldbeconsistentlycorrectandIalwaysfeltthenthatInotonlyknewalltheCelticsbyheartbutalltheopposingplayersandthattheyallknewmeTherehavebeenmanytimesinmycareerwhenIfeltmovedorjoyfulbutthesewerethemomentswhenIhadchillspulsingupanddownmyspine

Yet the Transformers BASE jumpers werenrsquot just trying to predict thefuture they were betting their lives on their predictions And this level ofpsychicconfidence takesanadditional ingredient trustA lotof trust ldquoThree-fourthsofwhatIsawonthewaydownwasJTrsquosshoerdquosaysDevoreldquoIfIdidnrsquottrust him completely if I decided to look away and double-check one of hisactionsMostlikelyIjustputmyselfinaverybadsituationrdquo

To this end flowrsquos neurochemistry performs an added function itaccelerates social bonding Ever fall in love That highmdashthe sleeplessnessgiddiness hyperactivity loss of appetite etcmdashthatrsquos dopamine andnorepinephrine at work These are the neurochemicals that reinforce romanticloveEndorphinsserveasimilarfunctiononlyshowingupinmaternallove(ininfants)andgeneralattachment(inadults)Serotoninaswellfurtherreinforces

loveandattachment(alongsideoxytocin)Andanandamideasanypotsmokerwillattestmakesonefeelopenexpansiveandempatheticmdashallofwhichfurtherimprovesconnection

ThisiswhytheRedBullAirForcetrainedinSwitzerlandWhenevertheteamenteredaflowstatetogetherthesefiveneurochemicalsweretighteningthebondsbetweenthemampinguptrustgivingthemextraordinaryconfidenceinone another and their ability to understand one another ldquoBy the timewe leftEuroperdquosaysAndyFarringtonldquoIcouldreademotioninthebackofJTrsquosshoerdquo

Ofcourselong-marriedcouplescanreadeachotherrsquosmoodthroughtinydetailsintheirclothingfinisheachotherrsquossentencesandpredictmdashwithahighdegreeofaccuracymdashtheirpartnerrsquosreactiontocomplexeventsThedifferenceisspeedNormallythesetalentsarriveafteryearsandyearsofmatrimonyButtheRedBull Air Force trained in flow so theywent fromA to B in less than amonth

ItwasanalchemicaltransformationnodoubtaboutitButitwasalsojustthewarm-uproundWhen thatmonthwasover theAirForcepackedup theirgearandboardedaplaneandheadedfordowntownChicago

ItwastimefortheirtriproundSuicideCorner

SUICIDECORNERANDSITUATIONALAWARENESS

They dress quickly putting on their wingsuits in the street beside the WillisTowerA security guard lets them into the building they cross the lobby as apackIntheelevatorsteelbuttonsandonlythreepossibilitiesLL299and103Someonenoonerememberswhopunchesthefloor

ItrsquosashorttripTheirskywardchariotclocksinateighteenmilesperhourgoing the length of five football fields in just over aminute Ironicallymdashin atestament tohowgood thewingsuitrsquosglideabilityhasbecomeanddespite thefact that theyrsquoreabout to jumpoff theroofmdashtheAirForcewentupfaster thantheycamedown

Out of the elevator anddownahallwayAnother security guard a fifty-footstaircaseanoversizesteeldoorAs itcracksablastofwindmdashtheway ithappens up high They pass that threshold and into a strangemaze Toweringantennas enormous fans window-washing equipment JT Holmes calls itldquostandard roof junkrdquo as if roof junkwas something encountered on a regularbasis

TheywalktowardthecenterofthebuildingChicagolikeacarpetunfurls

beforethemTheviewisclearskiesandfiftymilesineverydirectionButtheirgazeisalreadyspokenforInthesouthwestcornerablackrampoverthesideapiratersquosplankintoayawningabyss

WhatthefuckwasIthinkingJTwantstoknowAnd thatrsquos when the adrenaline hits him Hits all of them A pulse-

poundingwashthethrillridebeforethethrillrideNonecaretoomuchforthisfeelingInfactdespitethefrequencywithwhichmanydismisstheseathletesasldquoadrenalinejunkiesrdquothetermisactuallyoneofthegreatestmisnomersinsportOfthehundredsofathletesinterviewedforthisbookveryfewenjoythisrushMostshareprofessionalkayakerTaoBermanrsquossentimentldquoIrsquomthefarthestthingfromanadrenalinejunkyIcanrsquotstandthatfeelingIfIrsquomfeelingadrenalineitmeans Irsquom feeling too much fear It means I havenrsquot done my homework Itmeansitrsquostimetogetoutofmyboattoreassessrdquo

ButtheyareallflowjunkiesmdashthedifferenceiscriticalAnd chemical The fight-or-flight responsemdashaka the adrenaline rushmdash

cocktails adrenaline cortisol (the stress hormone) and norepinephrine Itrsquos anextreme stress response The brain switches to reactive survival autopilotOptionsarelimitedtothreefightfleeorfreezeFlowistheoppositeacreativeproblem-solvingstateoptionswideopen

Yet there are reasons for the confusion The two highs are linked Riskheightens focus and flow follows focus This means that the fight-or-flightresponseprimesthebodymdashchemicallyandpsychologicallymdashfortheflowstateAthletesreportmovingthroughonetogettotheotherDannyWayforexamplehas a phrase he uses to remind himself of the importance of this transitionldquoNever a glitch on takeoffrdquo he says He means that when yoursquore teeteringbetweenflowandfight-or-flightallittakesisoneerrantthoughttosendyouinthewrongdirectionWhenWaypushesoffontotheMegaRamphehassecondstoflipthisswitchIfhecanfollowhisfocusintoflowhelivestorideanotherdayButifpanicswampsthecircuitryldquoThegreatestslamsofmylifetookplacewhen that happenedrdquo he says ldquoAlmost every time Irsquove ended up in thehospitalrdquo

TheRedBullAirForcecalmsdowndifferentlytheycircleupandhaveaquickpowwowTheyareafewmomentsfromimpossibleThereisnrsquotmuchtosay

ldquoYougoodwiththisrdquoldquoYeahrdquoldquoYougoodwiththisrdquoldquoCheckrdquoldquoMikelooksscaredrdquo

ldquoIrsquomgoodrdquoldquoSurerdquoldquoSurerdquoAfewmoredeepbreathsAquickldquoThisiswhatwetrainedforrdquoreminder

from JT And then that most fabled sound in action sport the countdownldquoThree-two-onedroppingrdquo

GoingovertheedgeisbadthefirstthreesecondsareworseIttakesthreesecondstofallaboutninetyfeetandacceleratetoterminalvelocityThemoreairrushingoverthewingsthemorerigidtheybecomethemorecontrolthepilotshave ldquoOnce the wings are pressurizedrdquo says JT ldquoit becomes automatic likedrivingacarThatrsquoswhenIcalmdownwhenmyconsciousmindsnapsoffandIdiveintothezonerdquo

Once JTrsquos pattern recognition system recognizes that his wingrsquos arepowered up he can relax andmdashaccording to experiments run by HarvardcardiologistHerbertBensonmdashthatrsquosflowrsquosrealtriggerThisso-calledrelaxationresponse floods the body with high quantities of nitric oxide (NO)mdashanendogenous gaseous signaling molecule ldquo[T]he NOrdquo writes Bensonldquocounteracts thenorepinephrineand other stress secretions Simultaneously asthe NO puffs billow forth in the brain and body the brain releases calmingneurotransmittershellipsuch as dopamine and endorphins As a result of thesesecretionsthebloodvesselsdilateoropenuptheheartratedecreasesthestressresponsefadesandinnertranquilitytakesoverrdquo

ButthatwasnrsquotAndyFarringtonrsquosexperiencePositioned at the back of the diamond when Farrington leapt he

encounteredablastofldquodirtyairrdquorollingoffhisteammatesCombinedwiththeblastblowingup the sideof theTower therewas toomuch turbulence forhiswingstopressurizeInsteadhedroppedlikeastone

ldquoForthosefirstfewsecondsrdquohesaysldquoIwaslookingaroundandthinkingmaybethiswasabadideaafterallrdquo

ButitwastoolatetoabortFarringtonhadachoicemdashhecouldeithergiveintothefight-or-flightresponseallowinghimselftobesweptawayinthetideofadrenalinecortisolandnorepinephrineorhecouldusetheenhancedfocusthesechemicalsprovidedtoredirecthisattentiontotheproblemathandThisiswhereallthatflowtimeinSwitzerlandcameinhandy

Training in high-stress situations increases what psychologists callldquosituationalawarenessrdquoDefinedastheabilitytoabsorbinformationaccuratelyassess it calmly and respondappropriately situational awareness is essentiallytheabilitytokeepcoolwhenallhellbreakslooseBecauseattentionandpatternrecognition are so heightened by flow training in the state radically increases

situationalawarenessInthiscasethisallowedFarringtontonotfightflightorfreeze Insteadheheld it togetheruntilhe fell through thedirtyairand intoacleaner pocket below ldquoThenmy wings started to pressurize and I turned myattentiontoJTrsquosshoeandwewereoffrdquo

YuptheywereoffmdashandheadingstraightforSuicideCornerInSwitzerlandtheteamtrainedbyproximityflyingverticalcliffsroughly

thesizeoftheWillisTowerTheyhadaprettygoodideaofwhatitfeltliketoflyinformationdownastructurethatsizebutwhattheyneverfoundwasaturnastightasSuicideCornerldquoTherewasnowaytoprepareforitrdquosaysHolmesldquoitwasatotalunknownrdquo

AnditdidnotdisappointldquoGoingroundSuicideCornerfeltlikeIwasmakingareallysharpturnina

jetairplanerdquosaysFarringtonldquoexcepttherewasnoairplaneThepowerspeedand pressure were the same but there was no separationmdashno fuselage nocockpitmdashbetweenmyselfandthoseforcesrdquo

Outofthat turnandintoanother thisonemerelyninetydegreesBythatpointDevorewassodeepintothezonehefeltlikesomeoneelsewasflyinghisbodyldquoIwasjustlisteningtotheVoicerdquohesaysldquotakingdirectionsThiswasaninety-degree turnat150milesperhourandmyexperiencewas thisvoice inmy head saying lsquoOh look yoursquore turning againrsquothinsprdquo Deployment was the nextconcernTheywereusinglow-profileBASErigswithcanopiesextending225feet square Normally because of these space requirements formation flyersseparatebeforedeploymentForsimilarreasonstheypreferlargelandingzonesNeither was in the offing here ldquoThere were buildings all over the placerdquoexplainsHolmes ldquoNoouts (places to ditch in times of trouble) andwedidnrsquothave360degreestoworkwithItriedtogolongandlowJonpulledearlyandMikeandAndyhadtomakedowithwhatwasleftinthemiddlerdquo

Life and deathwould bemeasured inmillimeters andmilliseconds Theentireteamwouldhavetopull inshortsuccessiononerightafteranotherandwithin a two-second window Worse because no one knew exactly whichdirection they would be facing when those chutes opened they would eachimmediatelyhavetograbtheirsteeringtogglessurveythesceneryandyankIftheyhadfailedtonoticesomethingandturnedthewrongdirectionldquoWhenmycanopy openedrdquo continues Devore ldquothere were guys floating four feet awayfrommerdquo

Without flow none of this would have been possible The patternrecognitionandinformationchunkingthattookplaceinSwitzerlandwouldnothave led to instinctivebehavior inChicagoMuscle reaction timeswouldhavebeen slower intragroup trustweakerNeither the spotlight attention needed to

know when to pull nor the future prediction required to determine whichdirectiontoturnwouldhavebeenintheoffingPanicwouldhaveswampedthesystemandSuicideCornerwouldhaveearneditsnamesake

InsteadtheAirForcefloatedsafelytothegroundldquoItwasthehighlightofmycareerrdquosaysDevoreldquoitwasourSuperBowl

ontheMoonrdquoldquoWhatanunbelievablerushrdquoaddsSwansonAboutthislastpartthereisnodebateFlowisarushlikenootherIfyou

want grounds for comparison consider the current use-abuse rates for mood-alteringmind-alteringandperformance-enhancingdrugsInAmericaover22percent of the population has an illicit drug problem one out of ten takeantidepressants 26 percent of kids are on stimulants purportedly for ADHDanecdotallyforperformanceenhancementAndprescriptiondrugsTheyrsquovejustsurpassedcaraccidentsasthenumberonecauseofaccidentaldeathAddthisupandyoursquollfindatrillion-dollarpublic-healthcrisis

Now consider what these abused drugs do The primary illicit drug ofchoice is marijuanamdashthat triggers the release of anandamide AntidepressantsaresomecombinationofdopaminenorepinephrineandserotonintobaccoandADHD drugs affect dopamine and norepinephrine and prescription drugs ofabuseareopioidslikeOxycontinmdashmeaningtheyaffecttheendorphinsystemInother words Americans are literally killing themselves trying to achieveartificiallythesamesensationsthatflowproducesnaturally

Ofcourseasaperfectendogenouscombinationofthesedrugsflowisalsoamajor rush But unlike the dead-end highs currently plaguing public healthflowdoesnrsquotsidetrackonersquoslifeitrevitalizesitFlowistherushofpossibilityaproductofradicalneurochemicalneuroelectricalandneuroanatomicalfunctiontriggering whole-body transformation As Devore concludes ldquoI really thinkwersquorethenextstageinhumanevolutionrdquo

Or to put it anotherway flow is the telephoneboothwhereClarkKentchangesclothestheplacefromwhereSupermanemerges

5

TheFlowShortcut

D IRTBAGS TO SAMURA I

Inourquesttomapflowandseehowitampsupperformancethereisstillonecomponent missing performance over time Certainly what we learned frommeetingLairdHamiltonDannyWayDeanPotterandtheRedBullAirForceisthat flow is the secret toSupermanYet theMillenniumWaveandGreatWallMegaRampweredeedsoveranddoneinsecondsTheWillisTowerjumplastedlessthantwominutesPotterrsquosclimbingtripthroughPatagoniaalmostamonthButamonthisnotayearisnotacareerThequestionhereisnrsquotabouthowflowhelpstheseathletesdotheimpossibleonceitrsquosaboutthemdoingtheimpossibleover and over and over again Itrsquos about long-term mastery not short-termsuccess and a question most certainly raised by the ascension of ShaneMcConkey

ByalmostanymeasureMcConkeydidnotfollowthestandardpathtowardmasteryConsiderthetrilogyofhisldquomostfamousrdquonakedspreadeaglesOnthislist the Colorado backcountry cliff huck described earlier in this book ranksthirdSecondplacemeanwhileclearlybelongstothePalisades

LocatedashorthikeawayfromthetopofSquawValleyrsquosSiberiachairthePalisadesareoneofskiingrsquosmosticonicprovinggroundsanastyseriesofrockyfaces intense steeps tinychutes and littlemercy ldquoDropping into someof thePalisadechutesisasabruptasdroppingaquarterintoapayphonehelliprdquoexplains

thewebsiteTahoetopialdquoLoseitinprocessandtherestoftherideislikebeinginawavetankinphysicsclassYouendupfeelingliketheTinManafteragoodthrashingbytheflyingmonkeysrdquo

EvenwheneverythinggoesrightonthePalisadesthingscangowrongIn1975duringthefilmingofthecult-classicskiflickDaydreamsGregBeckaired100 feet off a cliff on the Palisades (now known as Beckrsquos Rock) nailed thelandingperfectlyandstillknockedhimselfoutcold

AfewyardsawayfromBeckrsquosRocksitsldquoExtraChuterdquowhereafifty-footdrop givesway to a fifty-five-degree landing In 1995 ShaneMcConkeywasfilmingatopthePalisadeswithskifilmmakerandclosefriendScottGaffneyHehad been throwing crazy backflips down Extra Chute all morning when astrangerapproachedandintroducedhimselfasarepresentativeforanewenergy-bar companyNakedEnergyTheguywantedapromotionalphotograph soheofferedMcConkey$100tojumpthecliffnudeBackthenMcConkeywasbotha nationally ranked mogul skier and the US Extreme Skiing champion butneither titlecamewithpaychecksworthadamnHewasstillbussingtables tomake endsmeetSoyeah off came the clothes andoff hewent throwing thesecondmost famousnakedspreadeagle inhistorymdashsmackdown thecenterofExtraChute

The number one ShaneMcConkey naked spread eagle took place a fewyears earlier By thenMcConkey had graduated fromBurke SkiAcademy inVermontwithsomeexceptional racingskillsanddreamsofbecoming thenextIngemarStenmarkThoseplanswerenixedwhenhewastossedofftheUSSkiTeam for being too smallAfterward hemoved toVail andwasmaking endsmeetbydeliveringpizzasandtryinghishandatprofessionalmogulskiingHedidprettywellonthetourwinninghisfirsteventin1993butnotlongafterataVail bump offMcConkey fell early on his first runAlready eliminated fromcompetition hedecided to celebrate by tossing a backflip off the final booterldquoThecrowdwentnutsrdquowroteRobStoryinSkiingmagazineldquoSkipatroldidtooTheykickedhimoffthehillsinceinvertedaerialswereillegalatthatsphincter-puckeredtimerdquo

McConkeyofcoursedidnottakethissittingdownOrfullyclothedHesnuckbackontothemountaingotbacktothestartinggatestrippedtothebuffstreaked the racecourse andofcourse threwa seriesofnakedspreadeaglesalongthewaymdashthemostinfamousinthehistoryofskiingVailintheirwisdombannedhimforlifeMcConkeywasfinewiththatHemovedtoSquawValleyandcontinuedonhisquesttohavemorefunthananyonemdashever

The stories are endless McConkey threw backflips on monoskismoonwalked on snowblades and invented the now-legendary ski-film movie

character ldquoSaucer Boyrdquo a Jack Danielrsquos swilling gear-laden extreme wellsaucerriderFreeskiingpioneerMikeDouglasoncedescribedwhatitwasliketoroomwith thesuperstarldquoEverymorninghersquodbe the firstupandwakemeupwithlsquoWakeywakeyhandsoffsnakeyrsquoThenhersquodproceed topoison theroomwithhisfarts thenhewouldclogthetoiletwithamassivecoiler(thathersquodbereallyproudof)followedbyhalfarolloftoiletpaperthenhewouldshowoffallthemostdisgustingthingshecouldfindontheInternetIfwewereluckywersquodgo skiing or something If we werenrsquot the process would just repeat all daylongrdquo

That saidwhen it came time togo skiing fewcouldequalMcConkeyrsquosprowess His skills on the snow well in one of SteveWinterrsquos films IngridBackstromherselfoneofthegreatestskiersintheworldspokeformanywhenshesaidldquoPrettymuchitrsquosalwaysabadideatotrytodosomethingShanecandordquoTothisdayskiersusethephraseldquoMcConkeyturnrdquotorefertoagianthigh-speed power carve usuallymade in some nosebleed steep rock-strewn cliff-laden downright foreboding spot thatmdashthrough the radically transformativecapacityofaMcConkeyturnmdashhadsuddenlybecomeaplayground

Yetthisdoesraiseoneadditionalissuemdashhowdoesanundersizewashed-up racerwith a penchant for practical jokes become the person that skiwriterLeslieAnthonyoncefittinglydescribedasldquotheskiworldrsquosfirstSupermanrdquoIn1995ShaneMcConkeywasbussingtablesandskiingnakedforextracashLessthanadecadelaterhewasalegendButagainstwhatodds

BythetimeMcConkeyrsquosstarreallybegantorisehersquodalreadyabandonedthe traditional structures of athletic excellenceHewas no longer a student atBurkeAcademyhadbeentossedoutofprofessionalskiracingandquitthepromogulgameGonewereallthetrappingsofinstitutionalizedmasteryNomoreworld-classcoachesworld-classassistantcoachesvideoplaybackreviewsdryland skill drills team nutritionists planning hismeals team chefs cooking hismealsor teamtechstuninghisgearMcConkeyhadjettisonedthewholedealyetmdashsomehowmdashclimbedtofargreaterheightsonhisown

Thissamepuzzlesurroundsmostoftheearlyactionandadventuresportsstars Before the X Games came along these guys were ski bums and surfburnouts and for good reason The party never stopped Forget about drugtestingdrug-takingwasalmostmandatoryAndtheclosestmostgot toamealdesigned by a team nutritionist was a Clif Bar Yet in less than two decadesthese same rebel misfits would push the boundary of human performance toastoundingheightsHellbythetimeMcConkeywasdonehischosensportwasbarelyrecognizableasthesamegame

AlaskaisthewildfrontierskiingrsquosultimateprovinggroundIn1990when

extreme-skiingpioneerDougCoombsmadethefirstdescentofPythonPeakitwas a verybigdeal considered the ldquofirst seriousdescent of the erardquo In totalCoombsmadehundredsofturnsdownthisfifty-degreeChugachbeastbecauseof course his survival was at stake Fifty degrees is damn steep StandingstraightupCoombscould reachoutand tickle theslopeNowonderhemadehundredsofturnsmdashturnsarewhatgiveskierscontrol

WelleightyearslaterMcConkeywouldrepeatthefeatonlythistimehestraight-linedPythonmdashmakingexactlyzeroturnsfromtoptobottomandhittingspeeds over sixty miles per hour along the way Of course this is only oneexampleInthepastfewdecadestheboundsofthepossiblehavebeenpushedfarther and faster than ever before in historymdashyet the folks doing thepushingwere never anyonersquos ideal candidates for the job To say this community hasexceeded expectations would be a considerable understatement These folksstartedoutdirtbagsandendedupsamuraiHowexactlydidthathappen

MOTHERSMUSICIANSANDMARSHMALLOWS

Overthepastcenturythescienceofexpertperformancehasgottenrigorousandcodified Thousands and thousands of experiments have been run plenty ofconclusions reached Three dominate Call them mothers musicians andmarshmallows This famed trilogymdashdetails in a momentmdashrepresent our bestideasaboutthepathtomasteryYettherersquosawrenchintheseworksmostactionandadventureathletestookaradicallydifferentpath

Theseathleteshavenrsquotjustredefinedthelimitsofhumanpotentialtheyrsquoveredefinedthoselimitsbydoingtheoppositeofwhattheexpertssaytheyshouldhave done Itrsquos peculiar all right Their stratospheric success suggests thatwemayhavecompletelymisjudgedthepathtowardstratosphericsuccessInfactitsuggests something farmore radical that ifwe reallywant tobeourbestwedonrsquot just have to rethink the path towardmasterywe need to reconsider thewayweliveourlives

ButfirstthemothersIn the early 1980s University of Chicago educational psychologist

Benjamin Bloom launched the Talent Project one of the larger and morethorough ldquoretrospectiverdquo studies of expert performance ever undertaken TheProjectexaminedthelivesof120peopleallundertheageofthirty-fiveallofwhom had demonstrated the highest levels of accomplishment in one of sixfields swimming tennis sculpture piano mathematics and research

neuroscience (ie two artistic fields two psychomotor two cognitive) ThequestionatthecenterofthestudywasWheredoesprodigioustalentcomefromspecialindividualsorspecialcircumstances

Before thestudybeganBloomwasconvinced that talentwas innateandwhatwe call expertise (mastery) is the result of talented individuals identifiedearly thenencouraged toblossomAfterward though thedata toldadifferentstoryFewofBloomrsquosresearchsubjectsshowedanygreatpromiseaschildrenNoMozart concertos before the age of three no solving for pi from the cribInstead the one commonalitywas encouragement a lot of encouragement Ineach case there was a parent or close relative who rewarded any display oftalent and ignoredorpunished theoppositeProdigies it seemedweremadenotbornAsBloomlatertoldreportersldquoWewerelookingforexceptionalkidsbutwhatwefoundwereexceptionalconditionsrdquo

Thiswasacornerstone finding replicatedandexpandedandpotentTheidea settled an uneasy corner of the naturenurture debate it democratizedexpertise Provided the right environment and the proper encouragement itmeant that everyone had a shot at perfection Itmeant therewere no ldquochosenfewrdquo

ButmanyoftheathletesinvolvedinactionandadventuresportscameupthehardwayThewrongenvironment littleencouragementldquoAlotofuswerefrombrokenhomesrdquoskateboardpioneerDuanePetersoncetoldtheLATimesldquoWewere freaksandmisfitsrdquoAnd ifhome lifewasnrsquot rosy theoutsideworldwas even less supportive Twenty-five years ago skateboarding was a crimesnowboarding was banned at most resorts and surfing to quote the alwaysrelevantPointBreakwasldquoforlittlerubberpeoplewhodonrsquotshaveyetrdquo

Certainlythereareplentyofactionandadventureathleteswhocamefromincredibly supportivebackgroundsBloomwasnrsquotwrongmdashldquomothersrdquomattermdashbuttoomanyofthesesuperathletescameupsidewaysbackwardandferalforthis to be the single deciding factor Something else is going on And thatsomethingelseiswherethemusicianscomeintoplay

Intheearly1990sFloridaStatepsychologistAndersEricssonperformedoneofthemorefamousstudiesofexpertiseinrecenthistoryBysurveyingeliteviolinistsatBerlinrsquosAcademyofMusicmdashakamusiciansmdashEricssonfoundthatwhile onersquos early environment was helpful what truly distinguished excellentplayers fromgoodplayers fromaverageplayerswashoursofpracticeBy thetime theywere twenty years old expert violinists had put in 10000 hours ofldquodeliberatewell-structuredpracticerdquoTheothershadnotAsMalcolmGladwellfamouslyexplained inOutliers ldquo[The] research suggests thatonceamusicianhasenoughabilitytogetintoatopmusicschoolthethingthatdistinguishesone

performerfromanotherishowhardheorsheworksThatrsquositAndwhatrsquosmorethepeopleatthetopdonrsquotworkjustharderorevenmuchharderthaneveryoneelseTheyworkmuchmuchharderrdquo

But another wrench If 10000 hours of ldquodeliberate well-structuredpracticerdquo is the secret sauce consider the difference between Ericssonrsquosdefinitionof the termldquoThis typeofpractice is focusedprogrammaticcarriedoutoverextendedperiodsoftimeguidedbyconsciousperformancemonitoringevaluatedbyanalysesoflevelofexpertisereachedidentificationoferrorsandproceduresdirected at eliminating those errorsrdquo andShaneMcConkeyrsquosgoalswhile skiing ldquoWhat I love to do on the hill is find an interesting way to dosomethingfunrdquoOrforthatmatterconsiderhischosensportldquoIfyourememberthe 1980s you probably werenrsquot skiingrdquo was a once popular saying whosesentimentstillringstruemdashbutitrsquosnotexactlytheidealbackdropforldquodeliberatewell-structuredpracticerdquo

Putdifferentlydeliberatewell-structurepracticeisarigorouscompliance-basedapproachtomasteryItmeansyoucrawlbeforeyouwalkItdoesnrsquotmeanLairdHamiltonsurfingPipelineatagefourorDannyWayinthedeependofthepoolattheDelMarSkateRanchbysevenInbroadertermsdeliberatepracticeis alsohowwe traingenius thesedays Itrsquos factoryathletics ItrsquosKumonmathtutoringBabyEinsteinSuzukiviolinetalBut itrsquosalso theworldMcConkeywalkedawayfromthatnakeddayatVailHeturnedhisbackonthefactoryyetsomehowstillwentontobecomeSuperman

FinallythetroublewithmarshmallowsIn 1972 Stanford psychologist Walter Mischel performed a fairly

straightforwardstudyindelayedgratificationheofferedfour-year-oldchildrenamarshmallowEitherthekidscouldeatitimmediatelyoriftheywaitedforhimto return from running a short errand theywould get twomarshmallows as arewardMostkidscouldnrsquotwaitTheyatethemarshmallowthemomentMischellefttheroomYetasmallpercentagecouldresisttemptationandovertimethisturnedouttoabigdeal

Wheninterviewedfourteenyearslaterthekidswhocouldwaitweremoreself-confident hard-working and self-reliant They could handle stress betterandcouldhandle testsbetterThosewhoresistedatfourendedupscoring210pointshigherontheirSATsatsixteenThismaynotsoundlikethatmuchbutasfellowStanfordpsychologistPhilipZimbardoexplainsldquo[That]isaslargeastheaverage difference recorded between the abilities of economically advantagedanddisadvantagedchildrenItislargerthanthedifferencebetweentheabilitiesofchildrenfromfamilieswhoparentshavegraduatedegreesandchildrenwhoseparents did not finish high school The ability to delay gratification at four is

twiceasgoodapredictoroflaterSATscoresasIQPoorimpulsecontrolisalsoabetterpredictorofjuveniledelinquencythanIQrdquo

ButtherersquosanotherissueAccordingtopsychologistsbydefinitionactionand adventure athletes are ldquosensation seekersrdquo Theyrsquore impulsive pleasurejunkies Delayed gratification is not their game Hell in a 2009 OutsidemagazineprofileofShaneMcConkeyjournalistTimSohnwroteldquoRidinginabackpack as his mother skied a three-year-old McConkey would shake thepackrsquossupportbarswhilemakingknownwhathewantedlsquoPowMommypowrsquoorlsquoBumpMommybumprdquoSeriouslydoesldquoPowMommypowrdquosoundlikeakidwhodidnrsquoteatthemarshmallow

SowhatgivesHowdoabunchofimpulsivehedonistsraisedfarfromthestoriedincubatorsofathleticexcellenceenduprewritingtherulebookonhumanpotentialTheshortanswerofcourseisflowThelongansweriswherePhilipZimbardocomesbackintoourstory

THEIMPORTANCEOFTIMEPERSPECTIVES

It startedwith illnessWhenPhilipZimbardowas fiveyearsoldhegotabadcaseofwhoopingcoughandaworsecaseofpneumoniaThiswas1939NewYork Zimbardorsquos familywas too poor for private care so hewas sent to thecharity ward of the Willard Parker Hospital for Children with ContagiousDiseases In those days before antibiotics 63 percent of all children withwhoopingcoughordoublepneumoniadidnotrecoverManyafriendZimbardomadeinthathospitaldiedinthathospitalZimbardofoundthattheonlywayhecould stop himself from sinking into despair was imaginationmdashhe keptimaginingbetterpossiblefuturesAndtoconsiderableimpact

AfterZimbardorecoveredandwasreleasedhewasshockedtorealizeheviewed his stay in the hospital as a positive one the time in his life that helearned to be self-reliant ldquoFrom this experiencerdquo he later wrote ldquoIhelliplearnedthat the past can be psychologically remodeled tomake heaven of hellOtherpeoplelearntheoppositelessonstoringandrecallingonlytheworstoftimeshellipThe horrors and sheer ugliness of the past they have experienced become apermanentfilterthroughwhichtheyviewalltheircurrentexperiencesrdquo

Zimbardowentontobecomeoneofthemostwell-regardedpsychologistsof thetwentiethcenturyauthorofmorethanfiftybooksandpastpresidentoftheAmerican PsychologicalAssociationHe taught at bothYale and Stanfordand was at the latter institution when Walter Mischel performed his famed

marshmallow experiment The results caught Zimbardorsquos attention but notbecausehewasinterestedindelayedgratificationRatherbecausetheyseemedtoconfirmhischildhoodsuspicionsabouttime

ZimbardonoticedtwocompetingldquotimeperspectivesrdquoatworkinMischelrsquosexperimentAtimeperspectiveisthetechnicalnamefortheldquopermanentfilterrdquoZimbardo described Itrsquos essentially our attitude toward time For example inMischelrsquos experiment the kids who ate the marshmallow immediately werepresenthedonistsThey lived for thenowandnot the later Itwasnrsquot that theywere unable to delay gratification itrsquos that not delaying gratificationmdashthedownstreamresultofbeingapresenthedonistmdashwastheirstrategyforliving

And this strategy has an upside As individuals Presents are creativespontaneous open-minded high-energy risk takers who play sports havehobbiesmakefriendseasilyandfindloversoftenTheirlivesarefun-filledandfast-pacedUnfortunatelythiscomesatacost

While Presents are often the life of the party thatrsquos often the end of thelineBecausetheyactwithoutanticipatingconsequencesdonrsquotoftenlearnfrompastfailuresandareacrosstheboardsunabletoresisttemptationattractionsofthedrugsandsexandrock-and-rollvarietyoftenderailtheirlivesAdominantpresent orientation has been correlated with mental health problems juveniledelinquencycrimeandaddictionsAndwhenitcomestothelongpathtowardmastery with neither desire to plan nor long-term vision Presents have adifficulttimeaccumulatinganythingcloseto10000hoursofpracticedeliberateorotherwise

On the other hand kids who didnrsquot eat the marshmallow are futureoriented thus able to resist temptation today for a chance at a greater rewardtomorrowldquoFuturesrdquohavemuch to recommend them IndozensanddozensofstudiestheyoutperformPresentsinmosteverycategorytheygetbettergradesandmoreeducationarehealthierandmoreoptimisticmakemoremoneysolveproblemsmoreconsistentlyaremoremindfulofmoralityandcanmakethebestoffailureTheyarethemoversandshakersinthisworldZimbardowrites

WhilepresentsavoidworkhellipfuturesconsiderworkasourceofspecialpleasureForthemtomorrowrsquosanticipatedgainsandlossesfueltodayrsquosdecisionsandactionsGratificationdelayedforgreaterrewardisalwaysabetterbetforfutureswhowilltradeabirdinthehandforaflockinthefutureUnliketheirpresent-hedonisticpeerswholiveintheirbodiesthefuturesliveintheirmindsenvisioningotherselvesscenariosrewardsandsuccessesThesuccessofWesterncivilizationinthepastcenturiescanbetracedtotheprevalenceofthefuture

orientationofmanypopulations

ObviouslyFuturesaremorelikelytoachievethe10000hoursneededformastery but here too are unintentional consequences Futures burn out Theybecomestressed-outworkaholicsBloodpressuregoesupbowelsget irritableheart attacks increase sex lives disintegrate marriages fail children becomeburdens friends become memories and the whole house of cards comescrashingdownSocommon is this experience thatUCLApsychologistStevenBerglashascoinedthetermsupernovaburnout todescribethephenomenonInotherwordsevenwhenplansworkoutFuturesplaceadangerousbettoomuchdelayedgratificationcanrobthemoftheirmotivationmdashwhichistheverythingthatmadethemFuturesinthefirstplace

After three decades of research Zimbardo found that the healthiesthappiest highest performers blend the best of both worlds The optimal timeperspective combines the energy joy and openness of Presents with thestrengthfortitudeandlong-termvisionoftheFuturesButhowtoproducethisblendedperspectiveisthemoreimportantquestion

Timeperspectiveispossiblygeneticprobablyculturalanddefinitelyhardto shake It is shapedbygeography religion socioeconomic status educationandahostofotherpowerfulforcesItoperatesunconsciouslyandubiquitouslyBut if optimal results require blending a present orientation and a futureorientationgettingintoflowisoneofthemostefficientmixingmechanismsatourdisposalFlowreorientsPresents toward the futureandFutures toward thepresentandbothtoconsiderableresult

Presents are sensation-seeking pleasure junkies Flow releases a bevy ofenormously potent feel-good neurochemicals at once arguably the mostpowerfulcocktailthebraincanproduceItrsquostheverysensationsensationseekersseekmost

PsychologistsdescribeflowasldquoautotelicrdquofromtheGreekauto(self)andtelos(goal)WhensomethingisautotelicmdashieproducestheflowhighmdashitisitsownrewardNoonehastodragasurferoutofbedforoverheadtubesNoonehastomotivateasnowboarderonapowderdayTheseactivitiesareintrinsicallymotivating autotelic experiencesdone for their own sakeThehigh to end allhighs

Yettheflowhighisdifferentfromallotherhighsmdashmeaningitdoesmorethan just motivate For starters flow doesnrsquot just happen anywhere As wersquollexploreindepthinPartTwoofthisbookthestateshowsupmostreliablywhenwersquoreusingourskills totheutmostItrequireschallengeWhileotherhedonic

pleasuresmdashdrugs sex gamblingmdashmake us feel good on their own flow onlyshows up when wersquore pushing ourselves to higher and higher levels ofperformanceldquoBecauseflowinvolvesmeetingchallengesanddevelopingskillsrdquoexplainsCsikszentmihalyiinGoodBusinessldquoitleadstogrowthItisanescapeforwardfromcurrentrealitywhereasstimulantslikedrugsleadbackwardrdquo

ThisisaveryimportantpointFlowcarrieswithinitdeliciouspossibilityIn the state we are aligned with our core passion and because of flowrsquosincredibleimpactonperformanceexpressingthatpassiontoourutmostUndernormalconditions(playingchesswritingareport) this isempoweringButasauthor and adventurer Rob Schultheis writes in his cult classicBoneGamesunder life-threatening conditions (hersquos describing a flow state that occurredwhilemountaineering)itrsquosutterlytransformationalldquoThepersonIbecamehellipwasthebestpossibleversionofmyselfthepersonIshouldhavebeenthroughoutmylife No regrets no hesitation there were no false moves left in me I reallybelieveIcouldhavehitamosquitointheeyewithapineneedleatthirtypacesIcouldnrsquotmissbecausetherewasnosuchthingasamissItdidnrsquotmatterwhetherI fell or not because I couldnrsquot fall any more than two plus two can equalthreerdquo

Whendoingwhatwemostlovetransformsusintothebestpossibleversionofourselvesandthatversionhintsatevengreaterfuturepossibilitiestheurgetoexplore those possibilities becomes feverish compulsion Intrinsic motivationgoes through the roofThus flowbecomesan alternativepath tomastery sansthe misery Forget 10000 hours of delayed gratification Flow junkies turninstantgratificationintotheirNorthStarmdashputtinginfarmorehoursofldquopracticetimerdquo by gleefully harnessing their hedonic impulse In other words when itcomestotimeperspectivesflowallowsPresentstoachieveFuturesrsquoresults

OntheothersideofthiscoinflowpullsFuturesintothepresentBecausethere isno time in thezone therersquosnoway toworryabout tomorrowTherersquosliterallyno tomorrowFlowprovidesFutureswithblissful releasefromall thatendlessstrivingAndsincethereleaseisautotelicFutureswhofindthemselvesin flow donrsquot need to find new ways to slog toward the future The state isintrinsicallymotivatingsothesloggingtakescareofitself

For similar reasons the flowpath presents an alternative to the standardFuturesrsquo mothers-marshmallows-musicians approach to mastery For startersmothersarenrsquotrequiredontheflowpathNoonehadtoencourageMcConkeytoski Skiing produces flow and flow is autotelic It was all the motivation herequired

The marshmallow experiment meanwhile highlights the power ofwillpowerIfkidscanrsquotdeveloptheinnerstrengthtoresisttemptationtheycanrsquot

masterthemselvesletaloneanythingelseThismakeslifetrickyforactionandadventure athletes who by definition are marshmallow-eating sensation-seekinghedonists (ldquothrill and adventure seekingrdquo is one of the four categoriesused by psychologists to delineate sensation seekers) But once the sensationseekersjumpontheflowpaththeydonrsquotneedtodelaygratificationtoachievesuccessmdashgratificationbecomes theirpath to success ldquoIrsquomdoingwhat I loverdquoexplainsMcConkeyldquoAndifyoursquoredoingwhatyouwanttodoallthetimethenyoursquore happy Yoursquore not going to work everyday wishing you were doingsomethingelseIgetupandgotoworkeverydayandIrsquomstokedThatdoesnotsuckrdquo

Thelessonofthemusiciansmeanwhileisthat10000hoursofdeliberatepractice is the only sureway to acquire real expertise But arewe certainAquickshorthandforlearningisthemoreemotionallypowerfulanexperiencethemore chance the details of that experience getmoved from short-term storageinto long-termmemory Both flow and high-risk situations produce extremelypowerful emotional experiences ldquoAs a resultrdquo says high-performance sportspsychologistMichaelGervaisldquoathletesinflowindeath-facingsituationslikelygathermorerelevantdataandcodeitmoreefficientlyHavingtheseexperiencesfrequentlycouldsignificantlyshortenthelearningcurvetowardexpertiserdquo

Already this has been proven correct in less extreme circumstances In2007SouthKorean researchers looking at e-learning (electronic gamesWeb-basedlearningtoolsandelectronictutoring)discoveredasignificantcorrelationbetween flow and positive learning attitudes and outcomes In 2011neuroscientists with the United Statesrsquo Defense Advanced Research ProjectsAgency(DARPA)foundthatmilitarysniperstrainedinflowdecreasedthetimeit took to acquire their targets by a factor of 23 Similar research run withamateur (ienonmilitary)snipers found that flowcut the time it took to teachnovices to shoot like experts by50percentThismeans that flowdoesnrsquot justprovideajoyfulself-directedpathtowardmasterymdashitliterallyshortensthepath

SEEINGLINES

When Philip Zimbardo said that the success ofWestern civilization has beenbaseduponafuture-orientatedtimeperspectivehewasdescribingtheldquostrugglenowsalvationlaterrdquohypothesisoftheProtestantworkethicThisethicisamongthe reasons themothers marshmallows andmusicians ideas have become sowildlypopular theyconfirmwhatwealreadywant tobelieveWehavetraded

thenowforthelaterandincollectivelymakingthisswitchmayhavemissedavitalpointitdoesnrsquotneedtobesohardWithpassionandplayasthegatewaytoperformance and possibilitywe no longer have tomistrust ourselvesWe canharnessourhedonicimpulseusingmomentsofspontaneousjoytoshortenourpathtomasteryWhichofcourseisexactlywhatShaneMcConkeydid

Youwantmore proof Then letrsquos turn back the clock to themid-1990stake a trip to Squaw Valley California and ride the Broken Arrow chairliftBeneath us sits some of the steepest strangest terrain on the mountain ItrsquosSalvador Daliacute strange The landscape appears as author Dr Rob Gaffneyexplains in Squallywood (his epic guide to Squawrsquos gnarliest lines) ldquoto havebeenmadebywetsandpassingthroughaclosedfistrdquoInthewinterwhensnowstartstopileupbetweentheseformationsallsortsofdeadlypossibilitiesappeartight chutes boulder drops bigmultistage cliffsAmong them is the linenowknownasldquoSacrificerdquomdashthoughcallingitaldquolinerdquoisbeinggenerous

A steepheadwall funnels into a tiny chute that ends at a granite boulderthatoverhangsasnowfieldthatgiveswaytoaseriesofmedium-sizedcliffsthatfunnelintoareallybigcliffatthebottomSacrificeisnrsquotaskirunitrsquosatriptothemorgue

ShaneMcConkeywasnrsquot sosureHe toohadbeeneyeingSacrifice forawhileInsteadofrocksanddeathhenoticedthattherewasatinypatchofsnowaboveeachcliffSocouldhehopandpopandconnectthosedotsItwasatrickyquestionTomaketheentrancehersquodneedspeedenoughtosuckuphislegsandsailoverthatboulderAndthenthingsgotinterestingahardleftmidairlandona dime immediately leap right zigzag a twenty-five-footer then stomp thelanding and straight-line off themonster air Finding an interestingway to dosomethingfunwasMcConkeyrsquosmodusoperandiSacrificewashiskindoffun

ldquoShane loved trying to find the hardest way down the mountainrdquo saysScott Gaffney ldquoIt was almost a compulsion Seek out impossible spots anddreamupwaystonavigatefurtherInthatwayhewasliterallyavisionarymdashhejustsawthingsotherpeopledidnrsquotrdquo

Some of this talentwas inherited Shanersquos father JimMcConkeywas alegend in his own right According to his official Canadian Ski MuseumbiographyldquothinsplsquoMcConkrsquoashewasaffectionatelyknownpreferredwhatwasthenthe strictly unconventionalHis lsquogelandi jumpingrsquo and acrobatics on skiswerethe precursors to freestyle aerials and the freestyle movement generally Hesought out and reveled in difficult conditions broken crust ice and theinfamous lsquomashed potatoesrsquohellipin order to improve his skills Thought to benearlyimpossibletoskihewasthefirsttoconquerthegulliesatbothAltaandSnowbirdrdquo

ShanewasborninBritishColumbiaandhisparentsdivorcedwhenhewasfourHismotherGlennrelocatedtoSantaCruzCaliforniawithShaneintowThepartingwasbitterandfatherandsonrarelysaweachotherafterwardldquoTheybarelyhadacupofcoffeetogetherbeforeShanewasthirtyrdquocontinuesGaffneyldquobutShaneidolizedhisfatherHewasahugeinfluenceShanewantedtobejustlikehimrdquo

Intryingtobelikehisfathermdashandpossiblybecausesensationseekinghasa genetic componentmdashShanersquos perspective shifted He started reading themountain differently seeing lines that others couldnrsquot He also started skiingthoselinesOfcoursethisproducedflowwhichuppedhisperformancewhichmade other lines possible ldquoOnce Shane decided a line was possiblerdquo saysprofessionalskier-skydiverJTHolmesoneofMcConkeyrsquosclosestfriendsldquohefelt that ithadtobedoneButhealsofelthewasoneof thebestskiers intheworldsoifanyonewasgoingtodoitheshouldbetheoneThatwasthewayhismindworkedThatwasShanebeinglogicalrdquo

In 1998Shanersquos logic led him toSacrificeHe nailed the line perfectlyScottGaffneyfilmeditmdashviewableinSomethingAboutMcConkeymdashandthehop-and-drop ski technique known as ldquobilly goatingrdquo was born As billy-goatingrequirednewskillsit ledShanefartherdowntheflowpathwhichledtoevenmoreskillswhichopenedupnewpossibilitieswhichdrovehimforwardstillldquoDuringhisbig-mountaincompetitiondaysrdquowroteMicahAbramsinoneofthaterarsquospreeminentskimagazinesFreeze ldquoMcConkeywould routinelypointoutlinesthatsnakedthroughrockfacesandacrossgut-churningcliffstohisfellowcompetitorsMoreoftenthannothewasmetwithblankstaresorrolledeyestowhich he would respond empathically lsquoDude itrsquos totally doablersquo Then hewouldgodoitandthenhewouldwinrdquo

AlongtheselinesOlympicgoldmedalistskierJonnyMosleytellsastoryabout the first time he went to British Columbia to film a ski movie withMcConkeyldquoInoneparticularsceneShaneskiedathirteen-stagerwherehelosthis ski on one of the twenty-foot cliffs in themiddle of this exposed lineHesnappeditbackonandshreddedtherestItwasatthispointthatIreconsideredmythoughtsofgettingintothebusinesswhereShanehadmadehisnamerdquo

AndthisissortofwhereskydivingcomesinMcConkeybegan tossinghimselfoutofairplanes in1995By1999hersquod

become a proficient-enoughBASE jumper to begin considering his childhooddreammdashreenacting the ski-off-a-cliff-and-deploy-a-parachute-to-evade-the-bad-guys scene fromTheSpyWhoLovedMe It took a fewyears toworkout thetechnical details but in 2003 hewentBond off a 400-footer inLoverrsquosLeapCaliforniaMost people thought itwas a stuntMcConkey claimed itwas the

way forward evolution progressionwhatwas nextNo one believed him In2004heski-BASErsquodoffthe13025-footEigerinSwitzerland

ThentheystartedtobelievehimForMcConkeyski-BASEgavehimawaytostartseeingreallydifferent

linesHehasaphraseforaestheticallyenticingterrainthathadforeverbeenoff-limitsbecauseofgargantuancliffsat the runrsquosendldquocloseout linesrdquoWithski-BASEthesecloseoutlineswerefinallyopenforbusinessldquoMywholevisionrdquohe says ldquois that there are these impossible lines that no one would ever skibecausetheyendindeathcliffsWithparachutesyoucanskithemThoselinesaretotallydoablenowrdquo

Ski-BASE is definitely not the kind of result that shows up on thecompliance-basedpathtomasteryMcConkeydidnotspendhisadultlifetryingtoshavefoursecondsoffhistimeinthegiantslalomInsteadhesawlinesandpursuedflowandaslegendaryskaterTonyHawkoncetoldreporterschangedtheworldldquoShanebroughteveryonehopeItwaslikeanewdayandwhatcanwedowithitWhatarewegoingtoexploreHowfarcanwetakethisrdquo

SohowfarcanwetakethisItrsquosagoodquestionwiththeldquowerdquobeingthemost important partFlow asCsikszentmihalyi discovered is ubiquitousThismeans that all the superpowers detailed in this first section of the bookmdashthefluidbrain-wave control exhibitedbyLairdHamilton thedeep relationship totheVoiceenjoyedbyDeanPotter thenear-telepathicprowessof theRedBullAirForce and the acceleratedpath tomastery trodbyShaneMcConkeymdashareavailabletoanyandallThisiswhoweareandhowwersquorewiredFlowisourbirthrightButwhatdowedowiththatknowledgeAsalwaysthatpartisuptous

P A R T T W O

FLOWHACKERNATION

listentherersquosahellofagooduniversenextdoorletrsquosgomdashE E CUMMINGS

6

OuterFlow

DOUG AMMONS AND THE ST IK I NE

ItwasoneofthemostdangerousexperimentseverrunanditwasruninsilenceDougAmmonstoldnooneaheadoftimeTheeditorofseveraldifferentsciencejournals Ammons did not tell his colleagues He did not tell his wife or hischildrenorhisfriendsDefinitelynothisfriendsldquoTheywouldhavetoldmeIwascommitting suiciderdquo recountsAmmons ldquothat Iwasonadeath tripTheywouldnrsquothaveunderstoodrdquo

How could they understand This wasnrsquot about dissecting frogs orsequencing DNA or even splitting the atom This was about actualtransformationAmmonswanted to transformhimself intoadropofwaterHe

wasbettinghislifeonthepossibilityAmmons is a true polymath He holds degrees in math physics and

psychologyisaclassicalguitaristblackbeltinkaratesuccessfulbusinessmanacclaimedauthorrespectedphilosopherandwithoutquestiononeofthemostrevered kayakers in history In 2000Outside made a list of the ten greatestadventurers since 1900 with their major criterion being ldquotheir achievementspermanentlyalteredthelandscapeofadventurerdquoAmmonsisnumberseven

Whitewater-wise his achievements include over fifty first descents asizable number of solo expeditions and a few ummore peculiar trips On anumberofoccasionsAmmonshaspaddledClassV(expertonly)riverswithoutapaddleorhand-paddlingastheycall itManypeoplethinkofhand-paddlingas a stunt and solo-paddlingmdashespecially on a big rivermdashas suicide ToAmmonsasheexplainsinhisbookWhitewaterPhilosophybothareaformofresearchldquoPerhapsthemostbeautifulexperienceinkayakingisflowThereisnrsquotany other sport that demands such intimacy with nature moving in harmonywith the power and intricacy of the river and whitewater kayaking is thepreeminentflowsportWhenyoupaddlewellthereisthefeelingthatyouarepouringyourselfrightintoandthroughtheriverwithnodistractionsatallyoucan weave yourself right into the current Soloing is the open door forunderstandinghowclosetotheriveryoucanberdquo

Ammonsrsquosdesireforriverintimacyisrootedinanevenbiggerdesirethedeepache toparticipate in the fundamental componentsof creation elementalpowers eons of time ldquoAdventure sports form a modern Taordquo he once toldreportersldquoallowingus to takepart in thevery forces that sculptedandshapedtheworld around usrdquoAnd itwas this desire for primal participation that firstdrewAmmons to thewildsofupperBritishColumbia tooneof the lastgreatsecretstotheGrandCanyonoftheStikine

TheStikine has beendescribed as oneof theworldrsquos forgottenwondersbutitrsquosunlikelytobecomeatouristattractionanytimesoonTheweatheriscoldandgrayonagooddaydownrightmeanonabadThesurroundingwildernesscoversanareatwicethesizeofFrancewithahumanpopulationnumberinginthelowthousandsGrizzlybearsmeanwhileareeverywhere

YetthewildlifeandwildlandsarejustsideshowattractionsThecanyonisthe real show a vast gorge carvedby a ferocious torrent some sixtymiles ofcolossal Class V+ whitewater twenty-five ldquoHoly Mother of Godrdquo rapidshundredsofsmallertorturesandareputationastheMountEverestofexpeditionkayaking

InhisessayldquoABriefHistoryoftheStikinerdquoAmmonsagrees

ThisisnotanormalriverrunnotevenbythestandardsofhighlyexperiencedclassVkayakersTherapidsaredominatedbycompressionalturbulenceincrediblylargeholesclosedoutfeaturesandmonstrousslabsofwaterthatyousticktolikeflypaperasyoutrytomakeyourmovesItrsquosanominousandspectacularcanyonover1000feetdeepandinsomeplacessonarrowthatahelicoptercanbarelyslipthroughYouareexposedtorockfallwhilescoutingandeveninyourboatItisnrsquottheZambezithereisnowarmthintheglacialwaterorthetypicallyblusteryfallweatherTheflowisbetween8000and20000cfsatlowwaterandlevelscanchangeasmuchastenfeetinadayManysectionsarefrom60toover120feetpermileandasanybigwaterpaddlerknowswhenyoucombinesteepandnarrowwithlotsofwateryoursquoretalkingtherealshitAttemptsaremadeatlowwaterintheearlyfallandtherersquostheveryrealpossibilityofafreezeorsnowwhichhashappenedtotwodifferentteamsFor70percentofthecanyonitisverydifficultorutterlyimpossibletoclimboutwithverticalwallsonbothsidesrisingstraightoutoftheriverIfyoudohavetobailandclimboutashashappenedtoeightteamsitiseasytogetlostupontheplateauandentirelypossibletogetkilledbythewildlifehellipThisisnrsquotCaliforniaItrsquosthegoddamnedCanadianwilderness

It was paddler Rob Lesser who first spotted the Stikine on a trip up toAlaskaThiswas1977HechartedaplaneforanoverflightThewallsweresosteep the canyon so deep there wasnrsquot much to see What he saw lookedforeboding Lesser labeled rapids ldquoKiller Falls Irdquo and ldquoKiller IIrdquo and the likeAnd he liked Four years later Lesser returned with a team of exceptionallyskilledkayakersandahelicopterforsupportTheymanagedabout60percentofthecanyonOnememberoftheirteamJohnWassonnearlydrownedalongthewayTheynamedtherapidafterhim(WassonrsquosHole)theynamedanothertheHoleThatAteChicagoItwasjustthatkindofriver

Lesser came back in 1985 this time with legendary boaters BobMcDougall and Lars Holbeck and another helicopter The chopper ferriedsupplies abetted portages and served as a security blanket should things gosideways But there was no sideways The trio pulled it off completing amilestonefirstdescentdownthewholeoftheStikine

In 1989 Lesser and McDougall returned with Doug Ammons as theirthirdThistimenohelicopterTheteamwasattemptingthefirstself-supported

expeditionthroughthecanyonItwasabigbetWithoutachopperintowiftheygotintotroubletheclosesthelpwaseasilyamountainrangeaway

ThisbeingtheStikinetheyquicklygotintotroubleSeven miles into the trip was Entry Falls the first of the riverrsquos major

rapidsDougMcDougallwentfirst tryingaconservativesneakerroutearoundthe boil So much for conservative He got swallowed smashed slammedcartwheeledwashing-machinedwindow-shadedandthenmdasharguablytheworstdeathtrapakayakercanencountermdashpinnedbeneathanundercutrockAbouttoblack out McDougall saw a glimmer of light clawed upward got sweptsidewaysslappedahandholdandsomehowmanagedtopropelhimselfintoaneddyHiskayakwaslonggone

ldquoWhenhewasdonepukingwaterrdquo recountsAmmons ldquohehada simplechoiceHecouldswimthehorrifyingrapidsbelowmdashwhichwouldprobablykillhimmdashorscalethesheercanyonwallHewasbarefootThewallwasnearly500feettallandcompletelyrottenItdidnrsquotmatterHeclimbedrdquo

Theclimb tookhoursmdashtheveryworstAmmonscan remember Itrsquosbeentwenty-five years and he still has nightmaresMcDougallwas his best friendandsuretodieItwasagruesomeordealbutsomehowhedidnrsquotdieStillthatwasitforMcDougallheneverpaddledbigwateragain

ThesamecannotbesaidforAmmonsThefollowingyearhecamebacktotheStikinewithadifferentcrewAgainpassagewasnoteasyRocksthesizeofbasketballswerepullingfreefromthewallsandrainingdownontheirboatsScoutinglinesrequiredseriousclimbingskillsandconsiderableimaginationldquoAlot of the time the closest you can get to a rapid is 300 feet above itrdquo saysAmmonsldquoFromthatheightfifteen-footwaveslooktinyTheonlywaytosolvethepuzzleistoastralprojectyourselfdownontotheriverlockthatimageintoyourmindandhopeyoucanrememberallthedifferentpieceswhenitcountsrdquo

DespitethedifficultiesthesecondtimeturnedouttobethecharmToptobottominthreedaysThefirstself-supportedtripdowntheStikineInpaddlinglorethetripwastheroughequivalentofReinholdMessnersummitingEverestwithoutsupplementaloxygen

ForAmmons though itwasnrsquot enoughThe rawness of the canyon thepoweroftherivertheprimalforcesonsuchbroaddisplayldquoItspoketometheplace theriver itwas likeamirror trying toshowmesomethingfundamentalaboutmyselfsomethingIdesperatelyneededtoknowrdquo

Which was about the time Doug Ammons started considering a soloexpeditiondowntheStikine

ldquoSoloingrequireshugecommitmentYoucanrsquotrelyonyourpartnersorasktheiropinionoreventakesolacefromtheirpresenceTherersquosnosupportYou

can only reach inside yourself for answers Therersquos a purity there a stripped-downclaritythatdemandsonlyonethingmdashbelongingTomethatrsquostheessenceofgoodpaddlingbelongingtotheplaceBeingapartofitmergingintoitTobeadropofwaterontheStikinemdashthatrsquoswhatIwantedThatrsquoswhenthetruthwouldcomeoutrdquo

THEFLOWLANDSCAPE

WersquollreturntothetruthalittlelaterfirstadeeperlookatthebroaderviewUpto now this book has focused on extreme athletes doing extreme acts andperhaps itrsquos all a little too extreme But remember the reason action andadventure sport athletes have used flow to accelerate performance faster andfartherthanalmostanyothergroupofpeopleinhistoryTakingalookathowfartheyrsquovecomegivesusasenseofthepossibleItprovidesabenchmarkYetthisdoesnrsquotmeantheseathleteshavecorneredthemarketonflow

FarfromitThereareagreatnumberofon-rampsintoflowwithactionandadventure

sports being only one of themForwriters poets painters sculptors dancersmusicians composers etc creativity is their frequent gateway Scientists andengineersoftenfeelthesameEnduranceathletesmeanwhilecanridepainandexhaustionintothezoneRunnerrsquoshighis thefablednameforthisexperiencebutitalsoshowsupinswimmingcyclingrowinghikingcross-countryskiingandalmostanyotheractivitywheresufferinglongdistancesisafactor

In the world of philanthropy helperrsquos high is the term for an altruism-triggeredflowstateliterallybroughtonbytheactofhelpinganotherOriginallydiscoveredinthe1990sbyBigBrotherBigSisterfounderAllanLuksinthoseinvolved in front-line hands-onaltruism (likevolunteering in a soupkitchen)helperrsquos high has since turned up in a farwider range of do-gooder activities(like bidding at a charity auction) Therersquos even amilder flashback versionmdashwhenpeoplerecalltheirgooddeedsahelperrsquoshighafterglowcanarise

TechnologyoffersevenmoreexamplesVideo-gameplayersgetintoflowso frequently that Csikszentmihalyirsquos ideas have become the most widelyaccepted theoretical framework for explaining the lure of the joystick Studieshave shown that the amount of flow generated by a video game directlycorrelates toeverything fromplayerengagement tooverallproduct success Infact as Dr Erik Gregory the executive director of the Media PsychologyResearch Center wrote in 2007 ldquoPlacing players in flow is the key to video

gamingrsquosuniversalappealrdquoMeanwhile for Internet surfers researchers have found flow the secret

ingredienttoalmosteveryaspectofonlineexperienceBothwebsiteslipperiness(the ease with which we enter and exit an online experience) and websitestickiness (how certain sites hold our attention) are influenced by the stateResearchersatVanderbiltUniversityhavefoundthatfromthemarketingsideofthis coin online flow experiences attract customersmitigate price sensitivityandpositivelyinfluencesubsequentbuyingbehaviors

AndtechnologyusersareonlyhalfofthispictureastechnologycreatorshavealsoharnessedthispowerldquoAtitsbestwritingcodehappensinastateoflsquoflowrsquothinsprdquo reads a line in Oraclersquos Developer Insight Series And itrsquos not justOracleemployeeswhofeelthiswaySoimportanthasflowbecometosoftwaredevelopment that industry analysts and authors Tom DeMarco and TimothyListerarguethattime-basedaccounting(payingpeopleforhoursworked)needstobereplacedbyflow-basedaccounting(payingpeoplefortheamountoftimetheyspend in flowatwork)writingldquoThephenomenaof flowand immersiongiveusamorerealisticwaytomodelhowtimeisappliedtoadevelopmenttaskWhatmatters isnot theamountof timeyoursquorepresentbut theamountof timethatyoursquoreworkingatyourfullpotentialAnhourinflowreallyaccomplishessomething but ten six-minute work periods sandwiched between eleveninterruptionswonrsquotaccomplishanythingrdquo

Nor is it just codersAsUniversity of California Berkeley biophysicistandoneoftheInternetrsquosoriginalarchitectsReeseJonespointsoutldquoAllofthebasicactivitiesthatledtotodayrsquoshigh-techrevolutionmdashcircuitdesignsoftwaredesignnetworkdesignmdashrequire laser-focusedattentionandproduce flow anddoinganyofthesetaskswellisjustnotpossiblewithoutthestaterdquoSoifyoursquorelookingforanonathleticexampleof thekindofrevolution thatoccurswhenagroupofpeoplebeginharnessingflowonaregularbasisSiliconValleyisnotabadplacetostart

Buttoreturntowherewestartedwithflowaccessibleandimportantinsomany different domains why does this book focuses primarily on action andadventure athletes Simple in all these other domains flow is a luxury inextremesportsitisacorerequirementInfacteventhoughflowisconsistentlyassociated with all elite-level athletic success itrsquos actually rather elusive intraditionalsportsKenRavizzaapsychologistatCaliforniaStateUniversityatFullerton who examined instances of flow in bat-and-ball and track-and-fieldsports (andwho calls flow byMaslowrsquos name ldquopeak experiencesrdquo) explainsldquoThepeakexperienceinsportisararepersonalmomentthatremainsetchedinthe athletersquos consciousness It serves as reminder of the great intrinsic

satisfaction that sport participation can provide Peak experiences during anathletersquos career are relatively rare but their intensity acts as a standard orqualitativereferencepointforsubjectivelyevaluatingfutureperformancerdquo

Again this isnot thecasewithactionandadventuresportsTakea2000studyrunonkayakersontheClassVCheatCanyoninWestVirginiaWhilethesubjects included everyone from novice to professional paddlersmdashmeaning itwasnrsquot just extreme athletes involvedmdashresearchers found ldquoevery individual islikely toexperience flowat leastoncewhilepaddling theCheatCanyonor inthecaseofdailystudiesatleastonceadayrdquoThepointisthisifwewantmoreflowinourlivesthebestplacetostartthatinvestigationiswiththepeoplewiththemostflowintheirlives

And that is exactly where wersquore going next Part One of this bookconcerneditselfwiththeso-calledldquocharacteristicsofflowrdquowhatanindividualexperiencesinthezoneWiththisstagesetwecannowturnourattentiontotheldquoconditions for flowrdquomdashthe circumstances that speed entrance into the stateFlow triggers is the termwersquoll be using to describe these circumstances andoverthenextfourchapterswersquollbeexaminingfourvarietiesexternaltriggersinternaltriggerssocialtriggersandcreativetriggersButattheheartofallarethree critical questionsHow have these athletesmanaged to produce flow soconsistentlyWhataretheconditionsthatledtotheirsuccessAndhowcanwebridge the gap between the extreme and the mainstream importing theseconditionsintoourdailylives

HACKINGFLOW

It wasnrsquot intentional thatrsquos the first thing to know Certainly action andadventureathleteshavefoundflowmorefrequentlythanmostbutmuchoftheirsuccesshasbeenaccidental

Take external triggers our starting point These are qualities in theenvironment thatdrivepeopledeeper intothezoneOnetamerexamplecomesfromofficedesignInrecentyearsastheproductionofflowhasbeendeemedcritical to thesuccessoforganizationsorganizationshave reactedby trying todesignenvironmentsthatproducemoreflowAsflowrequiresfocusoneofthefirstchangessuggestedbyexpertswastheremovalofcubiclefarmsthoseopenofficeplansthatpermitconstantinterruptionldquoTheseinterruptionshellipmoveusoutoflsquoflowrsquoandincreaseresearch-and-designcycle timesandcostsdramaticallyrdquowrites Greylock Partners venture capitalist James Slavet on Forbescom

ldquoStudies have shown that each time a flow state is disrupted it takes fifteenminutestogetbackintoflowifyoucangetbackatallrdquo

Yet if focus is thegoal then rearrangingoffice furniture is the longwayaround Action and adventure athletes cheat this process with fundamentalbiology Evolution hardwired humans to pay attention to certain stimulimorethanothersandastheseathleteshavediscoverednothingcatchesourattentionquitelikedanger

Humansevolvedinaneraofimmediacywherethreatswerealwaysofthetiger-in-the-bush variety Immediate threats require immediate responses andthis fact has shaped our brain more than any other Consider informationprocessingEverysecondoursensesgatherwaymoredatathanwecanactuallyhandleAsaresultmuchofwhatthebraindoesisteaseapartthecriticalfromthecasualSincenothingismorecriticalthansurvivalthefirststopmostofthisincominginformationmakesisourdangerdetectortheamygdala

Analmond-shapedsliverofthetemporallobetheamygdalaisresponsibleforprimalemotionslikehateangerandfearItrsquosourearlywarningsystemanorgan always on high alertWithmost incoming sensory information headingtherewhentherersquosdangerlurkingintheenvironmentwedonrsquothavetorelyonartificialforceslikeofficedesigntodriveattentionMerelybyplyingtheirtradeinaldquohighconsequencerdquoenvironmentmdashwithhighconsequencebeingthefirstoftheexternaltriggerswersquollbeexaminingmdashextremeathletesrelyonrisktodrivefocustherequisitefirststeptowardproducingflow

Another way to think about this is ldquohackingrdquo The term comes fromelectronicswhereinhackerswereoriginallyfound(thewordhassincetakenondarkerconnotations)thoseinterestedintinkeringwithtechnologyinanattempttoimproveperformanceInthiscaseinsteadofhackingldquoexternalrdquotechnologieslikecomputersandtelephonesourfocusisonhackingldquointernalrdquotechnologiesmdashourownpsychologyandneurologyAssuchwersquollbeusingflowhackandflowhacker to refer to any action that helps propel people into flow and anyoneperformingsuchanactionrespectivelyInthesetermsextremeathletesuseriskas a ldquoflow hackrdquo because flow follows focus and consequences catch ourattention

But consequences do more than catch our attention they also driveneurochemistryAsriskincreasessodonorepinephrineanddopaminethefeel-good chemicals the brain uses to amplify focus and enhance performanceBecausenorepinephrineanddopaminefeelreallygoodplayingwiththistriggeroftenproduceslong-lastingeffectsrisktakersaretransformedintoriskseekersldquoThere was a rushrdquo Doug Ammons once wrote ldquoand for that moment wecouldnrsquottellthedifferencebetweenjoyandthegrabinourthroatbutweknew

withoutsaying that itwasanewpathAndfromthatpointonnothingseemedthesamerdquo

Once danger becomes its own reward risk moves from a threat to beavoidedtoachallengetoberisentowardAnentirelynewrelationshipwithfearbeginstodevelopWhenriskisachallengefearbecomesacompassmdashliterallypointing people in the direction they need to go next (ie the direction thatproduces more flow) ldquoIf yoursquore interested in masteryrdquo says University ofCambridge England neuropsychologist Barbara Sahakian ldquoyou have to learnthislessonToreallyachieveanythingyouhavetobeabletotolerateandenjoyrisk It has to become a challenge to look forward to In all fields to makeexceptional discoveries you need riskmdashyoursquore just never going to have abreakthroughwithoutitrdquo

When these athletes actually take a risk (putting themselves in a high-consequence situation rather than a high-risk environment) an even biggerneurochemical response is facilitated Risk taking itself releases another bigsquirt of dopamine further enhancing performance and increasing patternrecognitionOncethepattern-recognitionsystemlightsontotheproperresponse(ie identifies the chunk that will save the athletersquos hide in this particularsituation)evenmoredopamineisreleasedandthecascadecontinues

As we know these facts we also know a bit about hacking the ldquohighconsequencerdquo flow trigger For starters risk is always relative While somedangermustbecourtedforflowconfrontationswithmortalityarenotrequiredInfactevenphysicalriskitselfisoptionalAshymanneedonlycrosstheroomtosayhello toanattractivewomanto trigger thisrushIncasualconversationmerely tellingsomeone the truthcanserve thesamepurposeldquoToreachflowrdquoexplainsHarvardpsychiatristNedHallowellldquoonemustbewillingtotakerisksThelovermustlaybarehissoulandriskrejectionandhumiliationtoenterthisstateTheathletemustbewillingtoriskphysicalharmevenlossoflifetoenterthisstateTheartistmustbewillingtobescornedanddespisedbycriticsandthepublicandstillpushonAndtheaveragepersonmdashyouandmemdashmustbewillingtofaillookfoolishandfallflatonourfacesshouldwewishtoenterthisstaterdquo

WhatallofthisaddsuptoisoptionsCertainlyriskisneededforflowbutif you donrsquot want to take physical risks take mental risks Take social risksEmotional risks Creative risks Especially creative risks The application ofimaginationmdashone very shorthand definition of creativitymdashis all about mentalchance takingAnd the risk is real Loss of respect loss of resources loss oftimemdashtheconsequencesofbettingonabadideacancertainlythreatensurvival

Yetifwersquoregoingtohackflowbytradingmentalrisksforphysicalrisksmdashand especially if we want the same kind of accelerated performance seen

today in extreme athletesmdashthen our commitment to the process better beferocious Why Because todayrsquos action and adventure athletes arenrsquot justoccasionallypulling thehigh-consequence flow trigger theyrsquoresqueezinghardandallthetime

Action and adventure sports are packed with do-or-die momentsTraditional athletics in contrast are cushioned by the artifice of the game Inbasketball the only time one can launch a game-winning buzzer beatermdashtheriskiestshotmdashisinthelastsecondsofplayAndtheworstthingthatcanhappenif that shot goes wide Being benched for the next game But action andadventuresportshaveanunflinchingrefereethelawsofphysicsAsurferwhodoesnrsquot commit completely to every inch of a big wave ends up begging formercyatthebottomoftheimpactzone

Thus ifwewant the accelerated performance of these athleteswe needtheirferociouscommitmentaswellMorethanthatweneedtounderstandthatriskisonlythefirstofourexternaltriggersandflowhackershaveplentymorechoices available In fact it was these additional choices that Ammons wascountingontohelphimsurvivetheStikine

RICHENVIRONMENTDEEPEMBODIMENT

ItrsquosnoteasytogettotheStikineStartinWashingtonandheadnorthDrive600milesofemptygravelroadnotasoulinsightPlentyoftimetothinkInthefallof1992DougAmmonsdrovethosemilesalonemdashsowhatwashethinkingldquoNooneknewwhere Iwasorwhat Iwasdoingrdquo he says ldquoIwas thinking if thiswentwrongtheywouldneverfindmybodyrdquo

Ammonsdidnrsquot careHersquod come for the consequencesHeknewhow toleverage risk to access flow andmdashcritical for thismissionmdashbelieved he couldremaininthestateforaverylongtimeldquoIhadnochoicerdquohesaysldquoTheStikineis three daysrsquo worth of relentless It runs Class V between rapids Portagingrequires big wall climbing and rappelling Scouting requires heightenedawareness and really good problem-solving skills None of this is possiblewithoutflowYoucanrsquotcontrolthisriveryoucanrsquotmusclethroughityouhavetobecomepartofityouhavetoflowwithitrdquo

AmmonswasbettinghislifeontheabilitytosummonandmaintainoneofthemostelusivestatesonearthaheftywagertosaytheleastYethecouldplacethisbetwithconfidencebecausehewasnrsquotonlyrelyingonrisktotriggerflowHewasalsodependingontwootherexternaltriggersmdashldquorichenvironmentrdquoand

ldquodeepembodimentrdquomdashtokeephiminthestateAldquorichenvironmentrdquoisacombinationplatterofnoveltyunpredictability

andcomplexitymdashthreeelementsthatcatchandholdourattentionmuchlikeriskNoveltymeansbothdangerandopportunityToourforbearersastrangescentinthe wind could be prey or predator but either way it paid to pay attentionUnpredictabilitymeanswe donrsquot knowwhat happens next thuswe pay extraattention to what happens next Complexity when therersquos lots of salientinformationcomingatusatoncedoesmoreofthesame

InfactmostofushavesomefamiliaritywithcomplexitytriggeringflowIfyoursquoveeverstoodbeforeavastcanyonandfeltawemdashwellaweisastateoftotal absorption and the front end of flow When sucked in by theincomprehensible complexity of geologic timescales and epic beauty realitypausesifonlyforamomentAndinthismomentwetastethepinpointfocuslossofself-consciousnessandtimedilationthataredeepzonecompanions

Action and adventure athletes taste these experiences so often becausenature is jam-packedwithnoveltyunpredictabilityandcomplexityRiversarelivingentitiesSamewiththemountainsandthewavesTheAlaskansnowpackmorphs on a moment-to-moment basis the swells of Teahupoo lurch to theirown rhythms In places where anything can happen a wandering mind is adangerousmind thus rich environments automatically tighten focus and driveflow

Andfor thoseofuswhowant to takeadvantageof thisfactyethavenointerestinactionandadventuresportsSimpleSeekoutcomplexityespeciallyin natureGo stare at the night skyWalk in thewoods If you canrsquot find bignature contemplate the small The reasons there are so many clicheacutes aboutuniversesinsideofdewdropsisbecausethereareuniversesinsideofdewdropsNo dew to contemplate Use technology to induce awe surf your city withGoogleEarthorgoseeanIMAXmovie

NextupnoveltyandunpredictabilityNormallywegooutofourwaytoavoid both We rely on old habits we cherish our routines And why notAutomatic pilot is efficient Routines save the brain energy and who hasnrsquotdriven to work without remembering the trip Yet vary the route next timeBrush your teethwith thewrong hand These against-the-grain tricks increasenoveltyandunpredictabilitydemandingfocusandpatternrecognitionandbotharetherealgoal

ldquoYou donrsquot need a giant wave or a big-mountain to trigger theseresponsesrdquo says neuroscientist and director of the Krasnow Institute forAdvancedStudyatGeorgeMasonUniversityJamesOldsldquoThebrainrsquosreactionisnrsquotdependenton real external information Itrsquos reacting toaconstellationof

inputsfromthesensorysystemIfyoucanlightupthatsameconstellationmdashsayreplace the novelty found in a natural environmentwith new routines in yourdaily lifemdashyoursquoll get the dopamine and norepinephrine This iswhy the flowhackof the twenty-secondcentury isgoing tobe abuttononyour augmentedcognition device that lights up this same constellationrdquo Olds by the waypracticeswhathepreachesdrivingadifferentroutehomefromworkeveryday

The lastexternal flowtriggerldquodeepembodimentrdquo isakindof full-bodyawareness Humans have sensory inputs all over the place 50 percent of ournerveendingsareinourhandsfeetandfaceWehaveasmanyneuronsinthegutandheartas inthebrainWealsohaveproprioceptiontodetectpositioninspace and vestibular awareness for balance Deep embodimentmeans payingattentiontoallofthesesensoryinputsatonce

More inputsmeansmore informationWaymore information The braincanrsquot process this deluge consciously Too slow Too inefficient In manysituationstoodangerousWhencriticaldataarrivesviafirehosetherersquosnotimeforneuroticdebateldquo[T]asksthatrequirereal-timesensorimotorintegrationarebesthandledby the implicit systemrdquoexplainedArneDietrich ina2011paperfor Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews ldquoExplicit interference into theexecution of these kinds of tasks tends to decrease their effectivenessrdquo Deepembodiment then is the transient hypofrontality fast track and thus anotherreasonactionandadventureathleteshavefoundflowsofrequently

ldquoActionandadventuresportsdemanddeepembodimentrdquo saysAmmonsldquoEspeciallykayakingBigriversaccelerateyouineverydirectionatonceThisputsthevestibularsystemintooverdriveThisisnrsquotjustyourmindpayingmoreattentionmdashsuddenlyyourentirebodyispayingattentionWhenthishappensitrsquosoutsideourconsciouscapabilitiesTherearenowordsOur languagebecomesthat of the river All the features of the river speak to you and you to themthroughmotionThereistensionthreatthereisjoyandreleaseandoveralladeepdeepsenseofflowYouareliterallypartoftheflowoftheworldrdquo

If we want to pull the deep embodiment trigger in less extremeenvironments thenwe simplyhave to learn to pay attention to all these inputstreams This isnrsquot hard Zen walking meditation teaches an open-sensesall-senses awareness Balance and agility training (like playing hopscotch orrunningladderdrills)enhanceproprioceptionandvestibularawarenessYogataichi and just about everymartial art blendboth togetherAnd if technology ismoreyourspeedtherearevideogamesforbothXboxrsquosKinectandNintendorsquosWiithatdothesame

Ammons meanwhile was counting on all of these external triggers tosurvivetheStikineHeknewallthreewouldbepresentthemomenthisboathit

thewaterNolongeronland(deepembodiment)aloneinoneofthelargestandmost isolatedwildernesseson theplanet (richenvironment) andclosing inonEntryFallsthefirstmajorrapidandtheplaceBobMcDougallalmostdied(highconsequence)Withoutquestionhewasprimedforflow

THEPARADOXOFCONTROL

Yet it wasnrsquot until ldquoWicked Wandardquo the Stikinersquos third major rapid thatAmmonsfeltthestatersquosfullembraceAsteeprampanevilholeapummelingwave-trainrun-outmdashWandarsquosiswickedallrightAmmonsgotspunupsidedownsomewherebetweentherampandtheholeItcouldhavebeenadisasteritwasablessing indisguiseWhenhe rolled to righthimselfhe rolled right into flowldquoUptothatpointrdquohesaysldquoitwastakingeverythingtoholdittogetherIwassofaroutthereTotallyaloneTheintimidationfactorwaskeepingmeoutofflowBut rolling requireddeep embodiment and that did the trickHalfway throughtherollIjustsnappedintothestaterdquo

Just in time Located a few rapids downstream was Wassonrsquosmdashwhatlegendary kayaker Gerry Moffat calls a ldquomillion-dollar holerdquo ldquoMeaningrdquo hesays ldquomost people wouldnrsquot paddle it for a million dollarsrdquo But therersquos noretreatWassonrsquosissurroundedbyverticalcliffssoportaginghikingupstreamorclimbingoutareimpossibleItrsquosdoordie

ForAmmonsitwasalmostdieldquoWassonrsquoshastwobigdisasterfeaturesthathavetobeavoidedrdquohesays

ldquoBut therewasnolineTherightsideandthecenterwereNorthShore impactzonesmdashjust incredibly violent Everythingwas punching left pushing into themainholeNomatterwhatIdidIwas99percentsureIwouldbeannihilatedrdquo

Ammons was out of options he let himself get swallowed ldquoIt was themostunbelievablesensationthisthingIknewwasimpossiblethatjustcouldnrsquotwork I got to watch myself piece it together I could feel all of the riverrsquosreactions and could feel myself melding with them My goal was to do thisinconceivablethingtobeadropofwaterSurvivingWassonrsquoswasproofIhaddoneitFromthatpointonIknewtheimpossiblewaspossiblerdquo

ThesensationAmmons isdescribing is theldquoparadoxofcontrolrdquoanotherofflowrsquosdefiningcharacteristicsTheparadoxisrealpowerinplacesweshouldhavenoneItrsquosthatsenseofcontrollingtheuncontrollablefamiliartodaytradersandemergency-roomsurgeonsonlyheretakentoitsfarthestextreme

What creates this feeling is a two-part contradiction Part one Flow is

exceptionally pleasurable but mostly in retrospect ldquoIt is this absence ofhellipemotionofalmostanykindofconsciousawarenessofonersquosstatethatisattheheartofflowrdquowritesUniversityofPennsylvaniapsychologistMartinSeligmanldquoConsciousnessandemotionaretheretocorrectyourtrajectorywhenwhatyouare doing is seamlessly perfect you donrsquot need themrdquo Part twoYoumay beunemotional but yoursquore not asleep In the throes of the paradox yoursquore fullyaware of the ass yoursquore kickingmdashjust not entirely certain you deserve all thecredit

Ammons agrees ldquoThere arenrsquot any words to describe this feeling ToofrequentlyathletesfallbackonclicheacutesandmachismoTheypaddlesomethinghardandwhensomeoneputsamicrophone in their faceall theycancomeupwithislsquoItamedthatbitchrsquoButwhenyoursquoreactuallyinthosemomentsifyoursquoregoingtosurvivenobodyisarrogantYouhavetobehumbleandopentoaccessthiscontrolOfcoursesincemostpeoplersquosknowledgeofactionandadventuresportscomesfromenergydrinkadsandlsquoblendingwiththeenvironmentrsquodoesnrsquotreallymoveproductwersquoresoldthislsquoextremedudersquolieinsteadrdquo

But the extreme dude lie is hiding a potent flow hack humility ldquoWhenyoursquorearrogantandegotisticalrdquosaysDrOldsldquoyoursquoreshuttingoutcomplexitynovelty and unpredictability to preserve a distorted self-imageAny incominginformation that could lead to self-doubt is stamped out Itrsquos a massive datareductionHumilitymoves in theother direction it opensus up and increasesincoming information As a result there is more opportunity for patternrecognitionmoredopamineandlessneedforjudgmentalmetacognitionrdquo

AmmonsstayedhumbleandstayedinthezoneHesurvivedWassonrsquosandwent on to survive the Stikine For those keeping score he made only twoportagesalongthewayonearoundV-Driveadeathtraprapidthatwouldremainunrunnableuntil2001 (when the river shiftedaboulder)and theupperhalfofSiteZedwhichmdashwithhelp fromnear-perfectconditionsanda sizable supportteammdashwasfinallyrunin2012

Yetdespitethemagnitudeofhisaccomplishmentitwouldbeaverylongtime before anyone heard the tale Besides his wife and two close friendsAmmonstoldnooneforeighteenyearsSincethenotherthanashortessayandafewincidentalmentionsthisisthefirsttimemanydetailshaveseenprintHersquosalsorefusedtoprofitfromtheexperienceturningdownalonglistoffilmdealsand sponsorship opportunities In fact in the history of action and adventuresportstheStikinesolomaybethegreateststorynevertoldandoneofthefewtimes someone has pulled off the impossible and flat out refused to use it forpersonalgainHumilitymatters

Onafinalnoteitrsquosbeenovertwodecadesmdashbutnoonehasyettorepeat

Ammonrsquossolo

7

InnerFlow

MANDY-RAE CRU ICKSHANK AND THE NOW

Mandy-RaeCruickshank never intended to become a superhero She grew upshyinthesuburbsofAlbertaCanadaShewasexceptionallyshyWaytootimidtogivebookreportsinschoolshefailedprojectsratherthanfacefearsDuringlunchorrecessevenwhenallherfriendsweretogethershewastoobashfultogooverandsayhelloTheonlyplaceMandy-Raeeverfeltcomfortablewasthewater While her aquatic passion blossomed into competitive synchronizedswimminginhighschoolhercoachmadeapointoftellingherparentsthatshehadnofutureinthesportlackingapparentlytherequisitedrivetotakethingstotheOlympiclevelldquoBythetimeIgotoutofhighschoolrdquosaysCruikshankldquoitwasprettycleartomeandtomostwhoknewmethatIwasnevergoingtodoanythinggroundbreakingrdquo

OnherwaytoneverandcapitalizingonherpassionforwaterCruikshankopenedascubashopinVancouverShesoonbecamefriendlywithanotherdive-operationownerKirkKrackandheintroducedhertotheancientsportoffreediving Arguably the simplest athletic pursuit in the world free divingmdashordivingwithout a breathing apparatus (ie scuba tanks)mdashrequires only a bodyandabreathDiverssuckinnearlyasmuchairaspossiblethendescendintothedepths of the ocean Sometimes they use fins sometimes they go barefootOccasionallyweights are involvedAnd every now and again the big blue is

traded for the shallowendof thepool anddivers compete in ldquostatic apneardquomdashessentially hanging limp in the water to see who can hold their breath thelongest

There are dangers of course When outside pressure crushes insideairspaces the results can be exceptionally painful Eardrums rupture withregularityThebiggestthreatisblackingoutwhichcanhappenbecauseoflowoxygenhighcarbondioxidelossofbloodpressureorseveralotherfactorsItrsquosfor all of these reasons that asAlecWilkinson explained in the pages ofTheNewYorker ldquo[Freediving] is frequently described as theworldrsquos secondmostdangeroussportafterjumpingoffskyscraperswithparachutesrdquo

KrackhimselfdiscoveredfreedivingaccidentallyHisearlyexpertisewasinmixed-gasdeepscubabutinthelate1980swhilerunningadiveshopintheCaymanshehadtakentoldquoskindivingrdquo(asthetermfreedivingdidnrsquotyetexist)onhisdaysoffWitha littlepracticehe foundhimselfcapableofholdinghisbreathlongenoughtoplayaroundatdepthsofsixtyto100feetTherealchangeoccurred in 1997 when Pipin Ferreras then one of the few professional freediversintheworlddecidedtosetanewworldrecordintheCaymansandaskedKrackmdashwhosediveshopownedallthenecessaryequipmentmdashtohelphimout

ldquoI had zero free diving technique at the timerdquo recounts Krack ldquobut Iwatched Pipin prepare for his dive and he started by doing pull downsmdashdescendingaboutthirtyfeethangingoutforawhilethenpoppingbackupHedidthisafewtimesBackthenallIdidwasdiveasdeepaspossiblerightawayUsingmy techniqueaftera fewhours I found that the lengthof time IcouldholdmybreathincreasedconsiderablyWhenItrieddoingPipinrsquospulldownsIgotthekindsofbreath-holdsthatusedtotakehourstoachieveinminutesrdquo

Krack had uncovered a technique for triggering the mammalian divingreflex a reflex thatoptimizes respirationand likedolphinswhales and somebirdsallowsustooperateunderwaterforextendedperiodsoftimeHerersquoshowitworksWhen thenervesof thehuman face come in contactwithwater ourheartbeat begins to slow (10 to 30 percent in amateurs up to 50 percent inprofessionals)Aslowerheartraterequires lessoxygen leavingmoreleftoverfor other organs Next as pressure from depth increases blood leaves ourextremitiesmdashfirstfingersandtoesnexthandsandfeetfinallyarmsandlegsmdashand surrounds the heart and brain Lastly during deeper dives organs andcirculatorywallsallowbloodplasmaandwatertopassthroughthempreventingthechestcavityfromcollapsinginwardwiththemassivepressureincrease

Whilethemammaliandivingreflexwasfirstdiscoveredbynavyscientistsback in the 1960s so small were free diving circles it remained a well-keptsecretuntilhereinthetwenty-firstcenturyButKrackgotobsessedHelearned

everythinghecouldabout the reflexbuilt trainingprogramsaround the ideasthenopenedPerformanceFreediving InternationalHe taught folks aboutpeakinhalations(fillingallpulmonaryairspaces)andpacking(taking in tinysipsofair after the lungs have been filledwhich if donewrong can lead to brokenribs punctured tracheas and quick blackouts) and breath-ups (away to lowerheartrateincreasebloodoxygenanddispelcarbondioxide)Hegotverygoodat this teaching By the time he was getting to know Cruikshank Krack hadalreadycoachedbothBrettLeemasterandTanyaStreetertoworldrecords

Krack and Cruikshank soon found themselves romantically intertwined(theyrsquore nowmarriedwith children) and this proved a boon forMandy-Raersquostraining The mammalian diving reflex is inhibited by stress so beingcomfortable in thewater is a considerable advantagewhen trying to learn thetechnique Cruikshankwas a natural Evenmore important was her ability toequalize at depth ldquoI had never been below thirty-six meters beforerdquo sherecountsldquobut inearly2000Igotachance togodeepona tandemlsquono-limitsrsquodive(nolimitsmeansshewastoweddownwardbyaweightedsledandreliedonanairbagtoreturnhertothesurface)ThatrsquoshowIfoundoutIhadnotroubleequalizingat100metersWhenKirkrealizedthishedecidedweweregoingforaworldrecordrdquo

Thus in theCaymans and roughly eighteenmonths after first taking upfreedivingMandy-RaetookaveryshortboatrideouttothecompetitionareamdashreallynothingmorethanasquareofoceanmarkedoffbybuoysmdashgrabbedholdofthatweightedsledonceagainandletherselfbedraggedtodepthIfonlyitwere thateasySure inno limits thesledand theairbagdoall theworkbutthatturnsthetripintoapurelymentalgameldquoPhysicallyrdquosaysCruickshankldquoallthatrsquosrequiredisyouhangonandgoforarideMentallyitrsquoslikeplayingchessagainst yourself Its will and technique versus panic and pressure Itrsquos aboutforcing themind tostop thinking ItrsquosaboutflowIfyoucanrsquotget intoflow ifyoucanrsquotmeltintothewaterbecomepartofthewaterthenyoucanrsquotfreedivemdashtherersquosjustnootherwaytogodeeprdquo

This mental game is especially hard for Cruickshank a self-describedldquoheadcaserdquoldquoFromthemomentIgetoutofbedtothemomentIgotosleeprdquosays Cruickshank ldquomy brain never turns off So when I dive itrsquos reallyimportantthatIdonrsquotletmyselfgetconsumedButKirkshowedmeIcoulddotheimpossibleThatchangedsomethinginsideofmeIbecamecompelledIhada reason to win the fight against my brain I had to find out what else waspossibleIhadtofindoutifIwascapableofdoingsomethingnooneelseintheworldcoulddosomethingnobodyhadeverdonebeforerdquo

Turnsoutshecould

OnSeptember232001Cruikshanksetherfirstworldrecorda136-meterldquonolimitsrdquodescentThefollowingyearshesetasecondworldrecordfora616static apnea breath-hold A year after that it was no-fins ldquoconstant ballastrdquomdashdivers descend and ascend with weights and under their own powermdashworldrecordofforty-onemetersAndshewasjustgettingwarmedup

IntotalCruickshanksetsevenworldrecordsinsevenyearsincludingherMarch242004constantballast(thistimewithfins)breakthroughofseventy-eightmetersldquoThatwastheonepeoplewillalwaysrememberrdquosaysKrackldquoShebeat thepreviousrecordby tenmeters Itwasahuge jumpOneof the largestsinglejumpsinthehistoryofthesportrdquoCruikshankexplainsitdifferentlyldquoIrsquomjustanordinarywomanwholearnedshewascapableofextraordinarythingsrdquo

INTERNALFLOWTRIGGERS

ThequestionraisedbyMandy-RaeCruickshank is fairlystraightforwardHowdidshelearnshewascapableofextraordinaryTurnsoutshedidnrsquotlearnhowto do anything Mandy-Rae learned whenmdashwhen she was capable ofextraordinaryThismadeallthedifference

Mandy-Rae took up an activity that demanded she live in the now Notmetaphorically Not in some groovy hippie way Quite simply 300 feetunderwater therersquos no way to be elsewhere When she says ldquoItrsquos reallyimportanttonotletmyselfgetconsumedrdquoshemeanswhendivingnotthinkingabout the future (where she could run out of air) or the past (where a poordecisionmade her use up toomuch air) is survival Instead Cruickshank hastrainedherself tokeepattention righthere right nowmdashwhich is theonly timeflowcanshowupandtheonlytimewersquorecapableofextraordinary

Yet the here and now isnrsquot seen much these days In our always-onhyperconnectedworldthereareendlessreasonstobeelsewhereEverytimeweanswerane-mailorreturnatextorcheckourFacebookpagewearethereandnothereAndjustasfrequentlyweare thenandnotnowWithinboxespilinguptodayrsquosluncheontonightrsquosparent-teacherconferencetomorrowrsquosdeadlinesthe report due next week the performance review right after that well nowonderwecanrsquotliveinthemoment

InsteadasDouglasRushkoffwritesinPresentShockldquo[W]etendtoexistin adistractedpresentwhere forceson theperiphery aremagnified and thoseimmediately before us are ignored Our ability to planmdashmuch less followthrough on itmdashis undermined by our need to be able to improvise our way

throughanynumberofexternal impacts thatstandtoderailusatanymomentInsteadoffindingastablefootholdinthehereandnowweendupreactingtoanever-presentassaultofsimultaneousimpulsesandcommandsrdquo

Not only is the distracted present a miserable place to be itrsquos also theworst kind of self-handicapping Study after study shows that wersquore terriblemultitaskers By trying to improve performance by being everywhere andeverywhenwe end up nowhere and never The sad truth is that our lives arepullingusineverydirectionsavetheonewherewersquoremosteffective

WorseasanyonewhoeverattemptedmeditationhasquicklydiscoveredchangingthistendencyisnoteasyUsingthemindtosilencethemindisalong-term endeavor Tibetan Buddhistmeditatorsmdashwho have arguably self-selectedfor this abilitymdashcan spend over two decades learning towield it reliablyYetMandy-RaersquosascensiondidnrsquottakedecadesItdidnrsquoteventakeyearsShewentabsolutebeginnertoworldrecordholderineighteenmonthsandwhyShetookashortcutintothenow

Just as flow states have external triggers conditions in the outerenvironmentthatcreatemoreflowtheyalsohaveinternaltriggersconditionsinourinnerenvironmentthatcreatemoreflowInternaltriggersarepsychologicalstrategiesthatdriveattentionintothenowBackinthe1970sCsikszentmihalyiidentifiedldquocleargoalsrdquoldquoimmediatefeedbackrdquoandldquothechallengeskillratiordquoasthethreemostcriticalLetrsquostakeacloserlook

ldquoClear goals that define immediate successrdquo is how this first trigger istypicallydescribedGenerallythethinkingrsquosbeenthatcleargoalshelpidentifyour task (soweknowwhat todo)andalign that taskwithbelief (soweknowwhy wersquore doing it) But the most important piece as University of Illinoiscognitive scientist Daniel Simons discovered is how clear goals impactattention

In2003Simonsshowedashort filmofbasketballplayerspassingaballaround a court to his students and asked them to count the passesWhen thefilmwasoverhehadonequestionldquoHowmanypeoplesawthegorillardquoAsithappenedmidway through the clip a guy in a gorilla costumewalked to themiddleofthecircleofbasketballplayersbeathischestafewtimesthenwalkedoffAsithappenedmostofthestudentsdidnrsquotseethegorilla

Simonrsquosldquoinvisiblegorillaexperimentrdquohassincebeen repeateddozensoftimesmdashmost recently with radiologists looking at radiological screens and acartoon gorillamdashand always with the same result Not many people see thegorillaIntheradiologistrsquosversion(a2012studyrunatBrighamandWomanrsquosHospital inBoston)83percentofdoctorstestedfailedtospottheanimalThepoint is this when the brain is charged with a clear goal focus narrows

considerablytheunimportantisdisregardedandthenowisallthatrsquosleftJustasimportantinthenowtherersquosnopastorfutureandalotlessroom

forselfmdashwhichare the three intrudersmost likely toyankus to the thenThisalso tells us something about emphasis Philip Zimbardo pointed out thatWestern society is dominated by Futuresmdashie thosewell-trained to strive forgoalsThuswhenconsideringldquocleargoalsrdquomosthaveatendencytoskipovertheadjective(clear)togettothenoun(goals)Whentoldtosetcleargoalsweimmediately visualize ourselves on theOlympic podium theAcademyAwardstageor theFortune500 list saying ldquoIrsquovebeenpicturing thismoment since Iwasfifteenrdquoandthinkthatrsquosthepoint

ItrsquosnotthepointThosepodiummomentscanpullusoutof thepresentEvenifsuccessis

seconds away itrsquos still a future event subject to hopes fears and all sorts ofnow-crushingdistractionThinkofthelonglistofinfamoussportingchokesthedroppedpassinthefinalsecondsoftheSuperBowlthemissedputtattheendof theAugustaMasters In thosemoments the gravity of the goal pulled theparticipantsoutofthenowwhenironicallythenowwasalltheyneededtowin

IfcreatingmoreflowisouraimthentheemphasisfallsonldquoclearrdquoandnotldquogoalsrdquoClaritygivesuscertaintyWeknowwhattodoandweknowwheretofocus our attention while doing it When goals are clear metacognition isreplacedbyin-the-momentcognitionandtheselfstaysoutofthepicture

ldquoWhen I dive constant ballastrdquo says Mandy-Rae Cruickshank ldquoI donrsquotthinkaboutbreakinga record Icanrsquotever thinkabout thewholedive Itrsquos toooverwhelming I have to chunk it down create tiny clear goals I go throughkick cycles The Voice (the voice of intuition) keeps count I want to payattentionthroughonecyclethenthenextthenthenextKeepthecountthatrsquosmyonlygoalIfIkeepthecountIcanstayinflowthewholediverdquo

Applying this idea in our daily life means breaking tasks into bite-sizechunksandsettinggoalsaccordinglyAwriterforexampleisbetterofftryingto pen three great paragraphs at a timemdashthe equivalent of moving throughMandy-Raersquos kick cyclesmdashrather than attempting one great chapter Thinkchallengingyetmanageablemdashjustenoughstimulationtoshortcutattentionintothenownotenoughstresstopullyoubackoutagain

Immediatefeedbackournext internal trigger isanothershortcut intothenow The term refers to a direct in-the-moment coupling between cause andeffectThe smaller thegapbetween input andoutput themoreweknowhowwersquoredoingandhowtodoitbetterIfwecanrsquotcoursecorrectinrealtimewestart lookingforclues tobetterperformancemdashthingswedid in thepast thingswersquove seenother people do things that canpull us out of themomentWhen

feedback is immediate the information we require is always close at handAttentiondoesnrsquothavetowandertheconsciousmindneednotgetinvolved

Ofcourse foractionandadventureathletesgetting the information theyrequire is automaticAsNationalOutdoorLeadershipSchool (NOLS) founderPaulPetzoldtoncesaidldquoInthemountainsfeedbackisinstantrdquoSamewiththerivers rocks and oceans In these environments the laws of physics deliverinstantaneousunmediatedfeedbackNojudgesnoscorecardsnoreviewintheNewYorkTimes Just cause and effect EitherMandy-Rae holds her breath atdepthorsheblacksouttrying

This automatic feedback is another reason extreme athletes have foundflow so frequently butwhat ifwersquore interested in pulling this triggerwithouthelp from the laws of physicsNomystery here Tighten feedback loops Putmechanisms inplace soattentiondoesnrsquothave towanderAsk formore inputHowmuch inputWell forgetquarterly reviewsThinkdaily reviewsStudieshavefound that inprofessionswith lessdirect feedback loopsmdashstockanalysispsychiatry and medicinemdasheven the best get worse over time Surgeons bycontrast are theonlyclassofphysician that improve the longer theyrsquoreoutofmedicalschoolWhyMessuponthetableandsomeonediesThatrsquosimmediatefeedback

And that brings us to the ldquochallengeskill ratiordquo the last of our internalflow triggers andarguably themost importantThe ideabehind this trigger isthat attention is most engaged (ie in the now) when therersquos a very specificrelationshipbetweenthedifficultyofataskandourabilitytoperformthattaskIfthechallengeistoogreatfearswampsthesystemIfthechallengeistooeasywe stop paying attention Flow appears near the emotional midpoint betweenboredomandanxiety inwhat scientists call the flowchannelmdashthe spotwherethetaskishardenoughtomakeusstretchbutnothardenoughtomakeussnap

How hard is that Answers vary but the general thinking is about 4percent Thatrsquos it Thatrsquos the sweet spot If you want to trigger flow thechallenge should be 4 percent greater than the skills In technical terms thesweetspotistheendresultofwhatrsquosknownastheYerkes-Dobsonlawmdashthefactthat increased stress leads to increased performance up to a certain intensitybeyondwhich performance levels off or declines In real-world terms itrsquos notmuchatall

Inmostsituationsweblowby4percentwithoutevennoticingButthisisnotthecaseinextremesportsInthebigwavesbigriversandbig-mountainsahalfdegreeofdifficultycanmean thedifferencebetweenhomefordinnerandnever home again Under these conditions the desire for improvement keepsathletesfromundersteppingandtheneedforsurvivalfromoverstepping

ThissweetspotkeepsattentionlockedinthepresentWhenthechallengeis firmlywithin the boundaries of known skillsmdashmeaning Irsquove done it beforeandam fairly certain I cando soagainmdashtheoutcome ispredeterminedWersquoreinterestednotrivetedButwhenwedonrsquotknowwhatrsquosgoingtohappennextwepaymoreattentiontothenextUncertaintyisourrocketrideintothenow

Itrsquos also for this reason that uncertainty causes the brain to releasedopamineAlotofdopamineWhenanythingcanhappensurvivalcouldbeatstakeDopamineheightensattentionandpatternrecognitionmdashtwothingsthatareabsolutely essential to dealingwith the unknownOf course being dopaminethisisallexceptionallypleasurableOrasStanfordneurologistRobertSapolskylikes to say ldquomaybe (meaning uncertainty) is addictive like nothing else outthererdquo

And maybe is also the only road to impossible This is why thechallengeskill ratio is so important If we want to achieve the kinds ofacceleratedperformancewersquoreseeinginactionandadventuresportsthenitrsquos4percent plus 4 percent plus 4 percent day after dayweek afterweekmonthsinto years into careers This is the road to real magic Follow this path longenoughandnotonlydoesimpossiblebecomespossibleitbecomeswhatrsquosnextmdashlikeeatingbreakfastlikeanotheradayattheoffice

MilesDaisheroneofthebestBASEjumpersintheworld(whowersquollgetto know later) explains ldquoEver sinceyouwere a little kid you alwayshave adreamaboutwhatyoucanaccomplishAssoonasyougetclosetothatdreamtherersquos another Therersquos always a desire to keep learning to keep evolvingHerersquos the lineLetrsquos tickle itabitAndthenyoufigureout thatrsquosnotactuallythelineTheimpossibleisactuallyalittlefartheroutsoletrsquosgooverthereandtickleitagainYoudothisforlongenoughandyoujustgetusedtoitrdquo

AndforyouandmethisisallverygoodnewsAfeel-goodsweetspotforflowthatonlyrequiresa4percentincreaseineffortSeriouslywhocanrsquotpush4percent further than the last time aroundOr for thatmatter clarify goals ortighten feedback loops Itrsquosnot toodifficult tokeep flowrsquos internal triggers inmindwhenyoursquorechuggingthroughyourdailyroutineUnlikeflowrsquosexternaltriggersmdashwhich are admittedly harder to pull without being an action andadventure sport athletemdashthese internal triggers are strategies accessible to anyand all In fact the only real problem is how deceptively ordinary thesestrategiesappear

DonrsquotbefooledDespite the ordinary as Mandy-Rae discovered pull these triggers

frequentlyenoughandresultsgetextraordinaryinahurry

MINDSETANDTHEFLOWCYCLE

In themiddle 2000s Stanford psychologistCarolDweck got to know racecardrivingcoachRossBentleyConsideredoneofthebestinthebusinessBentleybuilt his career aroundmental preparednessHe believed thatwinningwas allaboutflowbutthenatureofthesportmadethisespeciallydifficultWithraceslastingforhourserrorsareinevitableThekeyisbeingabletomakeamistakeandnotletitruinconcentrationFasterdriversarethosewhocanstayinthezonenomatterwhatDwecksuspectedmindsetplayedarole in thisabilityBentleysuspectedshewasright

Mindset refers toour feelings towardbasicqualities like intelligenceandathletictalentAftermorethanthirtyyearsofresearchDweckfoundthatmostofushaveoneoftwobasicmindsetsThosewhohaveldquofixedmindsetsrdquobelieveabilities like intelligence and athletic talent are innate and unchangeablemdashiefixedatbirthThosewithldquogrowthmindsetsrdquobelieveabilitiesaregainedthroughdedicationandhardworkthatnatural-borntalentsaremerelystartingpointsforamuch longer learningprocessWhenKirkKrack taughtMandy-Raeshewascapable of the impossiblemdashand she got curious to find out what else waspossiblemdashthatrsquos having a growth mindset And itrsquos this same mindset thatBentley and Dweck suspected was responsible for the flow states of winningracecardrivers

In2007toseeiftheirsuspicionswererightDweckandBentleyrecruitedforty top drivers then tested them onmindset before during and after everyrace of the season The results were significant They found that driverswithgrowthmindsetswereabletoenterflowmorequicklyandstaytherenomatterwhat went wrong during the race Across the board they were the winningdrivers

WhatrsquosmoreimportantiswhyThe short answer is that a growth mindset is one of the secrets to

maximizingthetotalamountofflowinyourlifeThelongeranswerstartswiththechallengeskillratioIfyouconsistentlyoverestimateorunderestimateyourabilitiesthentuningthatratioislikeplayingdartshandcuffedandblindfoldedTofind4percentyouneedaccurateself-knowledgemdashandthisistrickyforfixedmindsetters

ldquoWhenyouthinkaboutitrdquoDweckwritesinherbookMindsetldquothismakessense If like those with the growth mindset you believe you can developyourself thenyoursquoreopen toaccurate informationaboutyourcurrentabilitieseven if itrsquos unflatteringWhatrsquosmore if yoursquore oriented toward learning you

need accurate information about your current abilities in order to learneffectively However if everything is either good news or bad newsmdashas it iswithfixed-mindsetpeoplemdashdistortionalmostinevitablyentersthepictureSomeoutcomesaremagnifiedothersareexplainedawayandbeforeyouknowityoudonrsquotknowyourselfatallrdquo

Theabsenceofself-knowledgemakesithardertotunethechallengeskillratioEquallyvexingiftheresultingfeedbackisunflatteringfixedmindsetterstendtodistortthebadnewsmdashmakingiteventoughertoremaindialedin

A growth mindset moves us in the other direction Self-knowledgeaccumulatesover timeFinding flowbecomes lessaquest thanahabit ldquoItrsquosajob to continuously find flowrdquo says Mike Horn arguably the greatest livingadventurer (amongotheraccomplishmentsHornandacompanionbecame thefirsttohiketotheNorthPoleduringthewinter)ldquoYouhavetotrainyourbodytopreparefor thestateyouhave to trainyourmind topreparefor thestateYouhavetoknowyourselfandyourlimitsknowexactlywhatyoursquoreafraidofandexactlyhowhard topushpast itThatrsquos seriousworkButget it right andnotonlydoesitbecomeeasiertofindflowonceitbecomeseasiertofinditagainandagainrdquo

Inotherwords finding4percent not onlyhelps createmore flow in themoment it helps createmore flow over the long haulAndwhen it comes toflowmdashthehaulisfarlongerthanmostsuppose

There are two commonmisconceptions about flow The first is that thestateworkslikealightswitchmdashonoroffYoursquoreeitherinfloworoutYetflowisnotbinaryThestateisjustonestepinafour-partflowcycleItrsquosimpossibletoexperienceflowwithoutmovingthroughthisentirecycleAndthisbringsustothesecondcriticalmisconceptionthatflowalwaysfeelsflowy

ThefirststepintheflowcycleisknownasldquostrugglerdquoHerbertBensontheHarvardcardiologistwhodidmuchof the foundational researchon this cyclechosethatnameforareasonStruggleisaloadingphaseweareoverloadingthebrainwithinformationldquoForabusinesspersonrdquowritesBensoninhisbookTheBreakout Principle ldquothis may be concentrated problem analysis or factgatheringTheseriousathletemayengageinextensiveanddemandingphysicaltrainingThepersononaspiritualquestmayplungeintoconcentratedstudyhelliporintenseprayermeditationorsoulsearchingrdquo

AprofoundchemicalchangetakesplaceduringstruggleToampupfocusandalertness stresshormones likecortisol adrenaline andnorepinephrinearepumpedintothesystemTensionrisesFrustrationaswellOurproblemsseemunsolvable our effort unsustainable and thewhole situation feels as far fromflowasonecouldget

HowwehandlethesenegativefeelingsiscriticalInstrugglewersquoreusingthe conscious mind to identify patterns then repeating those patterns enoughtimes that they become chunks Until that happens we are awkward anduncomfortableTomovethroughstruggletakesaleapoffaiththattheeffortwillreallyresultinskillacquisitionBydefinitionthisdemandsagrowthmindset

ThenextstageinthecycleisldquoreleaserdquoTomoveoutofstruggleandintoflowyoumustfirstpassthroughthissecondstageReleasemeanstotakeyourmindoff theproblem toasBensonsaysldquocompletelyseverprior thoughtandemotionalpatternsrdquoIfyoursquovebeencrammingforatestalldaygoforawalkIfyoursquovebeentryingtomasterdoubleblack-diamondskislopestakeafewrunsdownthebluesIftheinnovationteamhasbeenpullingall-nightersforaweeksendthemoutfordinnerandamovieThemethodisunimportantThemessageis relaxationThemoment thisoccursanotherchemicalchange followsnitricoxide floods the system This endogenous gaseous signaling molecule causesstress hormones to decline and feel-good neurochemicals like dopamine andendorphinstoriseintheirplace

Norwegian skier and BASE jumper Karina Hollekim has a great storyaboutreleaseIn2002aftermeetingShaneMcConkeyshedecidedtobecomethe first woman to give ski-BASE a try This was nothing she approachedcasually After two years of serious preparation Hollekim decided she wasfinallyreadyThejumptookplaceatLoverrsquosLeapofftheexactsamecliffthatMcConkeyhadfirstski-BASErsquodldquoIwasreallynervousrdquoshesaysldquoButShanewasagreatmentorHeknewIwasreadyknewIhadtheskillsknewthat thebest thing he could dowas takemymind off things So he tagged along andbroughthismotherandahugebagoffireworksOntopofthecliffhelitoffthisrocketpackedwithtinyplasticskydiversItexplodedthenstartedrainingdownflaming skydivers It was so funny I remember rolling around in the grasslaughingAndthatdidthetrickIrelaxedandletmytrainingtakeoverItmadeforagreatjumpJustrightintothezonerdquo

AndthezonetheflowstateitselfisthethirdstageinthiscycleStrugglegiveswaytoreleasegiveswaytoflowmdashhallelujah

AfterwardwemoveintothefourthandfinalstepinthecycleldquorecoveryrdquoFlow is an extremely expensive state for thebody toproduceandmaintain ItrequiresalotofenergyandalotofneurochemistryandbothtakealittlewhiletoreplenishThis is someofwhatgoeson in recoveryMore importantmemoryconsolidation is taking place Information is moving from short-term holdinginto long-term storage Here to borrow the gamerrsquos phrase we are ldquolevelinguprdquoorasBensonprefersldquoreturningtoanewnormalrdquo

Butjustlikestrugglerecoveryisanothercyclestepthatdoesnrsquotfeelflowy

Handlingthemassivedeltabetweentheworld-at-your-feetsensationthatcomeswithflowandtheutterlyordinaryall-too-humanrealitythatshowsupafterwardis not always pleasant Therersquos no more feel-good neurochemistry no moresuperhumanpowersItcantakeaconsiderableamountofresiliencetonavigaterecoveryheretooagrowthmindsetmakesadifference

ldquoIf you donrsquot believe developmental learning is possiblerdquo says JamieWheal high-performance expert and executive director of the Flow GenomeProjectldquothenitrsquoshardtoseeflowastheresultofsomethingyoudiddifferentlyOrcoulddoagainordobetterwithmorepracticeAfterexperiencingflowtheperson with a fixed mindset wants to take unilateral credit for the amazingperformance thatcamewith thestateThatrsquos thebasisof theirself-esteemIf Ican do that then I must be thatmdashall the time But we know that flow is atransitorystatemdashitcomesanditgoesSowhenitleavesthesamepersonwhotookallofthecreditforitspresenceisleftwithalloftheblameforitsabsenceFor someone with a fixed mindset thatrsquos often too much to tolerate At theexpenseofhealthandrelationships theystart seeking thehighall the timeorthey self-handicap their performance with substance abuse poor trainingreckless decisionsmdashso theyrsquove got the easy out of lsquoWell I wasnrsquot reallytryingrsquothinsprdquoAndforfixedmindsettersthisisnrsquotwhereproblemsendTofindflowagaintheentirecycleneedstorestartThismeansmovingfromrecoverybackintostruggleButifyoursquorestressedoutaboutnotbeinginflowduringrecoverythengettingfiredupforseriousfrustrationofstrugglebecomesamuchhardertaskThisisalsowhereactionandadventureathleteshaveanotheradvantagemdashrecoverycomesbuiltin

Mostof thesesportsareweatherdependentAbig-wavesurferneedsbigwavessnowboarderspreferdeeppowderkayakerswantspecificwaterlevelstorun rivers These ldquoepic conditionsrdquo do not show up every day In this worldwhenthebigstormblowsineveryonetakesadvantageThenthestormpassesand itrsquos time to relax This built-in lag time creates space for rejuvenation Itallowsathletestobuildupreservesduringrecoveryandpreparefornextroundofstruggle

AndthistoodoesnrsquothappenmuchanymoreIntodayrsquosworldrarelydowegiveourselvespermissiontorecoverrarelydoesanyoneelseFinishoneprojectandtherearealwaysadozenmoredeadlinestobemetInfact inmostofourlives the reward for having a high-flowexperience andpullingoff somethingchallengingatworkisusuallymoreworkmoreresponsibilitiesandlesstimetomeetthemallYetifwewanttoflowfromcycletocycleweneedtotakefulladvantageofrecoverytoregroupandrechargeInshortonthispathyouhavetogoslowtogofast

Equally important aswersquoll see in thenext section sometimesyoudonrsquotjusthavetogoslowtogofastmdashsometimesyouhavetogosideways

LATERALIZATION

IanWalshwasbornMay101983onMauiHawaiiandstartedsurfingnotlongafterhecouldwalkBlessedbygeographyandtimingWalshgrewupdowntheblock from Jaws the big-wave mecca of the tow-surf movement As he washittingpubertythemovementwashittingitsstrideForty-footwavesfifty-footwavessixty-footwavesmdashWalshhadafront-rowseatldquoIgrewupwatchingthegreatestshowonearthrdquohesays

ThenhejoinedtheshowAt sixteenWalsh towed into Jaws for the first time At twenty-one he

towedintoaproperseventy-footeratJawsandearnedanominationforWaveoftheYearinBillabongrsquosXXLAwardsAfewyearslaterShaneDorianoneofthegreatestsurfersinhistoryaskedWalshtobecomehistowpartnerWithDorianashismentorWalshrsquosbig-waveknowledgeexpandedexponentiallyasdidhistime on the waves Pretty soon and not unlike ShaneMcConkeyWalsh toostartedldquoseeinglinesrdquo

ldquoPeoplealwayssaidJawswasimpossibletopaddlewhenitgotbigbutIstarted noticing these tiny windows of opportunity places on the wave thatlooked steep enough if you could position yourself just right paddlingmdashjustmaybemdashseemedpossiblerdquo

So Walsh began studying pictures of the break trying to confirm hissuspicionsHestarted talking the idea throughwithfriendsandspendingmoretimeatheavypaddlespotslikeMaverickrsquosandTodosSantosHealsotriedtogetreadymentally The onlyway to paddle Jaws is to use gravity to accomplishwhatstrengthcannotldquoItrsquosadifferentkindofcommitmentrdquosaysWalshldquoWithaJetSkiyouholdthelineandgetpulledintoawaveandthatcanbeagut-checkmomentButwithpaddlingyouhavetohangupontheledgethenwaituntilthewaversquosabouttobreakbeforeyoucangetinrdquo

Horrificwipeoutswerebound to occurTwo-and three-wavehold-downslikely This was the real problem Walsh might have been an extraordinarysurfer but hewas a damn ordinary breath holder ldquoIwas really bad at itrdquo hesaysldquoInever toldanyone itwasmysecretbutwhenIstarted thinkingaboutpaddlingbigwavesImaxedoutatathirty-toforty-secondbreath-holdThatcanbeaonewavehold-downatJawsrdquo

Thisalsomeantthattwoandthreewavehold-downsmdashwhichwouldcomefrompaddlingJawsmdashweretoofaroutsidehiscomfortzoneThisisthecriticaldetailWalshrsquos philosophy is ldquoItrsquos not how good you are itrsquos how good youwant to berdquo He has a growth mindset He also had a lifetimersquos worth ofexperiencewithflowandknewexactlyhowfarhecouldusethestatetostretchperformancemdashbutmultiwavewipeoutsweremore than he could handleTheypushed the challenge level too high So instead of trying to muscle throughWalshtookanentirelydifferenttackmdashheldquolateralizedrdquo

In technical termsWalsh began looking outside his domain of expertisefor help surmounting his problem In nontechnical terms on a 2008 flight toHawaii he opened up his in-flight magazine and saw pictures of a womanswimming with dolphins The article was about Mandy-Rae Cruikshank andKirkKrackandtheirworkatPerformanceFreedivingInternationalWalshreadthearticleandlearnedthatthereweretechniquesthatcouldincreasehisbreath-holding capabilities Free diving he decided might give him the confidenceboostheneededtomentallypreparetopaddleJaws

InOctoberof2010WalshspentafewweekswithFreediveInternationalBefore he showed up his best deep dive was twenty-five feet and his bestbreath-hold forty secondsHow fast did he improveAfter a daywithKrackWalshpulledoffa100-footdescentanda330breath-holdAfterafewweekshe set his personal best at 120 feet and a 440 hold Fourmonths laterwhenwinterstormssentheavyswellstowardJawsWalshwasready

On February 8 2011 alongside fellow big-wave riders Greg Long andMarkHealyherodeaJetSkiouttothelineupThewaveswerecolossalfiftyfeetmaybe fifty-fiveThewindnukingThe surf so choppy it took forty-fiveminutestoanchorbutthiswasanentirelynewproblemforhimInallhisyearsatJawsWalshhadneversetananchorashersquodalwaysneededtheJetSkitoridewaves

AnchoringwasnrsquottheonlyissueSurfersuselandmarkstotriangulatetheirtakeoffspotsPickapointtoofaroutsideandthewaveswillpassyoubyPickone too close and you can accidentally find yourself in the impact zone Thelaunchpoint for tow-in surfingwas150 feet beyondwhereWalsh thought thepaddlespotshouldbebutnobodypaddledJawsonmonsterdayssowherethepaddlespotshouldbetookalittlewhiletodetermine

ThenhedeterminedAs soon as Walsh lined up properly a set darkened the horizon a

behemoth bearing down He spun his board and started paddling He keptpaddlingHisgoalwastakeoffaslateaspossibleletthewavejackallthewayupbeforepoppingtohisfeet

But when he finally popped nothing happened Thewavewas standingstraightupbutWalshwashungupon the ledgeperchedabove thechasmldquoIwasreally laterdquohesaysldquoWhenI jumped tomyfeet thewavealready lookedbeyondverticalThewindwasrippingupthefacewithsomuchforcethatIhadtograbtheedgeofmyboardwithmyrighthandjusttotrytokeepmyselfinitrdquo

GrabbingtheedgedidthetrickWithhisweightforwardthenosedippedandtheboardfollowedHedroppedstraightdownaferociousdropfulloffreefall and bouncemdashdown down down board chattering nose bobbing MachspeedAtthelastinstantWalshstabilizedandtookcontrolHedovedeepintohis bottom turn then a few quick cuts to get into position for the tube Thecurtain closedWalsh spent a few seconds inside the barrel got spit out andtossedfromhisboardBythenitdidnrsquotmattermdashtheridewashis

In those fewmomentsWalsh invertedacenturyof surfwisdomanddidthe impossible Hersquod paddled into a wave so off-limits to paddlers that theentirelynewsportoftowsurfinghadbeeninventedtoerasethatproblemMoreincredibletherehasnrsquotbeenabig-wavetowdayatJawssincePaddlingisnowthewaysurferscatchbigwavesWalshshiftedtheparadigm

Andcertainly lateralization isnrsquot theonlyway toshiftparadigmsbutontheflowpathitrsquosoftentheonlywayforwardSoonerorlatertherersquosalwaysaJawsamentalhurdlewecanrsquotclearadecisiontoodangeroustoattackheadonInthosesituationssidewaysisforwardPlusthesedayssidewaysisoftenthewaylifeworksldquoCareersareajunglegymnotaladderrdquowroteFacebookCOOSherylSandberg inherbookLeanIn andshersquosnotwrongStatisticsvarybuttoday theaveragepersonchanges jobsseventimesbetweenageseighteenandfortyMostimportanttherersquosmomentumontheflowpathLateralizationallowsyoutoholdontothatthrustnomatterthecircumstances

MomentumovertimemdashthatrsquostheinvisiblekungfuAnd thatrsquos also what athletes mean by the term progressionWalsh had

beensurfingatJawssincehewasakidTherehadbeendaysweeksmonthsandyearsof4percentplus4percentplus4percentofpushinghimselfintoten-foottwenty-footthirty-footsurfofcontinuouslytestinglimitsoflateralizingofnearlydyingofdrivingpastinjuryandfearofhoningskillsgettingstrongergettingsmartermdashaself-taughtneargraduate-leveleducationinhydrodynamicsmeteorologybodymechanicsandflow

Of course most of us donrsquot think about these facts We canrsquot seeprogression or feelmomentum Itrsquos invisible kung fu Insteadwhenwe see asurfer riding Jaws the tableau is neurologically unfathomable The brainrsquospattern-recognitionsystem isbuilt to lump likewith likebutwhen inmostofourliveshaveweputourselvesinthepathofGodzillaTherearenogroundsfor

comparisonSowe lookat Jawsand feel feardread andawemdashbecause thatrsquoswhatevolutiondesignedustofeelButthatrsquosnotwhatIanWalshfelt

ldquoMostlyrdquohesaysldquoitfeltlikeanotherdayattheofficerdquo

8

TheWeofFlow

MARK POWELL AND CAMP 4

Not everything comes easily for flow junkies who use action and adventuresportstogettheirfixTheseathletesfaceissuesThefirstisenvironmentalNotonlyarethesesportsseasonalmdashanissueforanyaddictmdashbuteveninseasonnomatter the sport certainweather conditionsproducemore flow thanothers InskiingforexampleboththeradicalnoveltyoffloatinginpowderandthedeepembodimentthatresultsarefastflowtriggersThuswhenitrsquosdumpingoutsideskiers donrsquot want to be inside trapped at a desk job Worse epic terrain isusuallyfarfromtownsogettingfromthatdeskjobtothemountainsintimeforthestormrequiresevenmorefreedomandflexibility

TrainingisthenextconcernFlowisfoundatthefaredgeofourabilitiesAthleteshavetostayintip-topshapetocontinuepushingupthechallengelevelandaccessingthestateWhilesomecross-trainingisalwayspossibletherersquosnorealsubstituteforhoursonthehill(onabikeinakayaketc)Yetthismeanseven more time away from jobs and families and similar traditionalcommitments

Societal attitudes are also problematic Hedonism has a bad name andtellingpeopleyoursquore addicted to an altered statewhere self vanishes and timeslowsdownrarelyelicitsthebestofreactionsldquoWersquollcomebackfromadayofskiingandtalkaboutdumbstuffrdquosaysprofessionalskierclimbermountaineer

directorandphotographerJimmyChinldquothinsplsquoIhadthisradlinethroughthetreesrsquoorlsquoDidyouseemehitthatcliffrsquoWhatwedonrsquotsayislsquoIgotintothatamazingheadspaceagainandIfuckingfeltlikeGodrsquothinsprdquo

The final issue is thewhopperboth thepuzzle thatactionandadventureathleteshavespentthepasthalfcenturytryingtosolveandthepointwhereallofthiscomestogetherhowtomakealivingamidallthisflowhunting

ItwasamannamedMarkPowellwhofirstsolvedtheseissuesAsachildPowell loved climbing stories but he never really gave the sport a try Thatchangedin1954AstintintheairforceconvincedhimlifewasshortsohetookajobinFresnotobenearthemountainsthenhookedupwithalocalchapterofthe Sierra Club for aweekend inYosemite Unfortunately Powell was also achubby chain-smoker horribly out of shapeOnhis first trip to theValley hewasessentiallyhauledtothetopofLowerCathedralSpire

PowellrsquosembarrassmentbecamemotivationOver thecourseofawinterhebecameafitnessfanaticshedfortypoundsandquicklymorphedintooneofYosemitersquosnimblerrockratsItwasaspectaculartransformationbutitgavehimpeculiarideasBackthenYosemiteclimbingwasashort-termaffairmdashduckinclimbhardduckoutmdashsqueezedbetweenreal-worldresponsibilitiesDefinitelynotanendinitselfPeoplesawrockclimbingastrainingformountaineeringmdashthoselongweekendsintheValleywerepreparationforbig-mountainmultiweekassaultsAs SteveRoper explains in his classicYosemite biographyCamp 4Powellchangedallthis

Heknewthatapersonwhodidnrsquotmindalittlehardshiphadnoneedofafull-timejobLifewascheapintheValleyonedidnrsquothavetopaycampfeesdidnrsquotneedanyshelterbesidesaflimsytentanddidnrsquoteventhinkofsuitsandtiesOnehadnorealneedforacarorinsurancepoliciesorhaircutsIfonecookedincampinlieuofgrabbingaburgeratnearbyYosemiteLodgeadollaradaywouldsufficeThosewhoworkedinthewinterandsavedevenafewhundreddollarsmighthavesixmonthsayearinwhichtoplayThebestincentiveforalong-termvisitsensedearlybyPowellwasthatbyclimbingfourorfivetimesaweekonecouldgetintomagnificentshapesomethingthatweekenderscouldnrsquot

ThusPowellmovedintoYosemitebecomingitsfirstfull-timeresidentHesetupcamp inCamp4a then-unpopular tent sitewith twoclearassetsyear-roundworking toilets and huge boulders The toilets were useful for obvious

reasonsTheboulderscameinhandyfortrainingpurposesandtohidebehindshouldtherangerscomearoundaftercampingpermitshadexpired

AndhisplanpaidoffAftermovinginPowellwentonatearputtingupan astounding twenty-one first ascents including four Yosemite classics inroughly twenty-two months Other climbers soon took notice ldquoPowelldistinguishedhimselfoneachclimbasstrongerfasterandbolderrdquowroteJosephTaylor inPilgrims of the Vertical ldquoHe pushed mates and built an aggressivestyleofrushingrouteswithoutmuchreconnoiteringHealsoshowedhowlivinginYosemitecouldtransformanaspirantintoanelitehellipBydedicatinghimselftothepursuitofexcellencePowellchangedthesportrdquo

InnovationbreedsimitationPrettysoonotherclimbersweremovingintoYosemite What began as a subset of another sport (climbing as training formountaineering) became a subculture in its own right Pretty soon Camp 4became a scenemdashoften described as Beatnik culture gone verticalmdashyet thatrsquosonly part of the pictureTake the poetry-spouting hepcat-talking drug-takingnature-lovingantiestablishmentstanceofstandardBeatnikculture thenaddinenormous quantities of life-threatening risk and an addictive quasi-mysticalstatethatallowedclimberstosurvivethoserisksCamp4denizenswerenrsquotjustplayingbongosandsmokingpottheywereteaminguptoputupfirstascentsonYosemitersquosbiggestwallsandredefininghumanpossibilityintheprocess

These early Camp 4 residents chased an altered state into an alternativelifestyleandtheirweirdoplanworkedmdashtheirincrediblesuccessonthewallswastheproofWantmoreproofPowellrsquosinnovationspreadlikewildfire

Over on theNorth Shore ofOahu at the same timeCamp 4was beingestablishedGregNoll and a handful ofCalifornia transplantswere creating abig-wave surfing community all their own Pretty soon there were skaters inDogtown windsurfers at Hood River freeskiers in Jackson Hole mountainbikersinMarindownhillmountainbikersonMountFrommemdashthislistislongWhy has there been near-exponential growth in ultimate human performancethesepastfewdecadesBecauseactionandadventuresportsathletesdiscoveredthatoneoftheeasiestwaystofindflowistobandtogethertochasethestate

KEITHSAWYERANDGROUPFLOW

WhyisldquotogetherrdquosuchaneffectivestrategyForstarterstheobviousHumansarea social speciesWersquorecompetitivecooperative sexuallyattractedandalltherestTheseareallexceptionallypowerfulmotivatorsAsaresultwhenother

peoplearepresentwepaymoreattentiontothepresentCompanionshipdrivesfocusintothenowmdashitrsquosarguablythesimplestflowhackintheworld

AndthenotsoobviousWell thatrsquoswhereKeithSawyercomesintoourstory A professor of psychology education and business at the WashingtonUniversity in St Louis Sawyer got interested in this question via the groupdynamicsof improvisational jazzSinceearlychildhoodSawyerplayedpianoBy the timehewasa teenagerhewasplaying ingroupsThatrsquoswhenhe firstnoticeditldquoWhenyouplayinensemblestherersquosashiftthatcanoccurrdquohesaysldquoItrsquosanincrediblesensationThegroupfindsitsgrooveCreativitygoesthroughthe roof Performance soars Suddenly everyone can anticipatewhat the otherperson is going to do before they do it Itrsquos an emergent property awhole isgreaterthanthesumofitspartseffectrdquo

Sawyer really wanted to understand this effect but took a little whilegetting around to itHe came out ofMITwith a degree in computer sciencespentafewyearsinthebusinessworldbuteventuallyhisoldinterestwonoutIn1990SawyerbeganaUniversityofChicagodoctoralprograminpsychologyunderMihalyCsikszentmihalyiHis fascinationwithgroupdynamics soon ledhimtotheliteratureofhighperformancewherehediscoveredaproblemldquoAllthestudiesthathadbeenrunonhighperformancewereaboutsoloperformersTherewasthishugegapinwhatledtohighperformanceingroupsAlmostnoonehaddoneworkonthetopicrdquo

YetSawyerrsquos partnershipwithCsikszentmihalyi proved fortuitous In his1990bookFlowCsikszentmihalyidescribedapeculiarphenomenonthataroseingroupsldquoSurgeonssaythatduringadifficultoperationtheyhavethesensationthattheentireoperatingteamisasingleorganismmovedbythesamepurposetheydescribeitasalsquoballetrsquoinwhichtheindividualissubordinatedtothegroupperformanceandallinvolvedshareinthefeelingofharmonyandpowerrdquo

Csikszentmihalyi suspected this feelingwas the by-product of individualmembersofthegroupbeinginflowSawyerthoughtsomethingmoredynamicwasgoingon InGroupGeniusheexplains it thiswayldquoMyyearsofplayingpianoin jazzensemblesconvincedmethatwhathappenedinanyonepersonrsquosmindcouldneverexplainwhatmadeonenightrsquosperformanceshineandanothera dud At any second during a performance an almost invisible musicalexchangecouldtakethepieceinanewdirectionlaternoonecouldrememberwhowasresponsibleforwhatInjazzthegrouphastheideasnottheindividualmusiciansrdquo

Sawyertookafieldbiologistrsquosapproachtodecodingthisdynamicheadingout into the world to videotape incredible creative groups engaged inimprovisational performance His studies ran the gamut from improv-theater

performers to earthquake-relief workers He developed a technique known asldquointeraction analysisrdquo a research tool that allowed him to chart the real-timeconversational turns that make collaboration possible After fifteen years ofresearchSawyerrealizedthatCsikszentmihalyihadnrsquottakenthingsfarenoughldquoWhenperformancepeaksingroupsrdquohesaysldquothisisnrsquotjustaboutindividualsinflowmdashitrsquosthegroupenteringthestatetogetheracollectivemergerofactionandawarenessalsquogroupflowrsquothinsprdquo

Wersquove already seen group flow in actionWhen theRedBullAir ForceflewaroundSuicideCorneritwasthissharedstatethathelpedthemsurvivethetripButSawyerdiscovereditrsquosnotjustactionandadventureathleteshavingthisexperienceEverywherepeoplegathergroupflowcanariseIfyoursquoveeversungwithachurchchoirplayedinabandplayedateamsporttakenpartinaplaytaken part in a brainstorming session gone dancing gone to a rock concertjoined a startup joined a drum circle done improvisational anythingmdashthosehighlight moments forever seared in your memory that too is group flow inaction

And forget thehighlightsEverbeen so sucked into agreat conversationthat hours passed like seconds So have plenty of others Csikszentmihalyidiscovered themost commonly reported instances of flow are those of groupflowshowingupwhenpeoplearehavingaconversationmdashespeciallyforreasonswersquollgettoifthoseconversationshappenatwork

AndwherevergroupflowshowsupitleavesitsmarkThesamepleasurechemicalsbehindindividualflowalsoarrivewiththegroupvariationmdashonlyweseem to like them more In comparison studies run by St BonaventureUniversity psychologist CharlesWalker ldquosolitary flowrdquo (whatDougAmmonsexperiencedon theStikine)wasmeasuredagainst ldquocoactive flowrdquo (this comesfrom individual activities done in groups like surfers sharing a break) wasmeasuredagainstldquointeractiveflowrdquo(whereinteractionisinherenttotheactivitylike rock climbingwith a partner)Walker discovered that themore social anactivity the higher ldquoflow enjoymentrdquomdashthe level of joy experienced in flowmdashwasforparticipants

Higher enjoyment correlates to higher motivation of course but thesesamechemicalsalsoenhanceperformanceandimprovesocialbonding(moreonthis in a moment) As a result in group flow spontaneity cooperationcommunicationcreativityproductivityandoverallperformanceallgothroughtheroofldquoInastudyofmorethan300professionalsatastrategyconsultingfirma government agency and a petrochemical companyrdquo writes Sawyer ldquohellipthepeoplewhoparticipatedingroupflowwerethehighestperformersrdquo

And the better news Group flow is eminently hackable In fact in

Yosemite this is exactly what happened By banding together to chase flowthoseclimbersturnedlifeinCamp4intoonegiantgroupflowtrigger

ThebestnewsIfwewantsimilarresultsmovingtotheValleyisoptional

GROUPFLOWTRIGGERS

As of late wersquove been tracking a trail of triggers Wersquove seen how to tuneexternaltriggersalteringenvironmentalconditionstogetmoreflowandhowtotweakinternal triggersalteringpsychologicalconditions togetmoreflowButSawyeralsodiscoveredthatflowstateshavesocialtriggersmdashteninparticularmdashwhicharewaystoaltersocialconditionstoproducemoregroupflow

A number of these social triggers are already familiar The first threemdashseriousconcentrationsharedcleargoalsgoodcommunication(ie lotsofimmediate feedback)mdashare the collective versions of individual preconditionsidentifiedbyCsikszentmihalyiTwomoremdashequalparticipationandanelementofrisk(mentalphysicalwhatever)mdashareself-explanatorygivenwhatwealreadyknowaboutflowTheremainingfiverequirealittlemoreinformation

Familiarityournext triggermeans thegrouphasacommonlanguageashared knowledge base and a communication style based on unspokenunderstandings It means everybody is always on the same page and whennovel insights arise momentum is not lost due to the need for lengthyexplanation

Then therersquosblendingegosmdashwhich is the collective version of the samesort of humility that allowedDougAmmons tomergewith theStikineWhenegos have been blended no onersquos hogging the spotlight and everyonersquosthoroughlyinvolved

Asenseofcontrol combinesautonomy(being free todowhatyouwant)andcompetence(beinggoodatwhatyoudo)Itrsquosaboutgettingtochooseyourownchallengesandhavingthenecessaryskillstosurmountthem

Close listeningoccurswhenwersquore fullyengaged in thehereandnow InconversationthisisnrsquotaboutthinkingaboutwhatwittythingtosaynextorwhatcuttingsarcasmcamelastRatheritrsquosgeneratingreal-timeunplannedresponsestothedialogueasitunfolds

Always say yes our final trigger means interactions should be additivemore than argumentative The goal here is the momentum togetherness andinnovation that comes from ceaselessly amplifying each otherrsquos ideas andactionsItrsquosatriggerbasedonthefirstruleofimprovcomedyIfIopenasketch

withldquoHey therersquosablueelephant in thebathroomrdquo thenldquoNo therersquosnotrdquo isthewrongresponseWiththedenialthescenegoesnowhereButifthereplyisaffirmative insteadmdashldquoYeah sorry there was no more space in the cerealcupboardrdquomdashwellthenthatstorygoessomeplaceinteresting

In the caseof those earlyYosemite climbers their storywent someplaceinterestingbecauseCamp4waschockablockwithsocialtriggersConcentrationand risk are baked into rock climbing and if climbing teams are going to besuccessfulcloselisteningsharedgoalsegoblendingandgoodcommunicationmustbeaswellAsenseofcontrolandequalparticipationarealsokeyItrsquosnotnearlyasmuchfuntogointotheverticalworldwithsomeonewithsignificantlylesserorgreaterabilities(ienoequalparticipationlossofcontrol)soperfectpartners are consistently sought butwith people living far apart and climbingoccasionallytheyaremuchhardertofindInCamp4populationdensitysolvedthisissueMeanwhilefamiliarityandalwayssayyesmdashourtwofinalcontendersmdashemergefromfinding thatperfectpartnerandclimbingwith themrepeatedlysomething far more likely to happen when folks are living side by side inYosemiteratherthanspreadaroundCalifornia

ItwasmostlyunintentionalbutthesetentriggersturnedCamp4itselfintoa giant group flow hackBut if yoursquore interested in similar results therersquos noneed to take up rock climbing Turns out social triggers are relatively easy topull and wersquove already seen proof Why does group flow show up mostfrequently in work conversations Because they tend to involve shared goalscarry an element of risk (because therersquos money involved in work) includefamiliar partners and require more concentration How easy is it to producegroupflowMerelychattingonthejobcanbeenoughtoputyouinthestate

And even pulling a few triggers can bring big results The government-ownedSwedishtransportationcompanyGreenCargoinstitutedlengthymonthlymeetings(akintopersonalcoachingsessions)tosharplyincreasetheamountoffeedbackemployeesreceivedTheresulttheysawsuchaboostinperformancethecompanyturnedaprofitfortheveryfirsttimeinits120-yearhistory

UnfortunatelynoteverycompanyisthisinnovativeAsSawyerpointsoutin Group Genius ldquoIt can be hard to find this kind of experience in largecorporations which tend to reward closing up communication narrowing thechannelsandminimizingriskThatrsquoswhypeoplewhoseekoutgroupflowoftenjoin startups or work for themselves Serial entrepreneurs keep starting newbusinessasmuchfortheflowexperienceasfortheadditionalsuccessrdquo

OfcoursebecomingaserialentrepreneurgoingintobusinessforyourselformovingintoCamp4mdashtheseareallhigh-riskdecisionsNotasurpriserightWealreadyknowthattheflowpathisnoplaceforthetimidButdoesthismean

wersquollhavetounearthawellspringofhiddencouragetocontinuallyaccess thisstateMost certainly Yet this is not quite as difficult as it seems Turns outtherersquoshiddenleverageavailablebothasecretbalmtomakeyoubraverandoneofthebestflowhacksyetdiscoveredcommunity

SOCIALSUPPORT

WhydidPowellrsquosinnovationspreadlikewildfireItheldpeopletogetherWhydid it hold people together Because there are extraordinarily powerful socialbondingneurochemicalsattheheartofbothflowandgroupflowdopamineandnorepinephrinewhichunderpinromantic loveandendorphinswhichenhancematernalbondinginchildrenandsocialbondinginadultsWhenthesechemicalsstart showing up in places like Camp 4 they unite the tribemdashand often inunusualways

Justasflowisdemocraticmdashanyonecanexperiencethestatemdashgroupflowis egalitarian anyone regardless of class race religion sex politics orwhatever can share the experience Neurochemicals bond regardless ofbackgroundItrsquoswhyitrsquosnotunusualtofindaposseofsayJacksonHoleskierscontainingacoupleofhippiesarednecklunaticaconservativemillionaireandastay-at-homemomGroupflowisasocialunifierandsocial levelercreatingwhat cultural anthropologists call ldquocommunitasrdquomdashthat deep solidarity andtogethernessthatresultsfromsharedtranscendentexperiences

This solidarity is useful People feel different on the other side of flowstrongermoreconfidentmorecapableYetthesurrealnatureoftheexperiencemdashtimedilationvanishingofselfmdashcanmakethetransformationdifficulttotrustIf you donrsquot believe yoursquore really capable of doing what you just did yourchances of doing so again go down considerably Group flow changes thisequation ldquoWhen you know yoursquore sharing that heightened awareness withothersrdquo says Jimmy Chin ldquoit makes it more real If someone else isexperiencing the same thing you can look at one another and say lsquoDid thathappen Did you feel that toorsquo That matters Itrsquos proof but proof you canrsquotreallytalkaboutproofthattherearenrsquotwordsforlikeabigsharedsecretrdquo

Moreaccelerationcomesfromthesocialsupport thatsolidarityprovidesFindingflowisnoteasyFindingitrepeatedlytougherstillThestrugglephasecandragendlesslyontheurgetogiveupgrowingstrongerasthatlastmemoryof flow grows dimmer But collective momentum fights hard against theindividualinertiaInanyactionandadventurecommunitywhenonememberrsquos

in struggle anotherrsquos in flowmdashand probably using that state to do somethingamazing

Amazing energizes Whether itrsquos cooperative excitement or competitivejealousy one personrsquos triumph becomes anotherrsquos motivation This creates aflywheel effect the group itself gainsmomentum In his bookCamp4 SteveRopergivesafabulousexample

TwoofCamp4rsquosbouldersloomedaboveallothersColumbiaBoulderthebiggeststoodnearthecenterofcampandithadnoeasyrouteshellipOneroutetheRobbinrsquosPullup(namedafterlegendaryclimberRoyalRobbins)especiallyintriguedusRobbinshaddonetheroutebackinthemid-fiftiesbuthadbeenunabletorepeatitandnooneelsehadeitherThefifteen-footproblemoverhungcrazilyonitslowerpartaliebackpinch-grippullupwastheonlyrealholdtostartoutwithbutitwouldobviouslytakesuperhumanstrengthtomakethemoveOnedayin1960hellipafellownamedHarryDaleyanoccasionalpartnerofRobbinsstrodeovertotheproblemWegiggledbehindhisbackforDaleywashardlythestrongestamongusHeplacedbothhandsonthepinch-gripandtentativelyplasteredafootonamicroholdSofarsogoodWersquodallgonethisfarWesmiledcondescendinglyThenincrediblyhepulledupwardandlungedforanedgefaraboveHegrippedthisandlevitatedupwardHersquodmadeitWestoodwithmouthsopenbeforeburstingintoacheerThenevenmoreincrediblythreeorfourofusscampereduptheproblemasifwersquovebeendoingitforyearsApsychologicalbarrierhadbeenbrokenRobbinsheardaboutthefeatwithinhoursandstrodeoveranddiditonhisfirsttry

Beyond breaking psychological barriers social support systems alsohelped climbers overcome tactical barriers In Yosemite one personrsquos mishapbecame everyonersquos map Strong ties maximize information sharing Mentaltrainingtipsphysicaltrainingtipsperformancetipsflow-hackingtipsetcmdashallwere passed around and preserved Before collectives like Camp 4 wereestablished informationcouldtakeyears tocirculatethroughthecultureOnceaction and adventure sports athletes began to build communities a knowledgebase accrued technical languages developed technological developmentacceleratedButwhattrulychangedthegamewasatechnologicaldevelopmentunlike any other an innovation accelerant barrier-breaking training tool andultimate flow hack all rolled into one the suddenly affordable video-cassette

recorder

STACYPERALTAAND

TheaffordableVCRarrived in themid-1970s then standardwarsof theVHSversusbetavarietyandSupremeCourtdecisionsof thecopyright infringementvariety kept themachines away from themasses for over a decade But oncetheydidarrive changecamequicklyThe10percentofAmericanhouseholdswho owned VCRs in 1983 blossomed to 30 percent by 1985 Historians feel1986 was the turning point the year video-rental sales eclipsed movie-ticketsales and themoment the technology truly explodedAndwith his reacutesumeacute ofperfecttimingtherewasStacyPeraltareadytoridethatwave

PeraltaisaforceByagefifteenhewasskatingfortheZephyrSkateTeammdashmakinghimanoriginalZ-Boy(asinDogtownandZ-Boys)mdashbytwenty-oneanentrepreneurIn1978heteamedupwithenigmaticengineerandskateboarddesigner George Powell to found Powell-Peralta a company that woulddominatetheskatemarketthroughoutthe1980sAttherootofthatdominationwastheBonesBrigadethePowell-Peraltaskateteamarguablythemostfamousin the history of the sport In the mid-rsquo80s Peralta began making movies tomarkettheteamBy1987hersquodgottengoodatitThatyearPeraltareleasedTheSearchforAnimalChinThatyearNorthAmericanVCRpenetrationpassed50percentThecombinationprovedpotent

HistoricallyasMatthewMaladypointedoutina2011articleforSlateitrsquoshardtounderstatetheimpactoftheChin

Twenty-fiveyearsagobackwhenESPNstilldevotedasizablechunkofitsproductionbudgettoScholasticSportsAmericaskateboarding-phenom-turned-entrepreneurStacyPeraltaproduceddirectedandfilmedsomethingcalledTheSearchforAnimalChinThefilmwhichcombinesskatefootagewitharoad-tripnarrativestarringacrewofprofessionalskateboardersknownastheBonesBrigadeforeverchangedthesportbytransformingskatersintomoviestarsItalsofunctionedasacomingoutpartyforaprecocioustowheadedstringbeanbythenameofTonyHawkandintheprocesspavedthewayfortheextreme-sportsexplosionthateventuallybegattheXGameshellip

THESEARCHFORANIMALCHIN

FormembersoftheskatecommunityAnimalChinwasanannouncementof arrival Skaters like almost every other group of action and adventureathleteswereascatteredsubcultureTherewasamovementbrewingforsurebutinthedaysbeforeMTVmadeitokaytolookweirdinthesuburbsnoonereally knew how strongAnimal Chin united this tribeWith VCRs suddenlyeverywherethemessagemdashessentiallyhavefunwhileskatingmdashwentwide

ThetrickswentwiderBeforetheavailabilityofcheapVCRsthefragmentednatureoftheaction

andadventuresportsworldactedlikeabrakeoninnovationWithcommunitiesisolatedfromoneanotherandmagazinestheonlyavailablemessengermdashandthedifficulty of dissecting dynamicmoves through static imagesmdashnovelty spreadslowlyWhen someone in California developed a new trick years could passbeforeskatersinWisconsinwerethrowingthemconsistentlyTheVCRchangedthegameFlickslikeChinbecametrainingtoolswithguyslikeTonyHawkandRodneyMullenasdefactoprofessorsSkaterscouldrewindandrewatchTheycould pause In otherwords in action and adventure sports the arrival of theVCRmarkedthemomentinnovationbecameopensourced

TheVCRbecame theultimate flowhack Ifa skater in Jerseygot intoaflowstateanddidsomethingamazingagroupofskatersinBostonwouldtrytoleveragegroupflowtoimprovethattrickForbeginnersthevideoswerewaysto learn your ABCs For experts it was game on Skaters no longer had towonderhowgoodthebestintheworldreallywereorhowgoodtheyneededtobetotaketheirplaceThosefilmssetthegnarhighbarmdashnoweveryonecouldtrytoclearit

ldquoYoucanrsquot reallydescribe the impact thesemovieshadonperformancerdquosays JoeDonnelly longtime action and adventure sports journalist and formereditorinchiefofthepioneeringsnowboardingmagazineStickldquoTheylitafuseOn the sportrsquos side there was immediate progression bigger ramps biggerdropsmoreextremelinesmore technical tricksBut thefilmsalsoprogressedthecultureTheymarriedtheathletictheartisticandtheoutlandishThecultureitselfbecamemoreextremeandawholenewworldofpossibilitiesopeneduprdquo

And for the rest of us well wersquove come a ways since the VCR Anysmartphone or tablet computer opens these same possibilities up to everyoneWant someAnimal Chin in your own life Join an online communityWatchvideos Read stuff Get smarter Try stuff Get into flow Use flow to dosomethingamazingPostvideosTeachothershowyoudiditAndrepeatThatrsquoswhatactionandadventureathletesdidthatrsquosoneofthemainreasonstheywentsofarsofast

AndthistellsussomethingimportantWetendtothinkofguyslikeDean

PotterandShaneMcConkeyaslone-wolfmavericksbutPotterpassedsomuchtime inCamp4 that he earned himself a nickname ldquoMayor of theDirtbagsrdquoAnd McConkey spent most of his career in Squaw where as JT Holmesexplains ldquoeven tough guy pros like me canrsquot go into the 7-Eleven and bragTherearesomanygreatathletesinthiscommunitytherersquosaprettygoodchancethatthegirlbehindthecounterdidsomethingradderthanmelastweekendrdquo

PotterMcConkeyHolmesandeveryotherathleteinthisbookgotfartherfaster because they packed their liveswith flow triggers and flowed in packsThey leveragedpowerfulneurobiology tobuild tightercommunities leveragedthose communities to drive innovation then open-sourced innovation tomuchlarger communities and collectively rode the reverberations into the historybooks The lone-wolf maverick is a myth When it comes to becomingSupermanwereallyareinthistogether

9

TheFlowofImagination

THE EVOLUT ION OF THE DOUBLE SK I BASE

TheypulledtheRVuptothesideofthebridgeandthePrimalCrewgottoworkMiles Daisher then twenty-three years old climbed on top of the vehiclegrabbedatwo-by-twelveandstrappeditdownHalfoftheplankwasstillontheroof theotherhalfbecameacrudedivingboard jutting into thedarknessandovertheriveralong120feetbelowSomeoneelsesetupthebungeesacoupleoffolksgrabbedwalkie-talkiesandwenttospotforcopsandthenewbiemdashthisguynamedShaneMcConkeymdashstoodtothesideandwatched

Welcometotheearly1990sMcConkeyrsquosveryfirstnightinSquawValleyAtthetimebungeejumpingwasanascentsportundergroundandillegalBut

McConkeyhad friends in thePrimalCrewmdashabunchofguys likeDaisher skibumswhoworkedforPrimalInstinctthenoneofthefewbungeeoperationsintheworldwilling to takepayingclientsonclandestinebridge jumpsThiswasMcConkeyrsquosldquoWelcometoTahoerdquoparty

ThePrimalCrewlivedinthePrimalHouseaninfamousSquawcrashpadThere was a trampoline in the living room There were always parties TheonlinetravelmagazineMatadorNetworkonceaskedthequestionldquoEverwonderwhereRedBull athletes come fromrdquoTheir answer ldquoBack in themid-1990stherewasahouseinSquawValleyCaliforniaTheycalleditthePrimalHouserdquo

But all of thiswas still to comeFirst therewas the smallmatterof thatnighttimestealthmissionoffthebridgeatAngelrsquosCampDaisherwentfirstHetook a few confident steps toward the endof the divingboard bouncedonceandmdashbecausehewantedthenewguytounderstandmdashthrewhisbesttrick

ldquoIdidnrsquotknowShaneMcConkeyrdquosaysDaisherldquoIhadnoideahewasaproskierWithhislonghairIjustthoughthewasanotherhippiefromColoradoSoyouknowIhadtolethimknowwhohewasdealingwithIthrewalsquowildturkeyrsquothinsprdquo

There isnothingeasyabout throwingawild turkeya frontone-and-halfflipintoahalftwistintoasmanybackflipsasonecanexecutebeforethebungeepullstautDaisherlearnedhowtoaddthetwisttothefrontflipsbyjumpingoffdivingboards intoswimmingpools Itrsquoshowthe trickgot itsnameldquoTheonlytimeIwaswillingtotryitrdquosaysDaisherldquowasaftertwoshotsofWildTurkeyrdquo

That night at Angelrsquos Camp Daisher aced it Didnrsquot get tangled in theropes got off three and a half backflips just perfect Afterward McConkeysidledoverandaskedhowhersquoddoneitDaisherdidnrsquottakehimseriouslyldquoIwaslikeyeahrightthishippieisgonnapulloffawildturkeyIgavehimliketwolinesofexplanationmdashmostlyrope-managementstuffmdashandwalkedawayrdquo

TurnsoutthedamnhippiehadmadskillsMcConkeyclimbedupontheroofoftheRVbouncedoffthedivingboardandnailedthetrickonhisfirsttry

ldquoAfterwardrdquosaysDaisherldquoitwasonrdquoItwasonallrightMcConkeymovedintothePrimalHouseandtackeda

two-dollarbilltohiswallThatwasalwaysthebetldquoWespentallourtimetryingtothinkupnewbungeetricksrdquosaidDaisherldquostuffnoonehadeverdonebeforeItwasalwaysaboutpushingtheenvelopeandpushingourcreativityandlsquoIbetyouthattwo-dollarbillthatIcandothatrsquothinsprdquo

One of the things Daisher and McConkey learned to do was skydiveAnotherPrimalHousedenizenFrankldquoTheGamblerrdquoGambalietaughtthemAsecurity-systemsdesignerby tradeGambaliestartedbungee jumping to letoffsteamPrettysoonhehadasecondjobwithPrimalInstinctOnedayashewas

setting up a bridge jump a couple of guys wearing parachutes showed upwalkedover to the railingandhoppedoff Itwas the first timeGambaliehadeverseenBASEjumpingItwouldnrsquotbethelast

While most skydivers put in a minimum of 200 airplane leaps beforeattempting a BASE jump the Gambler gave it a go after twelve He neverlookedbackGambaliewentontosetanumberofBASErecordsincludingthelongest free fallmdashtwenty-six seconds off theTrollWall inNorwaymdashand alsofoundways to put his security training to good use For ldquoinsurancerdquo reasonsjumping off buildings is frowned upon so he would dress as a technician tosneak past security then use his knowledge of locks and alarms to get to thelaunch site These tactics helped himbecome the first to leap offNewYorkrsquosChryslerBuildingwhereinafterhidinginthebuildingallnightGambaliegotoffa5AM launchsilentlyfloatedtothegroundthencementedhislegendbyhailingacabtofleethescene

In 1998 the Gambler began teaching both McConkey and Daisher toBASEjumpBy1999thelessonswereoverInJuneofthatyearGambalieleaptoff of Yosemitersquos El Cap landed safely in the meadow below and wasimmediately greeted by two rangers BASE jumping is against the law in allnational parks andYosemitersquos rangers are particularly zealous Fearing arrestanda$5000fineGambaliefledtowardtheMercedRiverdumpedhischuteonthebank thendove inThecoldwatersappedhisstrength thecurrentdid therestDiversdidnrsquotrecoverhisbodyfortwenty-eightdays

Both Daisher and McConkey took his passing hard but action andadventureathleteshaveadifferentrelationshipwithdeathldquoWhenFrankdiedrdquorecountsDaisher ldquoeverybody told us itwas time to stopBASE jumpingButthatrsquosnotwhatFrankwouldhavewantedHebelievedindoingwhatyouloveandwewerenrsquotgoingbackAfterhediedIquitmyjobandmovedtotheDropZone (a Tahoe-area skydiving operation) I lived in a tent and packed chutesShane and I spent all our time trying to piece together Frankrsquos knowledge IwouldtellhimsomethingFrankhadtaughtmeandhewouldtellmesomethingFrankhadtaughthimandprettysoonanothertwo-dollarbetwasbornrdquo

InGambaliersquoshonorDaisherandMcConkeycreatedtheldquoPlungetoYourDeathCamprdquo FutureRedBullAir Forcemember JTHolmeswas one of thefirst toattendalongthewaybecomingoneof thefewto learn toBASEjumpbeforelearningtoskydiveAfterwardHolmeswasjustascommittedtohisnewsportasMcConkeyandDaisherAndthisledtoevenmoretwo-dollarbets

Therewas ldquoskyakingrdquowhich is skydiving in akayak into a riverTherewasabicyclejumpmdashwhenDaisherroadamountainbikeoutofanairplaneSki-BASEemergedfromthisperiodaswell thenwingsuitski-BASEldquoThatwasa

bigdealrdquoHolmessaysldquoWingsuitski-BASEjumpingdidnrsquotcomefromaBondfilmitcamefromourimaginationNoonehaddoneitbeforeSowhenShanehadtotryitoutforthefirsttimeyeahwewereallprettynervousrdquo

Then Holmes invented a new way to attach a parachute to anotherparachutemdashwhichmeant theycoulddeployonechutecut it awayanddeploythenextldquoWehadthisideaaboutadoubleski-BASErdquosaysDaisherldquowhereyouwouldjumpoffacliffanddeployyourchutethenlandonahangingsnowfieldcut away that chute rip these amazing turns in a place no one had ever beenbefore leapoffagiantcliffat theenddeploy thatsecondparachuteand landsomewherefarbelowrdquo

In March 2009 the double ski-BASE was pitched to Red Bull (whosponsorall threeathletes)DaisherwaselsewherebutHolmesandMcConkeygotbackingtoflytoItalyrsquosDolomitesrangeandmaketheattemptItwasbyfarthe farthest anyonehadever takeneitherof these sports itwas so farbeyondimaginationthateventodaymostpeoplestillcanrsquotwraptheirheadsaroundtheideamdashbutthatrsquosprobablybecausetheyrsquorelookinginthewrongdirection

Jimmy Chin explains ldquoWhen people think about action and adventuresport athletes the first thingmdashoften the only thingmdashthey think about is thephysical risk involved But Irsquove gotten to know and work with an extremelydiverse group of these athletesmdashfrom new school freeskiers through grizzled8000-meter-peak mountaineering veteransmdashand Irsquove come to one conclusionabout everyonemyself included The greatest athletes arenrsquot interested in thegreatest risks I mean sometimes theyrsquore taken sometimes not but thosephysical risks are a by-product of amuchdeeper desire to take creative risksDonrsquot be fooled by the danger In action and adventure sports creativity isalwaysthepointrdquo

CREATIVETRIGGERS

Why is creativity thepointTurnsout this isoneof the trickierquestionswehave to answer Obviously the reason has plenty to do with flow but therelationship between flow and creativity is complicated and not completelyunderstoodMoreovereverytimesomeonemakesa listofskillsneededin thetwenty-first century creativity tops it The quality most desirable in a CEOAccordingtoaglobalsurveyconductedbyIBMof1500topexecutivesinsixtycountries creativity What about the skills our children need to thrive in thefutureAccordingtothePartnershipfor21stCenturySkillsmdashacollectionof250

researchersatsixtyinstitutionsmdashcreativityisagaintheanswerSoifevertherewasacriticalyetoverusedterminneedofclarificationthisisit

LetrsquosstartwithastandardworkingdefinitionofcreativityThereareplentytochoosefrombutldquotheprocessofdevelopingoriginalideasthathavevaluerdquoisarguablythemostcommonsowersquollgowiththatThefirstthingtoknowaboutcoming upwith original valuable ideas is how deeply this process scares usEverytimewehaveacreativeinsightandshareitwiththeworldwecomeupagainst some very primal terrors fear of failure fear of the unknown fear ofsocial ridicule fear of loss of resources (time money access etc) Therersquossignificantriskinvolvedineverystepofthisprocess

DrillingdowndeeperbeyondtherisktakinginvolvedinideagenerationtherersquosasecondmechanismatworkpatternrecognitionWhenApplecofounderSteveJobssaidldquoCreativityis justconnectingthingsrdquohewasnrsquotwrongWhencoming up with a new idea we always have to find patternsmdashie Jobsrsquosconnection between thingsmdashthat we havenrsquot seen before At a fundamentallevel thencomingupwithoriginalvaluableideasalwaysrequiresrisktakingandpatternrecognitionmdashandthismeansdopamine

Dopamine is the pleasure chemical releasedwheneverwe take a risk oridentifyapatternWefeelthisinrushasexcitementengagementandcuriosityBut dopamine does more than just stimulate our emotions and increase ourmotivationmdashit also tightens focus drives us into the now and thus speedsentrance into flow What all of this means is that the creative act (one thatrequiresrisktakingandpatternrecognition)isitselfanexceptionallypotentflowtrigger

ldquoWhenyoursquoreconcentratingonsomethingthatmattersrdquoexplainsHarvardpsychologistNedHallowellldquowhenyoucanrsquotproceedonautomaticpilotthatrsquoswhenflowshowsupThatrsquoscreativitytoaTOnceyoursquovethrownouttherulebookandbegunmakingcreativedecisionstheriskinvolvedtightensfocusandtriggersaneurobiologicalcascademdashitsweepsyourightintoflowrdquo

EvenbettertheflowstateitselfactslikeaforcemultiplierforcreativityInflow beyond this neurochemical reaction there are also neuroanatomical andneuroelectricalchangestakingplaceNeuroanatomicallywithlargeswatchesofthe prefrontal cortex deactivated our inner critic is shut off and our innermonologue rendered silent As a result wersquore more receptive to novelexperiences (the building blocks of new ideas) and much less inhibited (thusmorelikelytopresentthosenewideastotheworld)Thisiswhyforexampleinstudies run by University of Pennsylvania psychologist Sharon Thompson-Schillwhentransienthypofrontalitywasartificially inducedandsubjectswerepresentedwithcreativeproblemstosolvethehypofrontalsubjectscameupwith

morenovelinsightsinfarshortertimeframesthancontrolsubjectsNeuroelectrically flowrsquos baseline brain-wave pattern of low alphahigh

theta also boosts creativity Alpha means wersquore calm confident and content(thusmorewillingtotakerisks)andthatthelinesofcommunicationbetweenthesubconsciousmind and the consciousmind arewideopen (thusmore chancesforpattern recognitionandnovel insight)Thetameanwhile isa relaxedstatewherethebraincanmovefromnotiontonotionwithoutmuchinternalresistancemdashlike what happens when yoursquore about to fall asleepmdashand has long beenassociatedwithintuitionandideageneration

IfweputthisalltogetherwhatwefindisapowerfulreciprocitycreativitytriggersflowthenflowenhancescreativityButequallyimportanttoourstoryishowactionandadventureathleteshavetakenadvantageofthisreciprocityPartofthisissimplythenatureofthesesportsldquoWhenyoursquoreoutskiingorskatingwith your friendsrdquo explains Micah Abrams ldquoif you see your friend dosomethingmind-bendingtherersquosanaturalinclinationtoimmediatelywanttotryit to immediately want to add to it Everyone builds off each other ItrsquoscompetitionandcreativityandrolledintoonerdquoOrasMilesDaisherexplainedldquoItwasalwaysaboutpushingtheenvelopeandpushingourcreativityandlsquoIbetyouthattwo-dollarbillthatIcandothatrsquothinsprdquo

Of course creative one-upsmanship has been a part of action andadventure sports for a very long time What changedmdashthe key factor thatallowedtheseathletestotakesuchcompleteadvantageofthisflowtriggerandarguably the fundamental alteration that lit the fuse on the acceleratedprogression at the heart of this bookmdashwas the turbo-boost known as theldquofreeridemovementrdquo

Themovement dates back to the 1980s when snowboardingwas still abannedsportatmostresortsTheoriginalfreeridersweresnowboarderswhogotaroundthisbanbytakingtheirshowintothebackcountrymdashwheretheywerefreefrom resort rules and free to interpret that terrain anyway theywanted Thisfreedomofcoursetranslatedintofargreateropportunitiesforcreativitywhichtriggeredmoreflowwhichfurtherenhancedcreativitywhichsuperchargedtherateof innovation jackedupperformanceandmdashwhencapturedoncelluloidmdashlookedlikesuchridiculousfunthateveryonewantedinontheaction

ShaneMcConkey included In the 1990sMcConkey borrowed the termfreetoapplytoskiingHealsoextendeditsmeaningldquoShanedesperatelywantedtogetawayfromthepopularizedwordlsquoextremersquothinsprdquosaysScottGaffneyldquoItwasoverusedanddidnotdefine thekindof skiinghe felthe enjoyedmostSohecoinedthetermlsquofreeskiingrsquoThatrsquoswhereitoriginatedNowthelsquofreersquoprefixisusedinallkindsofactionsportsmdashegfreesurfingandfreeriding(meaningona

mountainbike)whenpeopleareperformingoutsideofcompetitionrdquoMore important freeriding tilted the value structure of action and

adventuresportsItoveremphasizedself-expressionItde-emphasizedwinningAndespeciallyde-emphasizedtheideaofasolitarywinnerAslongasfreeriderswereseeinginterestinglinesandridingthoselinesininterestingwaystheywerewinningNolongerwasthefastestpersondownthemountainthebestathleteonthemountainTo reallywin youhadbe creative ldquoCreativity became thewayathletesjudgedsuccessrdquocontinuesJimmyChinldquoDidIpickacoollineDiditlookstylishWasIinnovativeDidIaddanythingtotheconversationItrsquoswhyso many of these guys now see themselves as artists as much as athletesFreeridingchangedtheculturerdquo

And because all of these creative freeriding choices triggered flow thiscultural changewas reinforced Over and againWhat began as an individualvaluebecameasocietalvirtueThesedaysimaginationandinnovationformthebasisforhowtheseathletesarejudgedandjudgethemselvesItrsquosalsohowtheyget paid You donrsquot just need to be better stronger faster to get a part in anaction and adventure sports moviemdashyou need to be all those things and stillshowussomethingnewMostimportantyouneedfiercecommitmenttovisionmdashyouneedtobewillingtobetyourassonyouridea

ThinkaboutthisforamomentWhileallcreativetypestakerisksfortheirideasveryfewarewillingtogoasfarasactionandadventureathletesWhenDaisherdreamedupskyakingmdashifthatlittleinsighthadbeenabadoneOrwhenHolmesinventedthetechnologythatopenedthedoorforthedoubleski-BASEOrwhenMcConkeytriedoutwingsuitski-BASEforthefirsttimeAlloftheseactsrequiredalevelofcommitmenttocreativitynotoftenseeninsociety

Bywayof comparison consider entrepreneurshipStartinga company isconsideredoneof the riskiest andmostcreativeacts inbusinessWecelebratethe risk taking of entrepreneurs we lionize their unwavering commitment toinnovationWell DannyWayrsquosMegaRampwas an innovation that costmorethan$500000tobuildmdashorroughlywhatittakestogetastartupoffthegroundmdashandWaydidnrsquotjusthavetoraisethatcash(ieconvincehissponsorstoponyup)healsohadtobethefirstguydowntheresultsOrthestrappedcrewwiththeir invention of tow surfing How many organizations do their productresearchatJawsAtTeahupooAtMaverickrsquosBecausethisistheotherhalfofthe creativity story Itrsquos not merely that action and adventure athletes takeadvantageofthisflowtriggerItrsquosthattheyhavemadecreativitysocoretotheculturethatthecultureiswillingtodiefortheircreativity

YouwantmoreproofAfewdaysbeforeMcConkeyandHolmesleftforItalytoattemptthedoubleski-BASEforthefirsttimeMcConkeywashanging

withDaisher back inCalifornia ldquoHewas givingme a lecturerdquo saysDaisherldquoHewassayinglsquoWhatwedoforalivingWebothhavefamiliesYouneedtotightenupyourendsYouhavetohaveawillrsquothinsprdquo

THEFALLOFSUPERMAN

ShaneMcConkeyandJTHolmesarrivedinItalyfortheirshotatthedoubleski-BASE on March 25 2009 After a few days scouting locations a day spentnailing a ski-BASE (single not double) off the 8612-foot Sossongher and acouplemore lost tobadweather they took thecablecar to the topof theSassPordoia9685-footmountainintheDolomites

TheviewfromthetopisoneofthebestintherangeTherersquosarestaurantupthereandanicelookoutspotMcConkeyandHolmeshadacupofcoffeeattheformerthenspentsometimeatthelatterhuntingasuitablelocationforthedoubleski-BASETheyfoundonetoojustperfectbutdecidedtosavethatfunfor another day Instead the Sass Pordoi also features a gorgeous 2000-footcliff that McConkey had ski-BASErsquod the previous summer That daymdashif thedamnwindwouldeverdiedownmdashhewantedtogivewingsuitski-BASEatry

ThedamnwindfinallydieddownMcConkeyandHolmeshikedouttothecliff and roped down to a spot below the edge From thereMcConkey threwrocks and started counting He counted ten maybe twelve seconds beforeimpactPlentyoftimehefiguredforeverythingthatneededtobedoneonthewaydown

StillthelaunchwouldbecriticalMcConkeyandHolmesbuiltabigjumpat the cliffrsquos edge but the snowwas crappy so they started over The secondtimewas thecharmWith thekickerdialed theyclimbed into their flightgearandsnappedintotheirskisHolmeswentfirstHepointedhisboardstowardthecliff made a few quick turns then nailed a perfect double backflip into theabyssMcConkeywasleftaloneonthesideofthemountainHehadaGoProcamera on his head and was wired for sound ldquoOh yeahrdquo he said into themicrophoneldquoherewegoanotherwingsuitski-BASErdquo

ThenheexhaleddeeplyjustonceandpointedhistipstowardtheedgeIt was a fantastic takeoff He hit the jump perfectly sailed off the Sass

PordoianddidwhathecouldnotbackinCrestedButtesomanyyearsbeforeaperfectdoublebackflip

ItwasthelasttimesomethinginhislifewentrightItrsquosimpossibletosteerawingsuitwithskisonsoMcConkeyhadinvented

areleasesystemmdashreallyjustastraptoyankonthatunlatchedhisbindingsButwhenheyankedonlyhisrightskipoppedoffItthengottangledwithhisleftHe reached down to manually release the binding but the move flipped himupside downmdashwhichmeant he could neither see the ground approaching nordeploy his parachute for fear of further entanglement Some people includingDaisher believe you should throw the chute anyway butMcConkeyhad longarguedfortheneedtoreleasetheskisfirstgetintoastablepositionforflightandthenthrowthechuteHedidinfactmanagetoreleasehisskiandgetintoastable position ldquoItwas an amazing recoveryrdquoHolmes said afterward ldquobut hewasalreadytoolaterdquo

McConkey died on impact He left behind a wife a three-year-olddaughterandafifteen-yearlegacythatdespitethestartlingrateofprogressionin these sports will most likely remain unmatched for some time As formerPowdermagazinemanagingeditorLeslieAnthonywroteinWhitePlanetldquoTheski worldrsquos superman was gonerdquo The double ski-BASE remains though thechapteryetunwrittenHolmessaysitrsquosonlyamatteroftimeandifhedoesnrsquotdoitsomeoneelsewillThatrsquosthetraditionThatrsquoshowthesethingsgetdoneThatrsquosreallywhyMcConkeywasconsideredageniusHedidwhatallgeniusesdo He shifted the paradigm He opened our eyes He gave his life so thatmaybewecouldreinventours

P A R T T H R E E

TIMETORISE

WearetheonesthatwersquovebeenwaitingformdashALICE WALKER

10

TheDarkSideofFlow

JEREMY JONES

AsarulemostmountainmenarewellmountainsBigguysheadtotoeTheytendtowardthicknesswiththeextraweightneededtonotshakeapartwhenthetemperatures drop below zero They tend toward tallness as wintermountaineering demands trail blazing through deep snow and those of lesserstatureendup swallowedwhilepost-holingTheyarenot asa rule five-foot-seven and 145 pounds Then again when has Jeremy Jonesmdashten times votedSnowboardBig-mountainRideroftheYearmdasheverfollowedtherules

AsachildinVermontbackwhensnowboardingwasstillbannedatmostresortshespentthemajorityofhistimealonedragginghisboardupbackyardhillsridingdownandrepeatingHebargedontothecircuitbackbeforeitwasacircuitastoryhisOrsquoNeilbiography(oneofJonesrsquossponsors)sumsupnicely

WithoutthesponsorsandsupporttodayrsquosathletesmaytakeforgrantedJonesstartedcompetingatfourteenandthoughaveragingaboutthirty-fivecontestsaseasonhedidnrsquotstayinahoteluntilhewastwentyOnewinterheatemorethan300peanutbutterandjellysandwichesandgraduatedhighschool$10000indebtHersquodlosefifteenpoundseachwinterandoneseasongotsosickhegavehissponsorsanultimatumeithertheyuptheirsupportorhersquodhavetowalkawayHesawallofit

thoughasaninitiationldquoYouhavetoearnyourdealrdquohereasonsldquothebetterthejobthehardertheinitiationrdquo

YetdespitethegruelingnatureofhisinitiationJoneswalkedawayfromthe job On his way to his very first pro competition he stopped to visit hisbrothers in Jackson Hole Wyoming and took a sharp left turn Instead ofbecomingaworldchampionracerJonesdecidedhersquodratherwashdishesforthechancetofreerideJacksoneveryday

JacksonHole is not your average skimountainThe in-bounds terrain isthemostferociousintheLower48theout-of-boundsterrainharsherstillPointof fact the first three extreme ski contests held in Alaska were all won byJackson Hole skiers It was also Jackson Hole skiers and snowboarders whopioneered Alaska as the mecca of winter sports filmmaking In fact it wasJeremyrsquos brothers Todd and Steve Jones alongside Dirk Collins and CoreyGavittwhocofounded theextreme-sports filmmakingcompanyTetonGravityResearch(TGR)anddidmuchofthatpioneering

AlongsimilarlineswhileJacksonintroducedJeremytothepossibilitiesofbig-mountain riding itwasAlaska that sealed thedeal In1998 the first yearTGRwasmakingfilmsinthefarnorthJeremyflewupforavisitldquoAlaskawasa different planetrdquo he recalls ldquoOn that first trip Iwas as scared as Irsquove everbeenridingthebiggestlinesofmylifemakingthefastestturnsofmylifeandafterwardIrsquodrealizeIhadnrsquotcomeclosetohittingmylimitsmdashthatIcouldhavegoneevenbigger even fasterThe rulesweredifferentup there Itrsquos likewersquodfoundaplacethathadthebestsnowtotallyunexploredandbythewaytherersquoslessgravitytoordquo

Over the next decade Jeremy became part of a group of snowboardersskiersandfilmmakerswhoestablishedAlaskaassnowsportsrsquoultimateprovinggroundldquoItwasbrain-scramblingrdquohesaysldquoThingsthatwereimpossibleinthemorning were possible by the evening Literally Rules that were adhered tovehemently rules that had been in place since the beginning ofwinter sportsruleslikedonrsquotdothisbecauseyoursquolldiewerechangingonadailysometimeshourlybasisrdquo

It was also the beginning of the end Different people have differentgatewaysintoflowJeremyfavorsarichenvironmentNoveltycomplexityandunpredictabilityarehisfavoritetriggersUnfortunatelyinAlaskachoppersareonlyallowedtoflyincertainpermittedareasWithinafewyearsallofValdezhad been explored Then the athletes and filmmakers moved to Haines andopenedupanotherfrontierWithinafewmoreyearseveryinchofHaineshad

alsobeenexploredItwasaseriousproblemforJeremyldquoIwouldfindmyselfatthetopoftheseamazinglinesrdquohesaysldquoexceptI

had ridden them five timesbefore In thatkindof familiar territory toget thebuzz I wanted I was having to red-line sixty-degree chutes Over big cliffsChasingavalanchesReallyreallyoutthereAndthatwasallIwasdoingflyingto the topofmountainspushingfartheroutonto thatedge I justknew itwasonlyamatteroftimebeforesomethingwentreallyreallywrongrdquo

JonesalsoknewthatthebureaucraticboundaryonlyappliedtohelicoptersmdashifhewaswillingtohikeforhisturnshecouldgoasunchartedasdesiredButunchartedmeant self-sufficiency Itmeant fortitudeAndwith storms that canlast for weeks it also meant that rescue and resupply were nonexistentpossibilities Plus his new plan involved climbing up the peaks hewanted tosnowboarddownmdashanideathatwouldcompoundthealreadysignificantdangersofbig-mountainsnowboardingwiththelonglistofcatastrophesthatcomewithhighalpinemountaineering

ldquoTherersquos an upside and a downsiderdquo explains Jeremy ldquoThe downside isthat to make the climb I have to spend three hours like a sitting duckAvalanches of courseBut one tiny snowball that knocks free at the top of acouloircanbecomethesizeofarefrigeratorbythetimeitreachesthebottomIneedallofmysensespeakingtosurvivemdashandthatrsquostheupsideClimbingdrivesmeright into thezoneThismakesabigdifferenceon thewaydown InoticeeverythingmdashtheblindrolloversuddenlyisnrsquotblindSnowstabilityandwherethefractures are and unlike helicopter ridingmdashwhen you get to the top and haveonlya fewseconds toget into thezonebeforedropping inmdashIknow Irsquoll be inthere onmy descent If I climbed to the top successfully thatrsquos 95 percent ofwhat Irsquomworried aboutWhen I take off downmy line I know Irsquom alreadypeakingwhichmeansIcanpushmylimitsthatmuchfurtherrdquo

JonesenvisionedwhatcametobecalledtheldquoDeeperrdquoexperimentmdashbeingdropped off by a plane far outside the helicopter permit zone He wanted tospendamonthinremoteAlaskajustasmallcrewlivingoutoftentsclimbingfor all of their turns It would not be easy He knew he would need a post-graduate level education in snow sciencemeteorology andmountaineering toprepareHersquodhave toconvincehis sponsorsmdashwhowere thenmakingbankonhelicopter scenes in Alaskamdashthat the much slower process of snowboard-mountaineeringwouldentice theiraudiencesAndheneededa teammdashathletesfilmmakersguidesetcmdashwillingtorollsomedamnuncertaindice

It took four years to put the expedition together By the early spring of2009hewasfinallyreadyTGRhadagreedtomakehis trip intoamoviehissponsorshadagreed to foot thebillandathletes likeTravisRiceandJonaven

Moorehadagreed to roll thosediceTheplanwas to fly toHaines thenheadintoGlacierBayNational ParkTheywould use a small plane to hunt a highcirque rising from a flat plain (where they could set up camp far outsideavalancherange)packtwoweeksrsquoworthofsuppliesandgetdroppedoffTwoweeks later the planewould fly back andmake a second supply drop In theinterimtheywouldtakeexpeditionsnowboardingfartherthaneverbefore

BigsurprisemdashlittlewentaccordingtoplanJeremyhadlivedinJacksonHoleforafewyearsbutlatermigratedtothe

TahoeareaShaneMcConkeyhadbecomeoneofhisbestfriendsTheirwiveswerecloseTheirchildrenplayedtogetherOnedayafterarrivinginAlaskafouryearsafterhebeganplanningtheDeepertripJeremyrsquosphonerangmdashShanehaddiedinItalyldquoIflewhomeShanersquoswifeanddaughtersmovedinwithmeandmy wife for a couple of weeks But I couldnrsquot stay All these people weredependingonmeFourdayslaterIhadtoflybacktoAlaskaandstartthetriprdquo

Jones returned to Alaska just as the weather cleared They used thatwindow to location scout eventually finding a suitable base camp some sixtymilesoutsideofHainesTheyhadtwodaystosetupthatcampbeforeJeremyflewbacktoTahoeforShanersquosfuneralAdayafterthathewasbackinAlaskaldquoIt was heavyrdquo he says ldquoDeeper had beenmy dream for years but after thefuneralat four-thirty in themorningwhenIrsquomdriving to theairport theverylastthingIwantedtodowasheadbackintothemountainsrdquo

Heavier was the weather that followed Jones back to camp A ten-daystormblewinbringingtemperaturesoftwentybelowJonesstuckinatenthadplenty of time to think about everything that had just happened ldquoIt raised theproverbialquestionWhydowedothisButIgottoseeupclosetheincrediblypowerful effectShanehadonpeopleMostpeople are so afraidofdying theyneverliveShanelivedhislifetothefullestHelivedthousandsoflifetimesandchangedthousandsoflivesTheworldneedsmorepeoplelikeShaneAndthatwasexactlywhyIwasonthisexpeditionmdashtopushintounchartedterritorytotryto experience life to the fullest to bring a little of that back to the rest of theworldrdquo

OntheeleventhdayjustastheywereabouttorunoutoffoodthestormclearedBlueskiesandbig-mountainsBeforethestormTravisRicehadstartedbuildingamassivejumpoverahugecrevassegapAssoonasthesunreturnedhe finished theprojectandkickedoff theshowSixtymiles fromnowherenorescue available Rice threw an eighty-foot cork backside 720 over the gapFromthatmomentonnoonelookedback

They stayed in the backcountry amonth in total along thewaypushingsnowboardmountaineeringfartherthananyonehadtakenitbeforeThroughout

thewholeexpeditionJeremycarriedaportionofShanersquosashesHealsonameda peak after him ldquoItrsquos a really ascetic linerdquo says Jeremy ldquoI knew that oncepeople saw it theywouldwant to come ride it and theywouldget that samefeelingthatIgotthatShanegotandwhentheylefttheywouldbringalittlebitofthatbacktotheworldrdquo

THEPITFALLSANDTHEPATH

InPartsOneandTwoof this bookwersquove examined the state of flowand thecuttingedgeofflowhackingWersquovebuiltabridgebetweentheextremeandthemainstreammdashseeing what action and adventure athletes are doing to reliablyreproducethisstateandhowtostartapplyingthisinformationinourownlivesButthismerelymarksthebeginningofamuchlongertrekThusPartThreeofthisbookisdevotedtoseeingwherethistrailgoesmdashitrsquosalookatourfutureinflow

ForstartersourfocushereistheimmediatefutureOurimmediatefutureOnce you begin applying the techniques described in this book yoursquollimmediatelystartproducingmoreflowinyourlifemdashwhichalsomeansyouneedtobepreparedfortheramificationsFlowisanalternativepathtowardmasterybutlikeanypathnotwithoutitspitfallsTherersquosaseriousdarksidetoflowandthischapterprovidesamaptothatminefield

The state of flow like the path that bears its name is volatileunpredictable andall-consumingFlow feels like themeaningof life forgoodreasonTheneurochemicalsthatunderpinthestateareamongthemostaddictivedrugsonearthEquallypowerfulisthepsychologicaldrawScientistswhostudyhumanmotivationhavelatelylearnedthatafterbasicsurvivalneedshavebeenmet thecombinationofautonomy(thedesiretodirectyourownlife)mastery(thedesiretolearnexploreandbecreative)andpurpose(thedesiretomatterto contribute to the world) are our most powerful intrinsic driversmdashthe threethings thatmotivateusmostAll threearedeeplywoven through the fabricofflowThus toyingwith flow involves tinkeringwith primal biology addictiveneurochemistry potent psychology and hardwired evolutionary behaviorsSeriouslywhatcouldgowrong

And thatrsquospartof theproblemmdashevenwheneverythinggoes right thingsgowrongWalking this pathdemands constantly increasing the challengeswefaceWeareclimbingaladderofescalatingriskmdashwiththisladderbeingthefirstofthedangersencounteredontheflowpath

Continuously pushing on the challengeskill ratio means itrsquos scary hereanditrsquosgoingtogetscarierSoonerorlaterifwestayonthispathlongenoughpushing past onersquos comfort zone is going to require exceeding traditionalmarginsforsafetyAsaworkingartistthiscouldmeanmovingbeyondpopulartastes (see firstbee-bop later free jazzmusicians early impressionistpaintersauteurfilmmakersetc)andriskinginmanycasesonersquoslivelihoodForactionandadventureathletesofcoursetheconsequencescanbemuchmoresevere

TakeJeremyJonesrsquos trajectoryHechasedflowfromaracingcareer intobig-mountainridingintothehelicopterwhirlofAlaskamdashuppingthedangerlevelwith every step Andwhen helicopters proved insufficient he decided to addmountaineeringintothemixIfmeasuringsimplybythesizeofthebodycountonthelistofwaystogetdeadintheextrememountaineeringwinsnocontestSeriously ifhekeeps itupwhatare thechancesJeremyJonesdiesofnaturalcauses

Andwhiletherersquosclearlyanorder-of-magnitudedifferencebetweenthembeyondthephysicalrisksJonesrsquosrelentlesscommitmenttothepathjeopardizedhisfinancialfutureaswellWhenhefirsttookupsnowboardingitwasbarelyasport let aloneonewith a futureHedevotedhis teenageyears to sleeping incars andhopingan actual industrywould emergeAndonce it did emergehewalked away At the time Jones switched from competitive riding to big-mountain riding the rest of the snowboard world was solely interested inhalfpipesandflippytricksmdashneitherofwhichwerethenpartofthebig-mountainlandscape And when Jones decided to start snowboard-mountaineering heli-ridingwaswhereallthesponsorshipdollarswerelodgedAteachofthesestepsandplentyofothersinbetweenJoneschancedhiscareer

And these types of decisions are not too unusual on this path All ornothingtendstobethekindofcommitmentflowdemandsmdashanditdemandsitofeveryone If you embark down this road the requisite risk taking willcontinuouslybackyouintouncomfortablecornersItrsquosalmostironicHowmanyself-help books have beenwritten about livingwith passion and purpose (ietravelingtheflowpath)yethowfewactuallymentionthedangersinvolved

EquallyinsidiousishowflowpreparesustohandlethesedangersInthestateour skills arepeakingour inner critic shutdown andour ability to feelfear significantly dampened ldquoI felt I could not be hurthelliprdquo wrote BraziliansoccerstarPeleacuteinhisautobiographyMyLifeandtheBeautifulGameldquoPerhapsitwasmerelyconfidencebut Ihave felt confidentmany timesbeforewithoutthatstrangefeelingofinvincibilityrdquoAndwhilePeleacutersquoscorrect therersquosaseriouscatchmdashflowmakesyoufeelinvinciblerightuptothemomentyoursquorenotAfterallShaneMcConkeywastheclosestthingtoSupermantheworldhasyetseen

andhedidnrsquotbeatthoseoddsNorishealoneldquoThejoyIgetfromskiingthatrsquosworthdyingforrdquosaidC

RJohnsonmdashnotlongbeforehediedskiingCanadianfreestyleskierandfour-time X Games champ Sarah Burke is now sorely missed So are ArneBackstrom Caleb Moore Jeremy Lusk Ryan Hawks Aaron Robinson KipGarreAntoineMontantandmanymoreESPNcalled2011theldquogrimmestyearin [action] sportsrsquo collective historyrdquo and then explained why ldquo[T]he action-sportscommunityaveragedoneproathletedeatheverythreeweeksrdquoTheyear2013mdashwhilenotyetinthebooksmdashisstartingtolookgrimmerthan2011

DoesthismeanwehavetobewillingtofacemortalitytochaseflowNotexactlyFlow forces you to evaluate life through a different lens It gives youreason to livemdashbut live thisway longenoughand those reasonsbecomemoreimportantthandyingThisiswhattheself-helpbooksdonrsquottellyouFullyaliveanddeeplycommittedisariskybusinessOnceyoustripawaytheplatitudesalifeofpassionandpurposewillalwayscostasTSEliotremindsusldquoNotlessthaneverythingrdquo

THEDARKSIDE THEBLISSJUNKIESANDTHEQUESTIONOFCONTROL

Almost everything wersquove just covered however dangerous falls under thecategoryofthatwhichcangowrongwhenalmosteverythinggoesrightThisiswhat happens when we begin finding flow with regularity But the state isunpredictable and there are no guarantees A great many discover flowaccidentallymdashhavingno ideahowtheygot thereorhowtoreturnStillotherseventhosewhooncehadeasyaccesstothezonemaysuddenlyfindthemselvescutofffromthesourcetrappedinastrugglephasewithoutendIneithercaseonce flowbecomesa lockwithoutakey the ramificationsare soul-sucking tosaytheleast

ldquoNo question about itrdquo says Flow Genome Project executive directorJamieWhealldquotherersquosadarknightoftheflowInChristianmysticaltraditionsonceyoursquoveexperiencedthegraceofGodthelsquodarknightofthesoulrsquodescribestheincrediblepainof itsabsenceThesameis trueforflowAnenormousgapsitsbetweentheecstasyofthezoneandtheall-too-familiardailytoilwaitingforusontheotherendIfyoursquoveglimpsedthisstatebutcanrsquotgetbacktheremdashthatlackcanbecomeunbearablerdquo

EventhosefamiliarwithflowcangothroughlongstretcheswherethestatebecomesinaccessibleThestrugglecanlastweeksmonthsoccasionallyyearsAsclimberDeanPotterexplainstheseperiodsaretruetrialbyfireldquoWhenIfeelthat reallydrainingsideofnotbeingable toenter into theflow itrsquoshorrible IfeelhelplesslethargicrestlessdisturbedThepositivehereisIhatethatfeelingsomuchitmakesmemorefocusedItakeallthenecessarystepstogetoutofitassoonasIcanSometimes thoughIendupsunkinareallybadplaceTruedepression trapped for quite some time But even here therersquos an upside AtthosetimesdoinganythinghurtssomuchIcanonlydowhattrulyinspiresmeOtherwise I have no power This allows me to lock onto ideas that areauthenticallyminemdashsothedarksideofflowforallitstormentkeepsmebeingexactlywhoIamrdquo

PotteratleasthastheabilitytofindhiswaytotheothersideWhataboutthecollegelacrossestarwhograduatesintoajobasanaccountantmuchneededto feed her family but not a territory nearly as rich in flow triggers ascompetitive high-contact sports The one-time drummer now working as astockbrokerThemotherofthreewhousedtodosomesculpturewhenshewasyoungerbutnowhasnotimeforherselfAsprofessionalbig-wavesurferturnedfilmmaker cattle rancher and Patagonia Ocean Ambassador Chris Malloypointedoutinane-mailtomesometimesbeingcutofffromthesourcesimplymeansgrowingolder

IhopeyoutalkalittleabouthowutterlyfuckedwecanbecomewhenwegettoooldorbrokenorsmarttokeepitupNotallofusexperienceahappylifeafterdoingthisshitforacoupleofdecadesIbettherearesomePTSDsimilaritiesItrsquosfunnyIreadSebastianJungersrsquosWarandIlearnedsomethingTheguyscominghomeareallscrewedupnotbecausetheysawpeopledieasmuchastheymissedtherushIwouldneverputmyselfinthesamecategoryasthosefightingmenbutitcanbehardtogetexcitedagainEverAndthatfeelingsucks

And the dark night of flow is an issue that society has not madeparticularly easy to handle How many people have stopped playing guitarwritingpoetry or paintingwatercolorsmdashactivities packedwith flow triggersmdashbecausethesearealsoactivitiesthatdonotsquarelyfitintoculturallyacceptableresponsibilitycategorieslikeldquocareerrdquoorldquochildrenrdquoHowmanynowgrownupanddonewithchildishthingshaveputawaythesurfboardtheskateboardthewhatever How many have made the mistake of conflating the value of the

vehiclethatleadsustoanexperience(thesurfboardetc)withthevalueoftheexperienceitself(theflowstate)

Whatrsquospainfullyironichereisthatflowisaradicalandalternativepathtomasteryonly because we have decided that playmdashan activity fundamental tosurvival tied to thegreatestneurochemical rewards thebraincanproduceandflat out necessary for achieving peak performance creative brilliance andoverall life satisfactionmdashis a waste of time for adults If we are hunting thehighest version of ourselves thenwe need to turnwork into play and not theother way round Unless we invert this equation much of our capacity forintrinsic motivation starts to shut downWe lose touch with our passion andbecomelessthanwhatwecouldbeandthatfeelingneverreallygoesaway

The dark night of the flow happens when people glimpse the state andcanrsquotgetbacktherebutanotherissueariseswhenpeoplearegettingintoflowyetmisinterpreting itsmeaningTheautomaticnatureof the statemdashhoweverydecision every action leads seamlessly to the nextmdashlays a different kind oftrap it can turn flow junkies into bliss junkies ldquoBliss junkies are peoplewhothink themagical easeof the flowstate is thegoalrdquo saysWheal ldquoWhen theyconfrontthedifficultyofthedaytodaytheyrsquodratherreachforapilloranewloveroranothermeditationretreatthangetdowntohardworkTheideabeingifitwasallsoeasyclearandeffortlessinflowthenwhynotwaitforthenextwave to hit Not being in flow becomes an excuse to stay listless andundermotivatedrdquo

WedonrsquothavetolookfarforexamplesThinkofravecultureorthenewagemovementorjustaboutanyholdoverhippiecommunityormdashforthatmattermdashalmost every ski or surf town in the world And when listless andundermotivated bliss junkies often turn to drugs alcohol gambling sex andotherhigh-riskbehaviorstomaskthepainofflowrsquoslossortohastenitsreturn

AndtheseissuesareonlypartofthispictureInthisaccountingofflowrsquosdarkside thecategorieswersquoveso farexaminedmdashtheescalating ladderof riskthedarknightoftheflowandthemeaningmiscalculationsoftheblissjunkymdashareallpersonalandpsychologicalbuttherearealsoculturalissuestoconsidernamelythequestionsofwhetherflowcanbecorruptedorcontrolled

NeitherquestioniseasytoanswerCorruptionisproblematicbecauseflowincreases empathy and social bonding but that doesnrsquotmean pickup artists orpickpocketscanrsquotco-opt thestate to further theircraftAlongsimilar linesnoone knows if flow can be used to train super soldiers but the US DefenseDepartment seems committed to finding out Most of the high-performancescientists in this bookworkwith both athletes and themilitary RedBull forexamplehasteamedupwiththeNavySEALsDARPAfundsflowresearch(the

aforementioned sniper study) Whether this is a good thing or a bad thingdepends on onersquos trust in government and feelings for nation-states but itdoesnrsquottakemuchtoimaginehowthisexperimentcouldgowrong

Onaslightlydifferentscalesocietylikestopayforperformanceandflowdefinitely improves performance In action and adventure sports for exampleflowrsquosescalatingladderofriskmdashoncecauseformarginalizationmdashnowsupportsanentireindustryAndthesesupporterswantfootageThusathletesonaheli-skifilm shoot (who used their ability to get into flow to get that job) canrsquot backawayfromarunjustbecausetheyrsquorenotfeelingtheflowmdashnotif theywanttocontinuetohaveacareer

These economic pressures are pushing people past their challengeskillsweet spot andwith the expected results SquawValley psychiatristDr RobbGaffney(ScottrsquosbrotherwhoMcConkeyoncecalledthebestldquononprordquoskierintheworld)recentlytoldNBCSportsldquoAllmyfriendswhohavebeenlostwerethe best at what they didWorldwide And yet we still lost themhellip I do seecorporate sponsorship as a big player here Theyrsquore making a lot of moneyTheyrsquovetappedintoarewardcenterinthebrainthethrill-seekersaregoingforittheculturersquosenthralledwithitItrsquosamoney-makingmachinerdquo

Now certainly not all of us face such dire consequences in our chosenprofessionsbutthisdoesnrsquotsolvetheproblemEveninlessextremeworklivesonce we start accessing flow with regularity performance will dramaticallyimproveandnewexpectationswillfollowThoseaddedexpectationswillpushthe difficulty level up a few notches and this extra psychological burden caneasilysenduspastthechallengeskillsweetspotrenderingusunabletoaccesstheverystateweneedtomeetthosenewexpectations

The second issue here is whether flow can be controlled Doubtful Intechnological terms a ldquodisruptive technologyrdquo is any innovation that creates anewmarket and newvalues and eventually displaces an oldmarket and oldervaluesCarsreplacinghorse-drawncarriagesistheclassicexampleFlowisalsoa very disruptive technology Unlike the automobile itrsquos not a disruptiveldquoexternalrdquo technology but a disruptive ldquointernalrdquo technology operating in thepsychological rather than the physical world This does not make it any lesspotent The athletes in this book harnessed the state to displace traditionalmarkets(todaytopjocksarejustaslikelytoskateboardasplayfootball)alterourvaluesystem(oursocietaltoleranceforandrewardofhigh-riskbehaviorhasseriouslyincreased)andreshapeculture(a$750billionlifestyleindustry)ThustherubFlowlikeall technologiesremainsmorallyneutralItcanbeusedforgoodorillorbothatthesametime

Inesoterictermsflowrsquostendencytowarddisruptionisthereasonitcould

beconsideredaldquoleft-handpathrdquoAldquoright-handpathrdquoisapathoforthodoxyItrsquoscutdryandfilledwithldquothoushaltnotsrdquoOna right-handpathwefollowtherulesanddowhatwersquoretoldandnoquestionsaskedThismaysounddullbutright-handpathshaveaverylonghistoryofkeepingussafeAldquoleft-handpathrdquomeanwhile is an ecstatic path and mostly gray Itrsquos little guidance and lesssecurityLaoTzufounderofTaoismwarnedthataleft-handpathisbestneverbegunandoncebegunmustabsolutelybefinished

ButhowtofinishsuchapathWehaveavastgapinourknowledgeOursocietyhasspentcenturieswagingwaragainsttormentWhenwearedepressedwe know how to fight for happiness When we are ill we have guidebookstowardhealthWhenwe are loveless jobless hopeless not smart enough notskilled enough not good enough we now have colossal industries andinstitutionsdesignedtoteachustostriveandseekWehavebecomereallygoodatnegotiatingwithdarknessforcertainbuthowmuchdowereallyknowaboutthelight

Howmuchdowe reallyknowabout truehappinessBurningcreativityUnbridledecstasyAschildrenweare taughtnot toplaywithfirenothow toplaywith fire On the flow path we are drawn forward by fire by powerfulhedonicinstinctsbyourdeepneedforautonomymasteryandpurposedeeplyfulfilledbydizzyinglyfeel-goodneurochemistrybyaspectrumofjoybeyondcommon ken by the undeniable presence of our most authentic selves by acognitive imperative tomakemeaning from experience by the search enginethatisevolutionanditsneedforinnovationandbythesimplestoftruthslifeislongandwersquoreallscaredandinflowatleastforalittlewhilewersquorenot

TRAVISRICEANDTHEARTOFFLIGHT

A few years afterDeeper Travis Rice embarked on his own film project theappropriately namedArt of FlightWhile Jeremy Jonesrsquos goal inDeeper hadbeen the far frontier of snowboarding exploration in Flight Rice wanted toshowcase the far frontier of athletic performancemdashthe very cutting edge ofsnowboarding possibilityOf course Jones joined him for part of the tripOfcoursetheywenttohuntforspines

Averyshorthistoryofparadigmshiftsinbig-mountainridingEarlydayslotsof turns just tryingtosurvivethesteepsNextphase turnsareforsissiesstraight-lining the steeps Then cliffs get added into the mix big cliffs soonfollowNextathletesstarteddoingparktricksoffcliffsthenoffbigcliffsAnd

thenforgoodmeasurespinesenteredthepictureAldquocirquerdquoisanaturallyformedconcaveamphitheatercarvedbyglaciers

found atop mountains These steep slopes are dotted with protrusionsmdashhugecliffsknobbyrolloversbus-sizebouldersSnowpilesupon theseprotrusionsforming near-vertical knife-edge columns thousands of feet tallmdashthese arespines

AndforflowjunkiesspinesareirresistibleldquoItrsquos full-bodysnowboardingrdquoexplainsJonesldquoThesnowissodeepyou

need to use your arms and chest to swim and your legs to ride They alsocollapseunderfootsoyoursquoreridingmini-avalanchesanddodgingsloughslidesSpineshaveblindrolloverssoyoucanrsquotseebelowOrtothesideEverytimethemidlineiscrosseditrsquosaleapintotheabyssPlustherersquosnowaytostopandeverymoveisamplifiedbycomplicatedforcesAtinyhopcaneasilybecomeatwenty-footollieItrsquostheabsoluteedgeofchaosButtheeasiestwaytoliveinthemomentistoputyourselfinasituationwheretherersquosnootherchoiceSpinesdemandthattheyhurlyoudeepintothezonerdquo

Jones and Ricewent spine hunting in the SelkirkMountains outside ofRevelstokeBritishColumbiaTimeschedulesbeingwhattheyweretheyonlyhadafewdaystogetherAndtheirfirstmorningturnedouttobefrustratingTheweatherwasiffythevisibilitypoorTheysearchedforhoursandhoursandstillnothing to rideAdecisionwasmade topark thehelicopter on amountaintopandregroupThenasmallmiraclenosoonerhadtheylandedthanabreakinthecloudsandoffinthedistanceaspinewall

TheyflewtothetopofthewallandclimbedoutThatrsquoswhenoneoftheguides glanced across the valley and realized theywere standing on the peakexactlyoppositefromwheresnowboardinglegendCraigKellydiedThisstruckeveryoneasmorethanacoincidence

ldquoKellywas thepioneerrdquo explainsRice ldquoHe tore apart the fabricofhowthings were done in snowboarding He was the first guy to prove you couldmakea living riding in thebackcountryHedidall theseabsolutely incrediblethingsandthendecidedtobecomeaCanadianCertifiedMountainGuidewhichis the highest level of certification and the hardest to get in the world Fordecades itrsquosbeena skierrsquos-onlyclubbutCraigwas trying tobecome the firstguidecertifiedonasnowboardHediedonanavalanchecertificationtripFast-forwardeightyearsandwersquorestandingonthisgiantfacedirectlyacrosswherehediedItwaspowerfulrdquo

AndtherersquosanimportanttruthhiddeninthatpowerActionandadventureathleteshave foundaway to turn theworst thing thatcanhappenon the flowpath into another reason to move forward Frank Gambalie died and Shane

McConkey and Miles Daisher honored his memory by diving deeper intoskydiving ShaneMcConkey died and Jeremy Jones carried his ashes into theuncharted unknown Therersquos long tradition heremdashthe tradition of honoringsomeonewhohas died trying to live their life to the fullest by in turn livingyourownlifetothefullest

Of course therersquos a littlemore to the tradition than this For starters asRicepointsouteverydeathbringsalessonldquoActionandadventureathletesleaddifferentkindsoflivesTherearenrsquotexactlyplaybooksSothebestathletestryreallyhard to learnfromeachotherrsquosmistakesespecially thefatalones I justlost a friend in Japanmdashthepartygot himThatwasonekindofwake-up callCraigrsquos deathwas another There the lessonwas evenmore complicated Thepeoplehewaswithhadtheverybestknowledgeofsnowscienceintheworldmdashbut he still died So sometimes the more you know the less you knowSometimesnotknowingmakesyoumorehesitant and that canhelpkeepyoualiverdquo

Equally important is the metaphysical ldquoIrsquove had incredibly profoundexperiencesdoingwhat IdordquoexplainsRiceldquoAndIrsquomaverydifferentpersonbecause of it I didnrsquot come from a religious background Growing upeverything was proof-driven If you couldnrsquot see it couldnrsquot experience it itdidnrsquot existBut Irsquovehad experiences that bitch-slappedmeout of this lower-ordermentalityMyneedforproofmdashIrsquovebeengivenitNowifyouwanttotellmethatGoddoesnrsquotexistwellnowyouhavetoprovethattomerdquo

AndbyproofRiceistalkingabouttheexperienceofonenessthatarrivesindeep flowldquoAt the rootofall fear is separationrdquohe says ldquoThatrsquosespeciallytrue for mortal fears But in flow thatrsquos gone completely Itrsquos the mostcomfortingtruthmdashthat therersquosnoseparationnodeathSowhenyoutalkaboutthe tradition of honoring fallen comrades by pushing harderwersquollmost of ushavehadthesespiritualexperiencessopartofthattraditioninvolvesthisotherinvisiblelegacymdashthissharedexplorationofthemysteryrdquo

So what does this all mean It means that beyond pushing on physicallimits these athletes are also pushing onmore nebulous boundaries Itmeansthat at the center of the action and adventure brotherhood therersquos a bit of amysterycultItmeansas italwayshas that ifyouwant toprobethemysterysacrificeisrequired

In simpler terms these athletes have taken the radical step of turningmortalityintomotivationandhavefundamentallyrearrangedtheirlivesandtheirvaluestoaccommodatethischangeInthelastchapterwesawhintsofthisshiftwithathleteswilling tobet their assesonan ideaHeremdashinperhaps the surestsign of a culture of innovationmdashwersquore seeing a social extension of this same

principlewheninnovationleadstodeathpowerfultraditionensuresthatdeathleadstomoreinnovation

IstherealessonherefortherestofusOfcourseTherersquosnowaytoavoidthe dark side of flow Athletes hit walls writers run into writerrsquos blockexecutives overcommit and burn out And the key that Rice and others havefoundistoembracethatsufferingtomovethroughitandtokeepmovingThismeanslearningtousethebadtofuelthegoodThewayDeanPotterleveragedthepainofflowrsquosabsencetodrivehimselfclosertohismostauthenticselfisasmallexample theway theentireactionandadventurecommunityhonors thedeadwiththedeath-defyingalargerone

And this is exactly what happened that day in British Columbia TravisRiceandJeremyJonesrode in tribute toCraigKellyrsquosmemory ItwasquiteatributeFirstJonesnailedoneof thebetterspineridesofhiscareer thenRicechangedthegame

The spine that Rice picked out included everything that Jonesrsquos choicefeatured blind rollovers tight chutes huge slough crazy exposure and bigdropsbutitalsoincludedsomeacrobaticsTwo-thirdsofthewaydowndoingfifty-mile-per-hourhop-turnsdownthepointyedgeofridiculousRicelaunchedoffasixty-footcliffspunaperfectbackside180thenlandedatopanotherspineIt was straight out of a video game our first glimpse of the next frontierWatchingfromthebottomoftherunJonesjustshookhisheadldquoYoursquovegottobekiddingmerdquohesaidldquoThatisthefutureandthefutureisnowrdquo

11

TheFlowofNext

FUTURE F LOW

Inthelastchapterwe tookahard lookat thedifficulties involved inpursuingtheflowpathinthisoneourinterestisinexaminingtheinversethereasonstopersevereAndtheverybestreasonNosurpriseItrsquoswhathappenswhenwedo

Formost people flow hacking is an esoteric pursuit But these days inaction and adventure sports itrsquos become standard operating procedure In thisworldlearninghowtoaccessthezoneistreatedlikelearningtoreadorrideabikemdashitrsquos information so fundamental itrsquos being passed down betweengenerations So taking a closer look at the next generation of action andadventureathletesgivesusalookatwhatmightactuallybepossibleforallofusifwecanmakeflowcentraltoculture

This next generation of athletes makes for an unusual case study Theextremists who came before themmdashthe Shane McConkeyndashDanny WayndashLairdHamiltongenerationwhoinformthemajoritythisbookmdashallstartedoutaspartof a marginalized subculture with little societal support and almost noknowledgeofflowEverypinnacletheyclimbedtheyclimbedthehardway

TheathleteswersquoreabouttomeethavehadanalmostoppositeexperienceTheyrsquore the only generation in history to have been raised in a flow-hackingtraditionahigh-flowenvironmentandaculturewhereusingflowtopushpastimpossibleisparforthecourseTheyaretoborrowtheSiliconValleytermfast

followersAndbyexamininghowfastandhowfarthesefollowershavecomewecanbettergaugewhatjustmightbepossibleforourselvesandourchildren

Evenbetterwearenowatthefrontedgeofahigh-techhigh-performancerevolutionWhiletheathletesofthelastgenerationhadtomakeuptheirtrainingregimensastheywentalongtodayrsquospractitionersarebenefitingfromaninrushof techniquesandtechnologies thatmakeaccessingflowandusingthestate toaccelerate progression far easier than ever before Right now these tools aremainlyavailabletoeliteperformersmdashlikethenext-generationathletesdescribedin thischaptermdashbut this too is starting tochangeThus takinga lookat thesetoolsseeingbothwheretheyrsquoreat todayandwheretheyrsquollbetomorrowgivesus another barometer for our own future potential and yet another reason topersevere

TOMSCHAARANDTHECHILDRENOFTHEREVOLUTION

If therewas amoment in timewhen the acceleratedprogression in action andadventuresportsfirstpiercedpublicconsciousnessitwasJune271999TheXGames were in San Francisco more than 275000 people in attendance andanother 55 million watching on TV This was also the first full professionalsportingeventbroadcast liveon the Internet sobetween traditionalaudiencesnetviewersandthosewhowatchedWebvideosafterthefactmdashafigurearguablyover a 100millionmdashthis moment marked a historic anomaly one of the fewtimesthatsomanygottoseeimpossiblebecomepossible

The impossible in question took place during the final round ofskateboardingrsquos Best Trick competition Tony Hawk was squaring off againstBobBurnquistBuckyLasekColinMcKayandAndyMacdonaldOnhisfirstrun Hawk landed a varial 720mdashmeaning he rode up the ramp backwardlaunched into the air spun around twice then flipped his board 180 degreeslanding forwardwithhis boardnow facingbackward Itwas a hell of a trickperhapsnotenoughtowinmdasheveryonewasthrowingdownhardthatnightmdashbutallHawkhadpreparedThefactthathenaileditonhisfirstrunlefthimfifteenminutesofcontesttimetotrywhateverthehellhewantedAndwhathewantedwasthe900

The 900 was the great impossible of skate two and a half rotations Itrequired massive amplitude and dizzying commitment The landingrsquos mostlyblind the falls terrifying Hawk had then been chasing the trick for thirteenpainfulyearsNeverhadhepulledoneoffNorhadanyoneelse(thoughDanny

Waycameexceptionally close in1989)Andhonestly at theXGamesHawkdidnrsquot think he was going to break that losing streak but with the crowd allampeduphisoriginalintentionwastojustputonashow

Itwasashowall rightHawkmissedonhisfirstattemptbutsomethingwas differentmdashthe spins felt more solid than ever beforemdashand he made adecisioneitherhenailedthetrickorendedthenightinthehospitalldquoEverythingblankedoutexcept the9rdquoHawklaterwrote inhisautobiographyOccupationSkateboarderldquoTheannouncerrsquosvoiceoccasionallydriftedintomyheadtellingmemytimewasupthatthiswasmylasttrybuttherewasnowayIwasaboutto stopwhen the 9s felt that goodhellip I donrsquot recallwalking up the ramp aftereachattemptAllI thoughtaboutwasgettingagoodlookin themiddleof thespinsoIcouldspotalandingIrsquodjustdropinspinfallgetupandwalkuptheramp over and over again Everyone else had stopped skating I rememberthinkingsincethetimelimitwasupIwasnrsquotgoingtowinthebesttrickwiththe9butitwasnrsquotaboutthecontestrdquo

AsthesayinggoesthetwelfthtimewasthecharmHawkfinallynailedthe900WhilehedidnrsquotexactlystompthelandingmdashhecamedowninasquatnearlydragginghisbackhandontherampmdashhersquodpulleditoffallthesameThecrowdwentnutsTherealworldaswellMajorpapers ranheadlines featuringHawkrsquosnameEveryskaterontheplanetheardthenewsorthatisalmosteveryskaterTomSchaardidnrsquothearthenewsThenagainwhenTonylandedhisnineTomwasnrsquotyetborn

SchaarwasbornthreemonthslateronSeptember141999atow-headedkid fromMalibuCaliforniaHe started skating by the timehewas five yearsoldBythetimehewasninehewasattempting540s(oneandahalfrotations)ThisaloneisunfathomableForanentiregenerationofskatersthe540wasthedividing line ldquoI remember thinkingrdquo explains Rodney Mullens in BonesBrigade about the first timehe saw the trickldquothat right there thatwasneck-breakingmaterialrdquoAndonceMikeMcGill landedthatfirst540allotherprosfaced a hard choice either learn themoveor quit the gameMore than a fewretiredTomSchaarthoughlearnedthemoveinunderayearlandinghisfirst540atjusttenyearsold

Schaar landedhis first720at age tenaswellThatwasalso theyearherode down theMegaRamp for the first timeTheMegaRampgave him ideasWithall thatheightwithall thatspeedmaybehethoughtheshouldgivethe900atryItwasaslightlyridiculousnotionOnlysixotherpeoplebesideHawkhadlandedthetrickSchaarwastwelveyearsoldwhenhedecidedtogiveitatry Threemonths later he had themove downmdashand hewas still only twelveyearsold

This was about the time Schaar started thinking about the 1080mdasha fullthreerotationsatricknooneelseintheworldhadeverdoneHedecidedtostartworkingonitatWoodwardtheCalifornia-basedactionsportscampforkidsandone of only two places in the world that houses a publicly accessibleMegaRamp Schaar is five-one and ninety-four poundsmdashessentially the KateMossof skateboardingonly shortermdashand theWoodward rampproved toobigforhisneedsThegapjumpwasgivinghimtoomuchspeedandhewassailingtoohighoutofthequarterpipeforthespinstobecontrollableRedBullsteppedinnextTheypaidforanewsectionoframpturningthegapintoarolloverandallowingSchaar to dampen accelerationThatwas all it took InMarch 2012andononlyhisfifthtryTomSchaarlandedtheworldrsquosfirst1080Afterwardhetold reporters ldquoI canrsquotbelieve I cando somethingTonyHawkcanrsquotrdquoHewasstillonlytwelveyearsold

Schaarrsquos success turned him into a rock star It also earned him aninvitationtothe2012XGamesAsiawhereheusedthe1080tobeatouteleven-timeXGamesgoldmedalistBobBurnquistintheBigAirfinalsbecoming(stillattwelve)theyoungestXGamesgoldmedalistinhistoryHewasalsoinvitedtocompeteagainstthefarstiffercompetitionatthe2012SummerXGamesNorthAmericaMakingthistalethatmuchstrangerSchaarwasnrsquottheonlyoneinhisagebrackettoreceivesuchaninvitationldquoThereareabouttenofusreallyyoungkids doing the contestsrdquo he explains ldquoItrsquos crazyWe get to skate with thesepeoplewealwayslookeduptordquo

AndtheygettobeatthemtooAtSummerXSchaarhimselfplacedsixthbut fifteen-year-oldMitchieBrusco (inhis secondXGamescompetition) tookhomeBigAirsilverwitha720jumpoverthegapand900offthequarterpipeAndhowdidhepulloff twoofskatingrsquoshardest trickson thebiggeststage inthesport

ldquoItrynottothinkaboutanythingrdquoBruscosaidinapost-victoryinterviewldquoIjusttrytoletmybodydotheworkMybodyknowshowtodoitbetterthanmybrainsoIkindofjustletittakeoverrdquoWhichistosaythisnewgenerationofactionandadventureathletesarealreadyagenerationofflowhackersEvenSchaar at twelve is starting to understand the concepts ldquoWhen Irsquom trying atrickrdquo he says ldquoI try to block everything else out I just try to stay calm andfocusedonwhat IrsquomdoingrdquoThismaynot sound likemuch butmanyof theathletesinterviewedforthisbooktalkaboutnotstartingtoexperimentwiththementalgameuntillaterintheircareerandusuallyonlyafterbeingforcedinthatdirectionbyinjury

It comes down to cultural learning Danny Way Laird Hamilton DeanPotter Shane McConkey Mandy-Rae Cruickshank Jeremy Jones Doug

Ammonsmdashthese athleteswere pioneers Trailblazers into the impossible TomSchaarandhisfellowyoungstersarethechildrenofthisrevolutionSchaarwasbornintoaworldwherethe900wasadonedealhewaseightyearsoldwhenDannyWayjumpedtheGreatWallofChinaonaMegaRampAsaresultbothhis baseline for reality and his spectrum for possibility are a quantum leapforwardfromalmostanythinganyoneborninthetwentiethcenturycanimagine

ThismattersFlowisacreationengineithelpsuspluckanideaoutofimaginationand

bringitfullyformedintotheworldTomSchaardreamedupthe1080thenusedflow to pull that vision out of his subconscious and into amaterial existenceThereisadeepinterrelationshiphereOurlimitsaregovernedbyflowrsquosabilityto amplify performance asmuch as by imaginationrsquos ability to dream up thatperformanceSoaskingthequestionldquoWheredoourlimitslierdquoisanotherwayofaskingldquoHowfarcanwestretchourimaginationrdquo

Hereinthetwenty-firstcenturyprettyfarindeed

THEROGERBANNISTEREFFECT

Noone reallyknowsexactlywhen the four-minutemile first seemedpossibleCertainlyin1923whenFinnishrunnerPaavoNumiclockeda4104itwasnrsquotbeyond the pale Yet eight years passed before anyone sliced a second fromNumirsquostimeandittooktenmoreforthenextthreetofallBy1942runnershadcut it down to 4046 then 4026 by 1943 Two years later Swedish milerGunder Hagg clocked 4014 and impossible seemed within reach A goodtailwind a better track surface slicing one tick off the timemdashitwas bound tohappen

ButnothinghappenedNot in 1946 Or 1947 Or 1948 The issue turns out wasnrsquot merely

physicalItwasmentalldquoMostpeopleconsideredrunningfourlapsofthetrackinfourminutestobebeyondthelimitsofhumanspeedrdquoexplainsNealBascombinThePerfectMileldquoItwasfoolhardyandpossiblydangeroustoattemptSomethoughtthatratherthanalifetimeofgloryhonorandfortuneahearsewouldbewaitingforthefirstpersontoaccomplishthatfeatrdquo

It was Englishman Roger Bannister whomdashnine years after Haggrsquos nearmissmdashfinally broke this mental barrier and accomplished the feat running3594onMay61954Andwhenweretellthistalethisistypicallythepointwhere the story stops yet twomonths after Bannister did the impossible and

livedAustralianJohnLandydiditagainandthensomemdashcutting14secondsoffBannisterrsquos timewith358flatWithinfiveyears twootherrunnershadbestedthat mark within ten the first sub-four mile had been run by a high schoolstudentThinkaboutthisforamomentThirtyyearsofcollectiverunningeffortwererequiredtodotheimpossibleyetittooklessthanamonthforsomeonetobetter the feat And less than a decade for five more peoplemdashincluding ateenagermdashtodothesame

How did this happen The physical challenge didnrsquot get any easierRunning a sub-four-minutemile still required running a sub-four-minutemileAll that changed was thought assumption the mental frame built around thechallengeEvery athlete interviewed for this book agrees after something hasbeen done once it becomes considerably easier to repeatYetwhy is this soWhat is it exactlyabout learning that the impossible ispossible thatmakes itsuddenlypossible

Itrsquos a two-part question The first part concerns the relationship betweenimaginationandphysicalpossibilitywhatcouldbecalledtheldquoRogerBannistereffectrdquoThesecondpartconcernsandespeciallywhendiscussingthisyoungergenerationofextremeathletesall theotherforcesamplifyingthisrelationshipWersquolltakethemoneatatime

ldquoIf youwant to understand theBannister effectrdquo says high-performancepsychologist Michael Gervais ldquoyou have to understand that the brain tellsstoriesWhenmosthearaboutanimpossiblefeatmdashthesub-four-minutemiletheMegaRamp1080mdashourfirstreactionislsquoNotrealnowaynotpossiblersquoButwehave a strong need to make meaning out of experience and this new realityforcesustochangeourstoryWemovetolsquoThatrsquoscrazyfaroutunrealrsquoPrettysoonweacceptthisnewrealityandshiftourparadigmfurtherandthisengagesimagination We start imagining the impossible as possible What doesimpossible feel like sound like look likeAnd thenwestart tobeable to seeourselves doing the impossiblemdashthatrsquos the secret There is an extremely tightlink between our visual system and our physiology oncewe can actually seeourselves doing the impossible our chances of pulling it off increasesignificantlyrdquo

It was Harvard physiologist Edmund Jacobsonwho first discovered thislinkBackinthe1930sJacobsonfoundthatimaginingoneselfliftinganobjecttriggered corresponding electrical activity in the muscles involved in the liftBetween then and now dozens and dozens of studies have born this outrepeatedly finding strong correlations between mental rehearsalmdashievisualizationmdashand better performance Everything from giving a speech torunningabusinessmeetingtospinninga1080areallsignificantlyenhancedby

thepracticeWealsoknowthatthebenefitsextendbeyondthepsychological(increased

confidence and motivation) and into the physiological In 2004 for exampleCleveland Clinic physiologist Guang Yue wanted to know if merely thinkingabout lifting weights was enough to increase strength Study subjects weredividedintofourgroupsOnegrouptriedtostrengthentheirfingermuscleswithphysicalexerciseonetriedtostrengthentheirfingermusclesbyonlyvisualizingtheexerciseanothertriedtoincreasearmstrengththroughvisualizationwhilethelastgroupdidnothingatallThetriallastedtwelveweeksWhenitwasoverthosewhodidnothingsawnogainsThegroupthatreliedonphysicaltrainingsawthegreatest increaseinstrengthmdashat53percentBut itrsquos thementalgroupswhere things got curious Folks who did no physical training but merelyimaginedtheirfingersgoingthroughpreciseexercisemotionssawa35percentincrease in strength while the ones who visualized arm exercises saw a 135percent increase in strength How tightly are imagination and physiologycoupledStrengthisamongthemostbaselineofallperformancemeasuresandwehumanscangetstrongersimplybythinkinghardaboutit

ProbablythebiggestinsightarrivedafewyearsbeforeYuersquosexperimentwhen neuroscientists found no difference between performing an action andmerely imagining oneself performing that actionmdashthe same neuronal circuitsfire in either case This means that visualization impacts a slew of cognitiveprocessesmdashmotorcontrolmemoryattentionperceptionplanningmdashessentiallyacceleratingchunkingby shortening the time it takesus to learnnewpatternsSincethefirststageoftheflowcyclemdashthestrugglestagemdashinvolvesexactlythislearningprocessvisualizationisanessentialflowhackitshortensstruggle

Visualization also firms up aims and objectives further amplifying flowWith an image of perfect performance fixed in ourmind the intrinsic systemknows what needs to happens keeping the extrinsic system from getting tooinvolvedSimilarlywhenattemptingsomething thatrsquosneverbeendonebeforewersquoremuchmorelikelytokeepfearatbayandstayinthechallengeskillsweetspotifwersquovementallyrehearsedanactionaheadoftime

What all thismeans is that learning the impossible is possible augmentsour ability to see ourselves doing the impossible which triggers a systemicchange in the body and the brain which closes the gap between fantasy andrealityItalsomakesussignificantlymoreflowproneSowhenwedoactuallyexecute on our visionmdashie attempt the impossiblemdashwersquore far more likely tofind ourselves in the zone during that attempt and farmore likely to performproperlyasaresult

Sowhat does this have to dowith todayrsquos extreme athletes PlentyNot

only have the children of this revolution been born into a world where thefoundationalimaginalworkhasalreadybeendonemdashTomSchaardidnrsquothavetodream up the MegaRamp before he threw that 1080mdashtheyrsquove also benefitedfrom the arrival of psychology and technology in action and adventure sportsldquoWhenIwasstartingoutrdquosaysfreestylemotocrossgreatTravisPastranaldquotherewere no coaches no real training facilities There was barely a sportrdquo TomSchaarmeanwhilehascoachesHehastrampolineroomsandfoampitsandallsorts of high-tech equipment to train his body And his mind Schaarrsquos beenpracticing visualization since the age of ten and had aworking knowledge offlowattwelve

Andwhenitcomestoapplyingthisinformationinourlivesespeciallyifwersquore interested in the kinds of accelerated performance showingup in actionandadventuresportsthereappearstobeconsiderablebenefittostartingyoungldquoWhen yoursquore talking about this next generation of athletesrdquo says high-performanceexpertDrLeslieSherlin(whowemetbackinChapterTwo)ldquotheirlack of age helps a great deal Theyrsquore too young to know what impossiblemeans Can you do somethingWho knows Letme go try And theyrsquore tooyoungtoknowwhattobeafraidof(Schaarforexamplehasneverhadaseriousinjury)Plustheirbrainsarenrsquotcompletelydevelopedsotherersquoslessfrontallobeengagement Long-term planning critical thinking a lot of these things arenrsquotfullyonlinerdquo

Aswelearnedearlieroneofthecausesofflowistransienthypofrontalitymdashthe shutting down of large swatches of the prefrontal cortex Children asSherlinpointedoutaredevelopmentallyhypofrontalmdashmeaningportionsoftheirneocortexarenotfullyformed(thebrainkeepsdevelopinguntilagetwenty-five)and this makes them even more flow prone ldquoMore than thatrdquo he continuesldquoEEG studies of adolescents show their normal brain-wave pattern is muchcloser to the alphawavethetawaveborderline that is baseline flowNodirectresearchhasbeendonebutitlooksliketheyrsquorehoveringontheedgeofthestatemuchofthetimerdquo

Puttingflow-pronekidsintohigh-flowenvironmentsmeansalotofflowArmingthemwithadvancedflow-hackingtechniquesmeansevenmoreAllthisflowmakes the activity deeply rewarding both fulfilling a childrsquos innate needforautonomymasteryandpurposeandfurtherincreasingtheirsenseofintrinsicmotivationWhenTomSchaarsaysldquoI lovebeingwithmyfriendsat theskateparkmdashthatrsquosthegreatestfeelingrdquowhathersquossayingisnoonehastoforcehimtopracticetheautotelicnatureoftheactivitymdashthefactthatitdriveshimintoflowmdashisthesourcecodeofhismotivation

But itrsquos not just Tom Schaar In fact when it comes to examples of the

accelerated progression that results from raising children in high-flowenvironmentswecanlookmuchclosertohomeintheclassroomsgardensandplaygroundsofMontessorischoolstheworldoverWhileexploringthethreadsof his seminal research on flow Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and his graduatestudentswent on aquest to find themost ldquoflow-pronerdquo learning environmentsaroundMontessoritoppedthelist

The educational philosophy pioneered byMariaMontessori in the earlyportion of the twentieth century is built around self-directed learning longperiods of intense concentration and deep physicality (itrsquos often calledldquoembodied educationrdquo) and has been repeatedly shown to produce far greateramounts of flow thanmore traditional methodologies The resultsWhile thedataisstillfarfromcompletea2006studypublishedinthejournalSciencebyUniversity of Virginia psychologist Angeline Lillard found Montessori kidsoutperformedregularstudentsoneverythingfromacademicteststosocialskillsto creative abilities to executive function Other studies have extended thesefindingsfromtheclassroomtotheboardroomWhenprofessorsJeffreyDyerofBrighamYoungUniversity andHalGregersen of the globe-spanning businessschool INSEAD surveyed over 3000 executives and interviewed 500 peoplewhohadeitherstartedinnovativecompaniesorinventednewproductstheytoofoundaMontessoriconnectionAsGregersen told theWallStreetJournalldquoAnumberoftheinnovativeentrepreneursalsowenttoMontessorischoolswherethey learned to follow their curiosity To paraphrase the famous Apple adcampaign innovators not only learned early on to think different they actdifferent(andeventalkdifferent)rdquo

Soifwetakethisnextgenerationofactionandadventureathletesasourtest case yoursquove got to wonder If Tom Schaar raised in a high-flowenvironment was able to best Tony Hawk by the age of twelve what flow-hackingMontessori-educatedkid isnow takingaimatLarryPageandSergeyBrinrsquosachievementsAndwhataretheveryrealpossibilitiesfortherestofusWhathappenswhenthesourcecodeofultimatehumanperformancebecomesacornerstone of education When flow becomes central to culture Whenachieving the impossible becomes par for the courseHard to say for certainBut asRainerMariaRilke said ldquoLive the questionsrdquoAnd seriously knowingwhatwealreadyknowaboutflowwhodoesnrsquotwanttolivethesequestions

FLOW-HACKINGTECHNOLOGIES

One idea central to this book is the ever familiarknowledge is power If flowunderpinsoptimalperformancethenknowingthecausesofflowmdashbothwhereitcomesfromandwhyitcomesmdashcanhelpusachieveoptimalperformancemorefrequently If we go one level deeper into this relationship wersquoll get to thelineageoftechnologythatsupportsthisknowingThusifwewanttounderstandwhatrsquos possible for the next generation of athletesmdashor for that matter foranyoneinterestedinharnessingthisstatetoimproveperformancemdashwealsoneedtounderstandtherevolutionthattechnologyisnowbringingtoflowresearch

ldquoGobacktoRogerBannisterrsquostimeandthemostsophisticatedequipmentwehadwas a stopwatchrdquo saysMichaelGervais ldquoKnowinghow long it takessomeonetodosomethingisusefulbutitrsquosstillagrossmetricthatexplainslittleabout the why The stopwatch told us Bannister ran a sub-four mile yet welearnednothingabouthowhediditorhowwecoulddoitButbetweenthenandnow there have been six or seven measurement milestones We moved fromgross physical measures to more precise bio-data from invasive bio-dataprocedures to noninvasive proceduresUntil you get towherewe are todaymdashabletomeasureandquantifyATP(adenosinetriphosphatemdashessentiallycellularenergy)levelsinrealtimeThismeansthatourabilitytostalkeliteperformancehasundergoneaseachangerdquo

AshasourabilitytostalkflowInthe1990smagneticresonanceimaging(MRI)whichhadbeenprimarilyusedtostudythebodygavewaytofunctionalmagneticresonanceimaging(fMRI)whichmeasuresblood-flowactivityinthebrainAtJohnsHopkinsitwasthistechniquethatallowedCharlesLimbtoscanthebrainsofimprovjazzmusiciansduringflowmdashprovidingourfirstimagesoftransienthypofrontalityinactionAtEmoryitwasfMRIthathelpedGregBernsmapthedopaminesystemrsquosrelationshiptoflowtriggerslikeriskandnoveltyAtBayloritwasDavidEaglemanandtimedilationAndthislistgoeson

NeuralfeedbackmdashtheuseofEEGtotrainperformancemdashhasundergoneasimilar transformationDr Leslie Sherlin and his colleagues atNeurotopia tooffer one example have developed an EEG-based system called ldquoBrainSportrdquothat unlike earlier EEG systems uses advanced hardware and sophisticatedsoftware to filter out extraneous noise As of now it can record theneuroelectricalactivityofagolfermakingaputtaballplayerswingingabatora speaker giving a talk Devices capable of working in action and adventuresportsrsquoenvironmentsareonlyayearortwoaway(TravisPastranaisputtinganearlyiterationthroughitspaces)EvenbetterBrainSportisportableandsimpletouseldquoTheideawastodeveloparobustneural-feedbacksystemthatworksforeveryonerdquosaysSherlinldquoPeoplenolongerhavetocometothelabgettonsofsensors attached and destroy their normal routines A football player on the

flighthomeafteragameabusinessmanabouttoenterameetingahousewifewithahalf-hourbefore thekidscomehomeThey justputon theheadsetandstarttrainingrdquo

ConcurrentlyarevolutioninsensorsbatteriesandconnectivityhasledtoafloodofldquoquantifiedselfrdquodevicessuchasNikeFuelbandJawbonersquosUPandthe Basis Band These wearable gadgets monitor an expansive array ofbiometricsmostofwhichcanbeusedtohuntflowAndthereareiPhoneappsthatdothesameWecannowtrackcardiaccoherencemdashwhenbrainwavesandheartwavessynchupmdashwhichhasbeencorrelatedwiththestate(butneedsmoreresearch)Otherappsletskiersandsnowboarderscalculatespeedhelpingthembothdialintheirchallengeskillratioandpindowntheexactmilesperhourthattripstheirnoveltyandriskflowtriggers

AttheFlowGenomeProjectwersquoretakingadvantageofbothoftheselinesof development to build a series of dedicated flow research labsmdashaka FlowDojosThinkCirqueduSoleilmeetsXGamesmeetstheScienceExploratoriumThegoal is to simulate all of thehigh-risk conditions that extremeperformersrelyupontotriggerflowmdashjustwithouttheriskOurequipmentisoftheextremeplaygroundvarietylikeagiantloopingswingthatletsalmostanyonebesafelyupside down and twenty-five feet off the ground at the top of the loop andpullingoverthreeandhalfGsatthebottommdashwhichisenoughriskandnoveltytopushmostintoflow

MoreovertheswingislinedwithLEDlightsthatareconnectedtosensorslikeBrainSportThecloseraridercomestothethetaalphabrain-waveborderofbaselineflowtheredderthelightsturnThisallowsthetraineetousereal-timeneurofeedbackwithouthavingtobreakstatetolookatadatascreenOfcoursewith all these sensorswersquore alsodata capturingalong theway andusing thisinformation toconstruct amoreaccurateldquoheatmapof flowrdquomdashamap thatwillfine-tuneourknowledgeofthestateanditstriggersandthusprovideeveryonewitheasieraccesstothezone

AndoursisonlyoneapproachTherearemanymoreandfromdozensofangles But thatrsquos not even the half of it Alongside these technologicaldevelopments increasing our in-the-moment access to flow therersquos also anentirelydifferentlineofdevelopmentincreasingthetotalamountoftimewecanstayintheflow-hackinggameWelcometotheworldofbionics

HughHerrtheheadofthebiomechatronicsresearchgroupatMITrsquosMediaLab isat theforefrontof thisworldHersquosalreadybuilt theRheokneeandtheiWalkBiOMankletheworldrsquosfirsttwoartificiallyintelligentprostheticsBothof thesedevicesmimicnaturalmovementpatterns are capableof learning (sothey adjust to the userrsquos gait and not the other way round) and were named

InventionsoftheYearbyTimemagazine(theRheoin2004theBiOMin2007)HowdurableanddynamicarethesedevicesTheBiOM(themoresophisticatedofthetwo)isalreadybeingwornbyamputeesoldiersreturningtoactiveduty

Butprosthetics foramputeesoldiersare just thebeginningHerrhasalsodesignedtheworldrsquosfirsttruebionicexoskeletonarevolutionarykneebraceforable-bodiedpeoplethatshouldbecommerciallyavailableby2015ldquoRightnowrdquoHerrsaysldquooneof theworstpartsofgrowingold is losing theability tomovearoundSoimaginetakingthebionicsintheBiOMandturningitintoastrap-ondevicesomethingthatcanrestorestrengthandfunctiontotheelderlyoranyonewithabumkneerdquo

Mostof theathletes interviewed for thisbookdidnrsquot start exploring flowuntil theirlatetwentiesorearlythirtiesandnonefeeltheyhavecomeclosetoutilizingthestatersquosfullpotentialUnfortunatelyasflowexplorerskillsimproveovertimeourphysicalabilitiesheadintheoppositedirectionButnotforlongHerrrsquosbionickneebracecanextendallofourathleticcareersforyearspossiblydecades And itrsquos only the first in a torrent of biological enhancementpossibilitiesnowinthepipeline

ThestandardmetricfordescribingexponentialgrowthratesintechnologyisMoorersquos lawmdashthefact that thenumberof transistorsonanintegratedcircuitdoublesevery twelve to twenty-fourmonthswhile theprice remains thesameMoorersquoslawisthereasonwhytodayrsquossmartphonesareathousandtimesfasterandamilliontimescheaper thanasupercomputerfromthe1970sMeanwhilebiotechnologymdashthe category that underpins exoskeletons and otherenhancement technologiesmdashiscurrently acceleratingat five times the speedofMoorersquosLaw

What is the adjacent possible for strap-on bionics What promise doexoskeletonsholdforthefutureofprogressionWhataboutflowhackingUntilrecently older and wiser meant creakier and slower But with biotechnologyexpanding at an exponential rate we can now refresh the physical line ofdevelopmentwhile our cognitive and creative lines continue to grow For thefirst time in history anyone looking to push the upper edge of humanperformance will be able to combine the wisdom of the decades with thesprightlinessofyouthSoagainwheredoourlimitslie

ldquoIrsquomcertainwecanrsquotanswerthatquestionrdquosaysMichaelGervaisldquoAttheworld-class level where talent differences are marginal we estimate that 90percent of success for elite performers is mentalmdashyet this is the onemeasurementmilestonewehavenrsquothitWedonrsquotknowhowtomeasurethoughtWhat is itWheredoes it beginWheredoes it goCanwe track itCanwetrackitseffectsWhatrsquosanaccuratepictureofitstotalimpactonbiologyUntil

we know these things psychology remains a fuzzy science But thatrsquos whatrsquosnextThatrsquoswherethistechnologicalrevolutionisleadingThatrsquoswhypredictinglimitsissodifficultmdashbecausewersquoreabouttobeabletotakecontroloftheoneaspectofperformancethattrumpsallothersrdquo

ALEXHONNOLDANDHALFDOME

IfwedowanttotakeastabatpredictingfuturelimitsoneplacetoturnisthesportofrockclimbingWhilemostofactionandadventuresportsdidnrsquotbecomeldquoextremerdquountiltheearly1990sandskateboardingourearlierexamplenotuntil2002 (whenDannyWay introduced theMegaRamp) rockclimbersbegan freesoloing (no ropes you fall you die) in the 1970s This means that theirknowledgebaseandbaselineforrealitygottippedtowardtheimpossiblealittleahead of the general action and adventure sports curve In other words meetAlexHonnold

Alex Honnold started climbing at indoor gyms in 1996 when he waseleven years old At nineteen Honnold moved outdoors where he soondeveloped a preference for big walls Free soloing came next In 2007 thistwenty-two-year-old self-described ldquodorkrdquo and total climbing unknown free-soloedYosemitersquosAstroman and theRostrum in a daymdasha feat sodifficult itrsquosonlybeendonetwicebeforeandbothtimesbylegendaryhardmenPeterCroftandDeanPotter

The following year Honnold started thinking about free soloing thenorthwest face ofYosemitersquosHalfDome Itwas a notion beyond the beyondldquoWhenyoutalkaboutwhatthenextgenerationofathletesconsiderspossiblerdquosaysJimmyChinwhohasclimbedwithHonnoldanddirectedadocumentaryon him for National Geographic ldquoAlex is the case study His imaginativecapabilities are just so far beyond everyone else in the sport Back when hestarted thinking aboutHalfDome no one else I knewmdashand I probably knowmostoftheeliteclimbingcommunitymdashwasevenconsideringasolordquo

AndforgoodreasonAstroman and the Rostrum are medium-size climbs both in the

intermediate511 rangeHalfDome isabigwallmdasha2000-foot face thatmostteams takemultiple days to completemdashand the route Alex had in mind wentexpert-only512cWorsetheroutegetsharderasitgoeshigherChinexplainsfurther ldquoThe route Alex chose wasnrsquot impossible for him He could do themovesBut itrsquos such an exhaustingmental gameAndwith thehardestmoves

nearthetopitrsquostheequivalentofanNBAbasketballplayerunderlastgameofthefinalspressurehavingtoexecute1000freethrowsstepbacktothethree-point line and shoot 100 three-pointers and then after all that physical andmentalexhaustionstepbackandshootonehalf-courtshotAndthisisnrsquotaboutwinningAlltheshotshavetogoinbecauseanymissisfatalrdquo

AweekbeforeHonnolddecidedtosoloHalfDomeheclimbedhisdesiredroutewithafriend(andarope)todialinthemovesNormallybeforeattemptingahardsolohewouldmakerepeatpracticeclimbsbutaHalfDomelaptookanentire day to complete ldquoHonestlyrdquo Honnold says ldquoI didnrsquot want to have toexplaintoanyonewhyIwasspendingsomuchtimeonthatrouterdquo

OnSeptember62008mdashafteradayspentsittinginhisvanandvisualizingthe climbmdashHonnold hiked to the base ofHalfDome set fingers to stone andpulled upward He kept pulling Up a zesty finger crack then a few easierpitchesthenoneoftheroutersquostrickiersectionsmdashanastyboulderproblemaboveasmallledgeTheledgeofferssecuritybutthelinkuprequiressixhardmovessome 500 feet off the deck ldquoI donrsquot remember much of the climbrdquo saysHonnoldldquoButIrememberthatcornerIalmostflippedoffthewallThatgotmyattentionrdquo

ItalsodrovehimdeeperintothezoneOverthenextfewpitchesheusedthestatetoestablishaneasyrhythmtryingtoconservehisstrengthHersquodneeditUpaheadwasablankstretchofrocknormallybypassedbyanaid-climbingboltladderLasttimethroughHonnoldhaddonea512cvariationtoavoidtheboltsButtheholdswererazor-thinandthistimewithoutaropehedidnrsquotlikethoseoddsRumortoldofararelyusedroutecircumnavigatingtheentireblankstretch ldquoI didnrsquot know anything about itrdquo says Honnold ldquobut I startedwandering around trying to not get lostTherewas no sign that anybody hadevercome thiswayTheholdsweredirty Iwasclawing throughbushesThiswasdeadcenterHalfDomeandIwasprobablyoffrouterdquo

Honnold wasnrsquot off route but it still took a 100-foot downclimb of afinger-widecracktogethimbacktohislineLuckilythenext500feetwereacomfortingchimneysystemStemfeetpalmwallrepeatFinallyasmallledgeTwohoursinoverathousandfeetupHonnoldtookoffhisshoestorelaxThenheputthembackonItwastimetoheaduptheldquoZig-Zagsrdquo

Lasttimethroughthiscorner-cracksystemhadcausedsometroublethistimenotsomuchldquoIclimbedalmostasifinadazerdquoHonnoldlaterexplainedinanarticleforClimbingldquoIknewwhattodoIjusttriednottothinkaboutittoomuchIdidnrsquotthinkaboutthehardpitchesaboveIdidnrsquotthinkaboutthe511+slab on top a pitch above the Zig-Zags I justmoved steadily between smallfingerlocksupthesteepdihedralThecruxofthefirstZig-Zagfeltmucheasier

thanithadtwodaysbeforeprobablybecausenowIhadasequenceEveryholdfeltcrispandperfectandIpulledreallyhardrdquo

He pulled up the rest of theZig-Zags and onto the aptly named ldquoThankGodLedgerdquoThisfabledfeatureisthirty-fivefeetlongstartingoutplentywidebut thentherockbulgesandthepathnarrowsandbeing1800feet intheairmostpeoplegetontheirkneesandcrawlHonnoldwalked

The ledgeends ina short chimney thatguards the final slabTheslab isfreakyhardFromhislasttripHonnoldrememberedtwocriticalmovesButhewas in the zone and sailed through the firstmovemdashthen out of it completelygrindingtoanabsolutehaltbeforethesecondldquoIjustcameapartIfrozeWhatthehellamIdoinghere thoughtsAfull-scalepanicattackItwasreallyscaryandreallysurrealThemoveisbarely200feetfromthesummitTherersquosalwaysa crowd on top of Half Dome (you can hike up the other side) I could hearpeopletalkingandlaughingIwasreallygladtheycouldnrsquotseemerdquo

Worse temptationwas close at handFor less ambitious climbers a boltladder runs through this section as well An enormous oval carabineer hunginchesawayIfHonnoldsnatchedit thesolowouldbetaintedIfhedidnrsquothecoulddieldquoIstrokedthebinerafewtimesfightingtheurgetograbitbutalsothinkinghowfoolishitwouldbetodieonaslabsliding2000feettomydeathwhen Icould soeasily savemyselfMycalveswere slowlygettingpumped Iknew I should do something soon since treadingwaterwas onlywearingmeoutDownclimbingneveroccurredtomeIwasgoingupmdashitwasjustamatterofhowhighmdashonewayoranotherrdquo

Sometimes the distance through impossible is nothing at all HonnoldsmearedhistoeontherockweighedthelegthenstoodupmdashdonedealHetookthefinal57sectionatanearrunThereweresometwodozenhikersontopbutfew paid him much mind Couples made out Families ate lunch TouristssnappedphotosHonnoldhadjustbecomethefirstpersoninhistorytosoloHalfDomebutitwasonlyonthewaydownthathegotanycredit

AshersquodlefthishikingbootsatthebaseoftheclimbHonnoldhadtohikedownbarefoot ldquoAll thesepeoplekept comingup tomeandaskingwheremyshoeswererdquohesaysldquoIhadjustspentthreehoursdoingahugesoloandguyswerelsquoDudeyoursquorebarefootthatrsquoshardcorersquothinsprdquo

Uh-huh yup hardcore To put Honnoldrsquos accomplishment in differenttermswhentalkingaboutTomSchaarandhisMegaRamp1080mostfeelhisyouth is more astounding than the leap forward in progression The generalreactionisldquoSurethatrsquosamazingbutjustimaginewhatSchaarrsquosgoingtobeabletodowhenhersquostwentyrdquo

AlexHonnold is the answer to that questionHersquos climbingrsquos version of

Tom Schaar only all grown up He was born into a world where both hisbaselineforrealityandhisspectrumforpossibilitywereaquantumleapforwardfrom thepreviousgenerationandhe took full advantage IsaacNewtonwasnrsquotwrongWeallseefartherbystandingontheshouldersofgiantsInotherwordsaskingwhat the futurewouldhold if flowbecamecentral toculture isanotherwayofaskinghowgoodtheviewisfromHonnoldrsquosshouldersAgainitrsquoshardtosayforcertainbutitrsquosworthpointingoutthatin2012HonnoldrepeatedhisHalfDomesoloThistimetwiceasfastfinishingtherouteinonehourtwenty-twominutes

12

FlowtoAbundance

STRATOS

Theballoonwasamarvelghostlysilverasthinasadry-cleaningbagPartiallyinflated at the Roswell New Mexico launch site it looked not unlike anamoebadressedinhautecoutureIntheloweratmosphereatfullheightitrosea majestic fifty-five stories In the stratosphere pancaked by pressure itstretchedwider thana football fieldAnd the stratospherewaswhere skydiverFelixBaumgartnerwasheading

ThedatewasOctober142012TheplanwasforBaumgartnertoridethatballoon some twenty-fourmiles above theEarth higher than anyone has everriddenaballoonbeforeTomakethispossibleheworeaone-of-akindpressure

suitdesigned tobuffer temperaturesas lowasseventydegreesbelowzeroandwindspeedsofmorethan700milesperhourandtofacilitatehisultimategoalldquospace-divingrdquooutof theballoonand fallingback toEarthandalong thewaybecomethefirsthumanbeingtobarebackthesoundbarriermdashexceedingMach1withoutaidofanengineorprotectionfromacraft

Initiallyconceivedin2005theRedBullStratosProjectasthisspacedivewas known began as a joint venture between the energy drink company andAustrian skydiver and BASE jumper Baumgartner The big idea was toldquotranscend human limitswhich have existed for fifty yearsrdquowith those yearsbeinghowlongitrsquosbeensince1960whenAirForcepilotJoeKittingerplungednineteenmilesoutofaballoonas a testprocedure for ldquoextremehigh-altituderdquobailouts The big question markmdashof coursemdashwas could an energy drinkcompany and an action sports hero accomplish what a half century ofgovernment-backedspaceprogramscouldnot

StratoswasnosmallchallengeThetechnologicalissuesweremyriadthelist of catastrophic unknowns even longerNo one had any idea if the humanbody could go supersonic Would the shock waves tear Baumgartnerrsquos bodyapart Would the suit breach Even bigger were the psychological hurdlesWhileanexceptionallytalentedskydiverBaumgartnerhadzeroexperiencewiththedo-as-yoursquore-told rigors of amilitary-modeled spaceprogram ldquoFelix is anactionsportsathleterdquoexplainsRedBulldirectorofhighperformanceDrAndyWalshewhooversawtheprojectldquoHersquosusedtobeingabletocontroleverythingHersquosnotusedtotakingordersortrustinghislifetoateamofstrangersrdquo

Worsewas theextremeclaustrophobiaproducedby thespacesuit In thecapsuleonthewayupBaumgartnerwouldhavetoendurelonghoursinsideavacuum-sealed straightjacket Stratos was Baumgartnerrsquos lifetime dream yethalfway through the testing phase he freaked out quit the project and flewhometoAustriamdashunabletoshakethefear

EventuallyDrMikeGervaiswasbroughtintohelpInatestamenttobothhowgoodoursportspsychologytechniqueshavebecomeandhowhighalevelof mental fortitude our top athletes now possess it took three days forBaumgartner to get his phobia under control ldquoWhen Felix walked off theprojectrdquo saysWalshe ldquoitwas the darkestmoment in his lifeBut a phobiamdashthatrsquosdeeplyrootedfearTofacethat tocomebacktotruststrangerswithhislife to put himself back into position to do something no one else had everconceivedof Irsquove seenplentyofastounding featsofhumanperformancebutemotionallyFelixrsquosjourneyisthefarthestIrsquoveeverseenanathletecomerdquo

AndallthiswasbeforetheactualjumptookplaceThe jump presented an entirely different suite of problems Normally

skydiving is sensation richmdashan exceptionally wide field of view and a fullcomplementofair frictionButBaumgartnerrsquos facemasknarrowedvision toaslit (as compensation his gloves contained unbreakable chrome plates thatfunction as side-viewmirrors) and the suit even deflated puts four layers ofthickprotectionbetweenskinandskyInsteadofreactingtotheairitselfflyingthesuitrequiredreactingtothereactionmdashlikeplayingavideogamewithadelaybuiltin

Morealarming in thenonexistentatmosphereof the stratosphere fallingobjects have a tendency to spinmdashand keep spinning If Baumgartner couldnrsquotregaincontrolasheoncetoldreportersldquoAtacertainRPMtherersquosonlyonewayforthebloodtoleaveyourbodyandthatrsquosthroughyoureyeballsrdquo

TohelpBaumgartneravoidhavingtothinkaboutsuchthingsandbecauseredundancy was security when the balloon reached its top altitude MissionControlranthroughaforty-itemchecklistldquoItemtwenty-sixmoveseattorearofcapsuleitemtwenty-sevenliftlegsontothedoorthresholdrdquoThewholeprocesswasdesignedtocalmnerveswithcleargoalsOfcourse128100feetintheaircalmrsquosarelativematter

WhenthelistwascompleteBaumgartnerstoodoutsidethecapsuleonatinyexteriorsteptheEarthquiteliterallyathisfeetHetookamomenttotakeintheviewthensaidafewwordsintohismicrophoneldquoSometimesyouhavetogoupreallyhightounderstandhowsmallyoureallyarerdquo

NexthesalutednextheleaptIttookhimthirtysecondstoreach600milesperhourlessthanaminuteto

shatter700HehadjustbecomethefirsthumanbeingtogosupersonicThiswasalsowhenhestartedspinningTheEarthsometwentymilesbelowwhirledlikeatopAndkeptwhirlingThinkshakenbabysyndromeatMach1Butsomehowmdashtalk about flowordiemdashBaumgartnergot everythingbackunder controlHepulled out of the spin and locked into delta position feet down head up andheadinghome

IntotalBaumgartnerrsquosfreefall lastedfourminutesnineteensecondshiscompleteairtimeapproximatelytenminuteshistopspeed8339milesperhourmdashMach124Baumgartner also took over the records for the highestmannedballoon flight and thehighest altitude jumpandwithYouTubebroadcastingalivefeedoftheeventthehighestnumbersofconcurrentviewersmdashat8million

Perhaps more interesting than these records is the deeper why On theStratoswebsite therersquos a short list of potential applications for the knowledgegainedfromBaumgartnerrsquosjumpldquoPassengercrewexitfromspacedevelopingprotocols for exposure to high-altitude and high-acceleration environmentsexploring theeffectsofsupersonicaccelerationanddecelerationon thehuman

body and testing the latest innovations in parachute systemsrdquo To put this inplainer language experts have said that if the passengers on the space shuttleChallenger hadbeen equippedwithBaumgartnerrsquos suit theymight have livedthroughtheirmidaircrack-up

And along just these lines some six months after Baumgartnerrsquos jumpVirgin Galacticrsquos SpaceShipTwo powered up its engines for the first timeSpaceShipOneyoumightrememberwasthecraftthatwontheAnsariXPrizein 2004 This originalX Prizewas a demonstration project both proof that aprivate company could produce an affordable reusable spaceship and thenecessaryfirststepinopeningthespacefrontierTheideabehindSpaceShipTwoisthenextsteptourismmdashtakingpayingcustomersonsuborbitalcruises

Andthatgoal isnotfarawaySpaceShipTworsquosflightwasatestburn thefirst in a series that ends with actual space flights (some 550 people havepurchased $200000 tickets) According to Virgin Galactic founder RichardBranson if everything goes according to plan the plan is to have payingcustomersgoingrocketmanbefore2015

This iswhyBaumgartnerrsquos jump iscriticalWersquoregoing tospaceThatrsquoswhatrsquos nextWithin a fewyears human beingswill be routinely visiting low-EarthorbitInfactBigelowAerospaceanotherprivatespacecompanyisnowdevelopinganinflatablespacehotelthatrsquosscheduledfor2017deploymentWiththesedevelopmentsaroundthecornerhavingbasicspaceevacuationproceduresinplacemdashincludingasupersonic-capablespacesuitmdashjustseemstomakesense

ButifyouwanttoreallytalkabouttheadjacentpossiblethecombinationofBaumgartnerrsquossuccessandthebirthofthespacetourismindustrymeansthatspacedivingcouldbethenextextremesportfrontierItsoundssillyofcoursebut it wasnrsquot too long ago that surfing a 100-foot wave or free-soloing HalfDomewas equally ludicrous Plus consider the space-diving upside Imaginehaving twenty-fivemilesof fall time toworkwithTalkaboutpossibilities forseeing lines Talk about the potential for creative innovation BaumgartnertoucheddowninthedesertbutsoonerorlaterisnrsquotsomeonegoingtotrytolandonaskislopeHowlongthenuntilweturnthespacediveintothefirststageofadoubleski-BASEHowlonguntilitgetsstrangerthanthat

SomewhereShaneMcConkeyissmiling

LEARNINGTOLEARNFASTER

AlbertHeimfelloffamountainintheSwissAlpsinthelatenineteenthcentury

FelixBaumgartner felloutof thestratosphere in theearly twenty-firstcenturyand in between an exceptional group of athletes and an extraordinary state ofconsciousnesshave teamedup todo the impossiblemdashoverandoveragain Itrsquosbeen a realmagicalmystery tourDannyWay jumped over theGreatWall ofChina on a shattered limb Ian Walsh paddled into a wave the size of anapartmentbuildingDeanPottercaughtholdofaclimbingropewhilefallingatterminal velocity into the Cellar of Swallows ldquoAny sufficiently advancedtechnologyisindistinguishablefrommagicrdquoArthurCClarkefamouslytoldusHopefullyonethingisnowclearmdashflowisthatadvancedtechnology

Itisalsoverydisruptivetechnologymdashwhichisexactlywhatweneedrightnow

In2011IcowroteabookwithXPrizefounderandSingularityUniversitycofounder Peter Diamandis called Abundance In it we explore howexponentially growing technology combinedwith three other emerging forcesgiveshumanity thepower to significantly raiseglobal standardsof livingoverthenexttwotothreedecadesThisisnottheplacefortoomuchdetailbutthemost important thing to know is that abundance is not guaranteed The fourforces we describe create a wave of possibilitymdashthe possibility of solvingsocietyrsquosgrandchallengesandexceedingthebasicneedsofeverymanwomanandchildontheplanetYetifwewanttoridethiswavewefacethesameissueasallsurfersfirstwehavetopaddlefastenoughtocatchit

Without question paddling fast enough to catch a possibility wave likeabundancemeanswersquoll need themost capableversionsofourselvesdoing thepaddlingWersquollneed tobebetter faster stronger smarterWersquollneed intrinsicmotivationandincrediblecooperationOurimaginationswillhavetobedeeplyengaged our creative selves operating at their full Picasso In otherwords ifwersquoreinterestedinforgingafutureofabundancethenwersquoregoingtoneedflow

Whatrsquos more we know this strategy works The athletes in this bookalreadyusedflowtocreateanabundanceofprogressioninthephysicaldomainByharnessingthestate theunlikeliestofsuspectshaveturnedthemselvesintoSupermanInslightlymorethantwodecadesactionandadventuresportshaveballoonedfrombarelyabliponourcollectiveradartothemostpopularsportsintheworldsavefootballsoccerandautoracing

ThismeansanentiregenerationhasgrownupwatchingtheirheroesbreakbarrierafterbarrierMillionsmoresawitdonewithProjectStratosOurchildrenarenowinculcatedinaculturewheretheactofusingflowtodothatwhichhasnever been done before is actually done all the time If you were creating atrainingprogramforpeople interested in tacklinggrandglobalchallengesyoucoulddoalotworse

If it seems toomuchof a stretch to connect individual athletes rewritingthe rulebook on human potential to society as a whole solving the worldrsquosbiggestproblemsthenconsidertheresearchofAriedeGeusIntheearly1980sdeGeuswasthedirectorofstrategicplanningforRoyalDutchShellanddeeplycuriousaboutcorporatelongevityAtthetimeShellwasseventy-threeyearsoldmdashalreadyananomalyTheaveragecorporatelifespanistwelveandahalfyearsthe average multinational roughly forty Yet like Shell a tiny fraction ofcorporationshavethrivedforcenturies

Why does this matter so much Because to thrive for centuries thesecorporations have had to tackle wars famines plagues droughts floodsdepressions recessions climate shifts technological revolutions politicalinstabilityandregimechangesEverythingonthislistisavariationofawoetheworldnowfacesThesetooareourgrandchallengesSofiguringouthowtheserareorganizationssucceeded in thepastgivesusa time-testedbattle-hardenedstrategytodothesameinthefuture

To divine this secret de Geus put twenty-seven corporations larger andlonger lived than Shell under the microscope He found a number of factorscontributetolongevitybutonestoodoutfarabovetheresttheabilitytolearnfaster That was itmdashthe secret to centuries of thriving In an environment ofturbulent change asdeGeus famouslywrote ldquoTheability to learn faster thanyourcompetitorsistheonlysustainablecompetitiveadvantagerdquo

AswealreadyknowflowisthesecrettolearningfasterAlotfasterDatagathered everywhere from brick-and-mortar schools to virtual learningenvironments show that the state significantly increases positive learningattitudesandpositivelearningoutcomesTheUSmilitarytrainedsnipersinflowtwiceas fast asnormalMcKinseyestablished that executives in floware fivetimesmoreeffectivethantheirsteady-statepeersThisisexactlywhat150yearsof flow research has revealed this iswhat the recent revolution in action andadventuresportsclearlydemonstratesflowbringsouttheverybestinusmdashandforcertainitrsquosthatverybestwersquollneedtocreateaworldofabundance

But these facts tells us something else equally important This book hasnever really been about daredevil athletes doing impossible deeds Itrsquos alwaysbeenaboutusmdashallofusmdashdoingimpossibledeedsItisourfuturethatisonthelineWecanharnessflowandridethewaveofpossibilitythatisabundanceorwe can get dashed upon the rocks of halfhearted halfmeasures And like thetrailblazerswemetinthisbookforustooitrsquosflowordieldquoWearetheonesrdquoPulitzer Prizendashwinning author Alice Walker reminds us ldquothat we have beenwaitingforrdquo

Yet if thewaiting is over and the journeybegun remember that flow is

strongmedicineandthispathnotoneforthetimidAlongthewaywewoulddowell torememberthewisdomofourelders thelonglineageofacademicsandathletesandartistswhohavealreadybrokenthistrailFlowtheytellus is thegatewaytoimpossiblebutthishasneverbeentaketwopillsandclimbEverestin themorningCommittingto thispathdemandsaradicalrestructuringofourdays and our ways It demands a considerable tolerance for risk and aconsiderableshiftincultureWemustlearnhowtoplaywithfireWemustlearntolearnfasterWemustlearntolivethousandsoflivesinourlifetimemdashandnotlives of quiet desperation rather of raucous innovation (though naked spread-eagles areoptional)Butwhat thosenaked spread-eagles represent a relentlesschallenging of the status quo an everlasting belief in our own possibility aplayful excellence in the face of mortal consequences well as mentionedtherersquossomethingtobesaidforthewisdomofourelders

ToputthisindifferenttermsthemostinterestingthingaboutanacornisthatitcontainsawholeoakButthemostinterestingthingaboutahumanmdashwellwersquore not exactly sureWe do not know the full measure of what we mightcontain We cannot yet leap tall buildings in a single bound but the boldestamongusarealreadythrowingbackflipsoffofthemAndwhenhewashurtlingthrough the vacuum of space Felix Baumgartner was flying faster than aspeedingbulletSodoescatchingthewaveofabundancestillsoundimpossiblePerhaps But like all the athletes in this bookmdashperhaps impossible is just thekind of challenge wersquove been waiting for What the world needs most isSupermanWhattheworldneedsmostisus

Afterword

AllrevvedupandnowheretoflowNotatallWersquovegotyoucoveredIfyoursquoreinterestedinfiguringoutyourownFlowProfilesoyoucancreate

moreofitinyourlifecheckoutwwwflowgenomeprojectcoflowprofileWanttotakeadeeperdiveandtrainyourflowgameorbringthescience

ofoptimumperformanceintoyourcompanyororganizationCheckoutFlowtoImpact innovation and leadership workshops and keynoteswwwflowgenomeprojectcoflowtoimpact

If yoursquore interested in continuing this discussion learning more aboutharnessingflowtoraiseyourgameinteractingwiththeauthorandmanyofthethinkers in this book or even helping to drive citizen science flow researchforwardjoinFlowHackerNationatwwwflowgenomeprojectco

AndstayintouchwithourlatestthinkingcommentaryandeventsonourFacebookpagewwwfacebookcomFlowgenome

AuthorrsquosNote

I was lucky enough to become a journalist in the early 1990s at roughly thesame time that action and adventure sports became a storyBack then if youcouldwriteandskiorsurforrockclimborwhatevertherewasworkIcouldnrsquotdomanyof those thingsverywell but a collectionofwonderful editorswerekind enough not to noticeAs a result I got to spend a sizable chunk of thatdecade chasing professional athletes around mountains It was an amazingamountoffunItwasalsoflat-outamazing

ItwasduringthatperiodthatIfirstgottoknowmanyofthepeopleinthisbook thisalsomeans Iowemanyof themasignificantdebtofgratitudeNotonlydotheir impossibledeedsfill thesepagesmanyoftheir ideasdoaswellWithout thegeneroushelpofLairdHamiltonDeanPotterJTHolmesJeremyJones TravisRice IanWalshChrisMillerDannyWayDougAmmonsTaoBermanMikeHornAlexHonnoldDaveKalamaMilesDaisher JonDevoreAndyFarringtonMikeSwansonTravisPastranaTomSchaarKirkKrackandMandy-RaeCruickshankthisbookwouldnothavebeenpossible

AnincrediblespecialthankstoJamieWhealmygreatfriendandpartnerintheFlowGenomeProjectJamiersquosideasareliterallyeverywhereinthisbookAtleastfourchapters(fivesixsevenand twelve)wereessentiallycowrittenHealsohelpedplotouttheoriginaloutlinerepairedafrighteningamountofthefinal product and provided considerable inspiration throughout Talking flowwithJamiehasbeenoneofthetruejoysofmylifeIalsoneedtothankhiswifeJulieandgreatkidsEmmaandLucasforbeingexceptionallypatientwiththiswholeprocess

IalsooweadebttolongtimeactionsportswritereditorMicahAbramsmdashwithout his friendship and ideas about the accelerated progression in actionsports this book would have never gotten off the ground Albert Baime myeditoratPlayboyassignedtheoriginalstoryaboutactionsportsprogressionthat

endedupbecoming thiswork JoeDonnelly JimmyChinChrisMalloyDirkCollins and Jon Klaczkiewicz were all steady sources of wisdom JacobRosenberg graciously let me see outtakes of his great Danny Way biopicWaitingforLightningandtalkedskateboardingtheoryandhistoryforhoursonend Matt Warshaw suffered through way too many Millennium Waveconversations Dave Stanton designed a great cover was a constant soundingboardforideasandwhenwewereoutonthehillgenerallyensuredthatIneverbackedawayfromthegnar(healsodrovemetothehospitalwhenthingsdidnrsquotworkoutsowell)ScottGaffneyRobbGaffneySherryMcConkeyandSteveWinter were all incredibly generous with their memories of Shane and theirinsightsintoactionsportsOfcourseagianttipofthehattoShaneMcConkeythankyouforlightingtheway

On the research side I started looking into flow in 2000 (long story ifcuriousseemyearlierbookWestofJesus)andhavebeenseriouslyaidedinthiseffort by a collectionof gifted generous scientists Prettymuch any time Irsquovehad a flow question James Olds David Eagleman Andy Newberg AndyWalshe Mike Gervais Leslie Sherlin Jeff Krichmar Rick Granger ArneDietrichandReeseJoneshavemade themselvesavailableSusanJacksonandGregBernsbothofwhomhavedonegreat flow researchandwere incrediblyhelpfulwiththisbooksadlyendeduponthecutting-roomfloorAndrewHesselfirsttalkedmeintostartingaflowresearchorganizationandhasbeenafantasticideafactoryalongtheway

Irsquod also like to mention that Irsquove been writing about flow science andaction and adventure sports for a long timeThismeans that bits of thisworkhaveappearedelsewhere(ForbesDiscoverPlayboyOutsidePopularSciencePsychologyTodayand inmybooksWestofJesusASmallFurryPrayerandAbundance)InthemajorityofcasesIrsquovetriedtorewritethewordsandfreshenthings up In a few cases the way I initially wrote about these ideas stillrepresents the best possibleway I know how to communicate them and thushaveleftthosesentencesintheiroriginalform

More generally debts of gratitude are owed to Rick Theis for readingcountlessdraftsandkeepingmesaneLauraEdwardsJasonSilvaJoeDonnellyBurkSharplessandRafeFurstletmebounceideasoffthemendlesslyAtDCMaria Boschetti helped track down athletes and set up interviews The samegoesforRyanSnyderMaddieZeringueandJordanMilleratRedBullRolandoGaribottiwas a great source of information about climbing in PatagoniaAndScottSerfasfortheamazingshotofTravisRicethatgracesthiscover

TherearealsoquiteafewpeoplewhowerekindenoughtospeaktomeatgreatlengthbutwhosenamesdidnrsquotmakeitintothebookAheartfeltthanksto

Kai Lenny Kristin Ulmer Scott Bradfield Patrick Brady Greg Stump NicSimsMichaelMarckxMichaelHamPaulaTallalNickPerataMichaelPosnerGavinMcClurgBenStookesberryDarrenBerrenclothBrettLeemasterDarylFranklinMichaelReardonThayerWalkerJeffSpencerCharlesMurrayShaneDorian Kevin Maney Ken Block Brett Tippie Ritchie Schley DangerousldquoDanrdquoCowanArtThompsonMarvinZuckermanJaimalYogisandKatieIves

My agent Paul Bresnick has been with me since my second book andwonderful at every step Everyone at Amazon has been fantastic aswellMyexceptionally talented editors Julia Cheiffetz and Carly Hoffmann tightenedprose pushed hard on ideas and generally ensured this book made sense tothosewhodonrsquot routinelyhurl themselvesdownmountainsLarryKirshbaumJustinRenardAmyMichaelsandCourtneyDodsonwerelovelyaswellThankyouall

Finally as always my wife Joy has been my inspiration best friendfrontline editor and ceaseless supporter Moreover as we co-run a special-needselder-caredogsanctuary together (wwwranchodechihuahuaorg)while IwaswritingthisbookJoynotonlyhadmybackshealsohadthebacksofanenormouspackofdogsAsmentionedIrsquovebeenverylucky

Page

vii ldquoTwenty-First-Century Skillsrdquo Founded in 2002 the Partnershipfor 21stCentury Skills is a coalition of the business communityeducation leaders and policymakers to position twenty-first-century readiness at the center of US K-12 education Thecomplete listof twenty-first-centuryskills includescreativityandinnovation critical thinkingandproblemsolving communicationandcollaborationinformationliteracymedialiteracy informationandcommunicationtechnologyliteracyandlifeandcareerskillsFormoreinfocheckoutitswebsitehttpwwwp21org

viii ldquoFlownaturally catapults you to a level yoursquore not naturally inrdquoNedHallowellAIDecember2012

Flow is an optimal state of consciousness MihalyCsikszentmihalyiFlow (HarperPerennial 1990) pp 4ndash5 or seehis TED talkhttpwwwtedcomtalksmihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flowhtml

ResearchersnowbelieveflowThefulllistofwhatpeoplebelieveflow can accomplish could go on for days For a good shortsummaryseeldquoTheArtofWorkrdquoFastCompanyAugust2005orhttpwwwfastcompanycom53713art-work

NotesldquoAIrdquoincitationindicatesanauthorinterview

PREFACE

ix a recent Gallup survey ldquoMajority of American Workers NotEngaged in Their Jobsrdquo Gallupcom October 28 2011 orhttpwwwgallupcompoll150383majority-american-workers-not-engaged-jobsaspx

ldquoA decade of research in the businessworldrdquo ldquoIsHappiness theSecret to Successrdquo CNNcom March 19 2012 orhttpwwwcnncom20120319opinionhappiness-success-achor

x The great civil rights leader Gil Bailiersquos Violence Unveiled(CrossroadPublishingCompany1996)pxv

xi SteveWinter SteveWinterAIMay26 2011Aversionof thisstory and a great article aboutMcConkeyrsquos importance to actionandadventuresportsappearsinldquoSkiingWillNeverBetheSameTheLifeandDeathofShaneMcConkeyrdquoSkiingAugust2009orhttpwwwskinetcomskiingfondue-partyathletes200908skiing-will-never-be-the-same-the-life-and-death-of-shane-mcconkey

xii ldquoShanedidoneandahalfrotationsrdquoWinteribid

According to Dictionarycomhttpdictionaryreferencecombrowsegeniuss=t

xiii Salomon introduced the 1080 For a great history of the 1080checkouthttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=AKkyygSGa0U

worldrsquosfirstTripleCork1440Seehttpespngocomvideoclipid=6383920or2011PoorBoyzrelease(wwwpoorboyzcom)

Tao Berman For starters check out his websitewwwtaobermancom Also ldquoThe Tao of Tao Bermanrdquo MenrsquosJournalApril2004

Shannon Carroll popped off Oregonrsquos Sahalie FallsldquoSuperheroesrdquoOutsideDecember2000

xiv accordingtoCanoeampKayakmagazineldquoAgainrdquoCanoeampKayak

INTRODUCTION

March 2009 or see httpwwwcanoekayakcomcanoenew-waterfall-record

Pedro Oliviarsquos 127-foot launch ldquoPictured TheMoment Record-Breaking Kayaker Plunged 127 FEET Off WaterfallhellipandSurvivedrdquo Mail Online March 2009httpwwwdailymailcouknewsarticle-1164101Pictured-The-moment-record-breaking-kayaker-plunged-127-FEET-waterfallmdashsurvivedhtml

Tyler Bradt plunged 189 feet httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=MmeFkkqnWdg

new illegal-hits rules ldquoLeaguersquos Official Player Safety RulesrdquoNFLcom November 30 2010httpwwwnflcomnewsstory09000d5d81c8823aarticleleagues-official-player-safety-rules

The 2011 technical-foul changes ldquoNBA Expands Rules onTechnicalrdquo ESPNcom September 23 2010 orhttpsportsespngocomespnprintid=5609817amptype=story

NBAenforcerRonArtestldquoRonArtestNowMettaWorldPeacerdquoESPNcomSeptember162011

ldquoInthisdayandagerdquoMicahAbramsAI2011

xv MikeGervaisMikeGervaisAI2011

The sport ofplatformdivingTheCompleteBookof theSummerOlympics(SportsClassicsBooks2004)

adifficultanddangerousdiveldquoHistoryofDivingrdquoUSADivingseehttpwwwusadivingorgaboutdiving-101history-of-diving

xvi Canadarsquos JFCussonTherersquos someoldvideo footageavailableathttpwwwnewschoolerscomwatch3074920JF-CussonmdashFirst-X-Games-Big-Air also see ldquoOlympic Big Airrdquo PowderMagFebruary162010

Double Cork 1620 Google ldquoTJ Schiller Dub 1620rdquo or tryhttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=2UO0RKIbCP8

The Baker Road gap ldquoRecognize The Mt Baker Road Gaprdquo

TransworldSnowboardingcomApril202004

Mads ldquoBig Nadsrdquo Jonsson launched 187 feet ldquoKickers thatChangedSnowboardingrdquoWhiteLinesDecember2010

xvii backflip has been For a great little history of the backflip inmotocrossseehttpwwwfmxschoolcomfmx_trick_historyhtm

ldquoTherersquosjustnoeasywaytodescribehelliprdquoAndyWalsheAI2011

xviii The epicenter of this shift was Maverickrsquos Matt Warshaw TheEncyclopediaofSurfing(HarcourtBooks2003)pp370ndash71

Surfermagazine oncehellipBenMarcus said this inSurfer back in1992butitrsquosrequotedinMarkKreidlerTheVoodooWaveInsideaSeasonofTriumphandTumultatMaverickrsquos(Norton2011)

MavericksurfcomOneofthemostdifficultthingsaboutusingtheInternettosourceanythingishowquicklystuffgoesupandcomesdown The original quote is now gone but the MaverickrsquosInvitational2012ndash13announcementitcamefromisviewableherehttpwwweventbritecomorg2877839845 and reprinted herehttpwwwwavescapecozanewscontestssolid-20-foot-in-thick-fog-at-mavshtml

ldquoSincethebeginningofmodernsurfingrdquoChrisMalloyAI2010

ldquoJeff Clark was crazy enoughrdquo See jeffclarkmaverickscom forClarkersquosdescriptionoftheseevents

JonKrakauerpennedinOutsideldquoMarkFoorsquosLastRiderdquoOutsideMay1995

xx ldquoWaves are notmeasured in feet and inchesrdquo ldquoHow toMeasureWaveHeightinSurfingrdquoSurfercomJanuary2013

Jason Borte at Surfline httpwwwsurflinecomsurfing-a-to-zmark-foo-biography-and-photos_809

xxi Inside Maverickrsquos Bruce Jenkins Grant Washburn and DougActon InsideMaverickrsquosPortrait of aMonsterWave (ChronicleBooks2006)p62

psychologist Ernest Becker Ernest BeckerThe Denial of Death

(FreePress1973)

xxii ldquoDeathistoldsoclearlytofuckoffrdquoThomasPynchonGravityrsquosRainbow(PenguinBooks1973)p10

3 womenrsquos teamgymnastic competitionNancyHKleinbaumTheMagnificent Seven The Authorized Story of American Gold(BantamBooks1996)

ldquoStrughellipdoesnotpossesshelliprdquoldquo100MostMemorableMomentsofthePast25YearsrdquoESPNcom

5 ldquoIt was like three times the size of anything I had ever seen inskateboardingrdquo ldquoA Skateboarding Ramp Reaches for the SkyrdquoNewYorkTimesNovember12006

ldquoItrsquos thewidestspot in thewallrdquoDannyWayAIJune2012Healsosays this inJacobRosenbergrsquosgreat2013biopicWaiting forLightning

ldquoNothingrsquostoognarlyrdquoWaitingforLightningibid

7 HebroketwoworldrecordsalongthewayHeightandlength

freestyle motocross legend Travis Pastrana Travis Pastrana AIJune2012

8 AlbertHeimfoundthezoneaswellTherearevarioustranslationsofHeimrsquosoriginalworkavailableTheentireSantisstoryappearsinDouweDraaismaWhyLifeSpeedsUpAsYouGetOlderHowMemoryShapesOurPast(CambridgeUniversityPress2004)pp244ndash51 or ldquoThe Experience of Dying from Fallsrdquo OmegamdashJournalofDeathandDyingVolume3Number11972pp45ndash52

11 those experiments involved psychedelics ldquoThe Nitrous OxidePhilosopherrdquoAtlanticMay1996pp93ndash101

ldquoMost people livehelliprdquo William James and Henry James TheLettersofWilliamJames(AtlanticMonthlyPress1920)p253

1 THEWAYOFFLOW

ldquoOurnormalwakingconsciousnessrdquoIbidp254

12 Walter Bradford Cannon Walter Bradford Cannon BodilyChanges inPainHungerFearandRageAnAccountofRecentResearches into theFunctionofEmotionalExcitement (Appleton1915)

13 Waywon his first contest at age eleven For a breakdownof hisentirecareerseewwwdannywaycom

ldquoDannyWay single-handedly invented sportsmedicinehelliprdquo JacobRosenbergAIJune2012

ChrisMalloytellsastoryhellipChrisMalloyAIJune2012

14 ldquoIrsquovegottenreallygoodatpullingtheveildownrdquoDannyWayAIJune2012

Jake Brown ldquoStepping Aside as His Creation SoarsrdquoNew YorkTimesJuly292009AlsoforalookatthisentireXGamesbattlecheckoutXGames3DTheMovieAugust2009

15 ldquosecondWindrdquoWilliamJamesldquoTheEnergiesofMenrdquoScienceNo635pp321ndash32

InventedbyChristianHosoiin1986hellipForalittlevideoofHosoitalking about inventing the trick tryhttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=osgP5L_-v7U

16 ldquoThatrsquos part of the problem with trying to discusshelliprdquo TravisPastranaAIJune2012

ldquoIrsquovebeenshootingactionsportsfortwentyyearsrdquoMikeBlabacAIJune2012

17 MihalyCsikszentmihalyiCsikszentmihalyirsquoshistorycanbefoundin a number of places See his TED talk athttpwwwtedcomtalksmihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flowhtmlorldquoInterviewMihalyCsikszentmihalyirdquoOmni17(4)p73Alsosee ldquoThe man who found the flowrdquo Shambhala Sun September1998

19 ldquoDuring a peak experiencerdquo Abraham MaslowMotivation andPersonality(HarperampRow1970)p164

The birth of his happiness studyhellip Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiFlow The Psychology of Optimal Experience (HarperPerennial1991)

20 ldquoItwas clear from talking to themhelliprdquoMihalyCsikszentmihalyiCreativity Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention(HarperPerennial1996)p110

beingsoinvolvedhellipldquoGowiththeFlowrdquoWiredSeptember1996

21 A ten-year study ldquoIncreasing the lsquoMeaning Quotientrsquo ofWorkrdquoMcKinseyQuarterlyJanuary2013

James Slavet ldquoFive New Management Metrics You Need toKnowrdquo Forbescom December 2011 Seehttpwwwforbescomsitesbruceupbin20111213five-new-management-metrics-you-need-to-know

ldquoThere are moments that stand outhelliprdquoMihaly Csikszentmihalyiand Susan Jackson Flow in Sports The Keys to OptimalExperiencesandPerformances(HumanKinetics1999)p3

FlowwasagroundbreakinghellipldquoTheArtofFlowrdquoibidAlsoforalook at flowrsquos impact on business see Keith Sawyer GroupGenius The Creative Power of Collaboration (Basic Books2007)

22 MichaelSachsMichaelSachsAI2006ThisoriginallyappearedinStevenKotlerWestofJesusSurfingScienceandtheOriginofBelief(Bloomsbury2006)

ldquoItrsquoseitherfindthezoneorsufferhelliprdquoDannyWayAIJune2012

23 Surfers describeTeahupoohellipWarshawEncyclopediaof Surfingpp632ndash33alsoJasonBorteldquoSurfingAtoZrdquoSurflinecomseehttpwwwsurflinecomsurfing-a-to-zteahupoo-history_925

ldquoJaws is all about the hold downrdquo Susan Casey The Wave InPursuitof theRoguesFreaksandGiantsof theOcean (RandomHouse2010)p52

2THEWAVEOFFLOW

24 ldquoAnythingbiggerissimplymovingtoofastrdquoIbidp14

wrotesurfhistorianMattWarshawinSurfridershellipMattWarshawSurfriders In Search of the Perfect Wave (Collins Publishing1997)p79

25 ldquoThedaystartedoutwithusbeingtoldhelliprdquoAlltheLairdHamiltonquotes unless otherwise noted come from a series of interviewsbetweentheauthorandHamiltonconductedduringJuneandJuly2012

26 ldquoOn any normal waverdquoMattWarshaw AI June 2012 Itrsquos alsoworthpointingoutthatWarshawisoneoftheforemostexpertsonsurfhistoryandthatallof thesurfinganecdotesrecountedinthisbookwereinformedbyWarshawrsquosconsiderablewisdom

ldquoLairdhadtodraghisbackhandrdquoSamGeorgespeakinginRidingGiantsdirectedbyStacyPeraltaSonyPicturesClassicandStudioCanal2004

28 Scientists describe it either as a ldquostate of consciousnessrdquo Forquestions on flow and consciousness much of the basics (andmuchofmy thinkingon thematter)canbe found insixdifferentbooks Charles Tart Altered States of Consciousness(HarperCollins 1969) Arne Dietrich Introduction toConsciousness (Palgrave 2007) Rita Carter ExploringConsciousness(UniversityofCaliforniaPress2002)JeffWarrenThe Head Trip Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness(Random House 2007) Tor Norretranders The User IllusionCuttingConsciousnessDowntoSize(Penguin1999)andMihalyCsikszentmihalyirsquosFlow The Psychology ofOptimal Experience(New York HarperPerennial 1991) Much of my thinking herewas also shaped by discussions with scientists Baylorrsquos DavidEagleman Krasnow Institutersquos James Olds Los Alamos LabsrsquoSteve Smith and Marko Rodriguez and applied complexityresearcherStephenGuerin

Charles Tartrsquos classic description Tart Altered States ofConsciousnesspp1ndash20

29 ldquoWhen yoursquore in thatmomentrdquoThis quote fromLairdHamiltoncomes from the outtakes to Jacob Rosenbergrsquos Waiting for

Lightning

ldquoI remember letting go of the ropehelliprdquo As mentioned thisHamiltonquote likeall theothers in thissectioncomesfromAIconductedJuneandJuly2012Butforagreatdescriptionoftheseevents also seePaul Jones ldquoAugust 17 2000LairdHamiltonrsquoslsquoMillennium Waversquo at Teahupoordquo Surflinecomhttpwwwsurflinecomsurf-newsthis-day-in-surfingmdash-august-17th-2000mdash-laird-hamiltons-millennium-wave-at-teahupoo_46530

30 HerersquoshislistCsikszentmihalyiFlowpp48ndash70

31 Moreover flow exists on a continuumMihalyCsikszentmihalyiBeyond Boredom and Anxiety Experiencing Flow at Work andPlay (Jossey-Bass1975)These ideaswerealsofurther informedby lengthy discussions with Flow in Sports coauthor and sportspsychologistSusanJackson

32 Leslie Sherlin I first met Leslie Sherlin at Red Bullrsquos 2012GlimpsesConference (a high-performance conference held everysummer) and we have been talking flow and brain waves eversinceThe ideas in thischapterarebasedonover twodecadesofresearchbySherlinandtwoyearsofdiscussionbetweentheauthorand Sherlin For an introduction to Sherlinrsquos work seehttpwwwneurotopiacom

33 There are five major brain-wave types And there are plenty ofplaces to learn about each For a more general discussion seeWarrenTheHeadTrip

CsikszentmihalyiusedEEGldquoIntheZoneABiobehavioralTheoryof theFlowExperiencerdquoAthletic Insight TheOnline Journal ofSports Psychology 2001 SeehttpwwwathleticinsightcomVol3Iss1CommentaryhtmIntroductionalsoldquoScientistsZapBrainstoSeeifItWillHelpTriggerlsquoFlowrsquothinsprdquoWashingtonPostFebruary132012

34 HumanbeingshaveevolvedtwodistinctsystemsForagreatbutbriefdescriptionseeArneDietrichldquoNeurocognitiveMechanismsUnderlying the Experience of Flowrdquo Consciousness andCognitionVol 13 2004 pp 746ndash61For amuch lengthier (and

more general) discussion see David Eagleman Incognito TheSecretLivesoftheBrain(Pantheon2011)

ldquoWhen the brain finds a task it needs to solverdquo EaglemanIncognitopp71ndash72

35 RedBullrsquosdirectorofathletichighperformanceAndyWalsheIfyouwant to seewhat this looks likeGoogle ldquoAndyWalshe andNeurotopiardquo Therersquos a YouTube clip of football player DevinHestergoingthroughbasicbrain-wavetraining

use EEG to figure out what the brains Leslie Sherlin MichaelGervais and Andy Walshe ldquoWhere Fear Risk Thrill andPerformance Mastery Meet Action Sport Athlete Brain StatesrdquoPoster presentation at the annual meeting of the AmericanPsychologicalAssociationWashingtonDCAugust2011AlsoNCLarsonLSherlinABakerandJTroeschldquoRandomizedControlled Cross-Over Research of Performance Brain TrainingEffects in Elite College Golfersrdquo oral paper presentation at the20th Annual Conference of the International Society forNeurofeedback and Research Orlando FL September 2012 LSherlin N C Larson and R M Sherlin ldquoDeveloping aPerformance Brain Training Approach for Baseball A ProcessAnalysis with Descriptive Datardquo Journal of AppliedPsychophysiologyandBiofeedback 2012 (DOI) 101007s10484-012-9205-2

asix-stagecycleThisideaisbasedonSherlinrsquosresearch

37 gotnauseousjustlookingattheplacehellipCaseyTheWavep24

38 ldquoWhen you let go of the ropehelliprdquo ldquoSurfing into JawsrdquoNationalGeographicAdventureJuly2002

ldquo[L]ikeallsetsofJawsrdquoCaseyTheWavep24

ldquoWeweredefinitelyinthezonerdquoDaveKalamaAIMay2012

40 Creativityhasabrain-wavesignatureaswellThisisbasedonalotof longstanding research (that is now starting to be questioned)One of the earliest major studies was ldquoCreativity and CorticalActivation During Creative Intellectual and EEG FeedbackTasksrdquoBiological Psychology Vol 3 Issue 2 September 1975

pp91ndash100AlsoseeJamesKaufmanandRobertSternbergTheCambridgeHandbookonCreativity (CambridgeUniversityPress2011)That said therersquosbeensome interestingworkpointingoutthatthetaisalsokeyforcreativityCheckoutldquoFreeYourMindAScientific Approach to Unleashing Creativityrdquo The IndependentOctober2006

EEG shows a burst of gamma waves Mark Beeman EdwardBowdenJasonHabermanJenniferFrymiareStellaArambel-LuiRichard Greenblatt Paul Reber and John Kounios ldquoNeuralActivityWhenPeopleSolveVerbalProblemswithInsightrdquoPLOSBiology 2004 2(4) Also for a great overview see BeemanrsquosNorthwestern websitehttpgroupspsychnorthwesternedumbeemanresearchhtm

Harvard Business School professor Teresa Amabile TeresaAmabileSigalBarsadeJenniferMuellerBarryStrawldquoAffectandCreativityatWorkrdquoAdministrativeScienceQuarterly2005Vol50pp367ndash403

41 ldquoEverybodywho has ever spent any time in flowrdquoChrisMillerAIJune2012

an interview with Bon Hawaii ldquoAn Interview with LairdHamiltonDaveKalama andDonKingrdquoBonHawaii April 272008 Check it out httpwwwbonhawaiicominterview-laird-hamilton-dave-kalama-don-king

42 On the list of the worldrsquos most dangerous climbs Seehttpmatadornetworkcomtrips11-most-dangerous-mountains-in-the-world-for-climbers or httpopishposhcom10-hardest-mountains-to-climb or httpsmashinghubcom20-most-dangerous-mountains-peaks-in-the-worldhtm

ldquoPatagoniarsquos weather is terriblerdquo Dean Potter AI a series ofinterviewsconductedbetweenJuly2012andMay2013

ldquoUp on the High Lonesomerdquo John Long The High LonesomeEpicSoloClimbingStories(FalconGuides1999)p1

3THEWHEREOFFLOW

43 ldquoTherersquossomeoneinmyheadbut itrsquosnotmerdquoDavidEaglemanAIEaglemanused thisphrase inhisbook Incognito buthe alsouseditinconversationwithmewhenIwasreportingldquoHowTimeFliesrdquo Popular Science April 2010 Seehttpwwwstevenkotlercomarticleshow-time-flies

44 JidduKrishnamurti refers to this someone as ldquotheTyrantrdquo JidduKrishnamurti ldquoThe Kingdom of Happinessrdquo Talks of JidduKrishnamurti in Eerde Castle Holland 1926 Viewable on hiswebsite httpwwwjiddu-krishnamurtineten1926-the-kingdom-of-happinessjiddu-krishnamurti-the-kingdom-of-happiness-01

Carl Jung defined intuition as ldquoperception via the unconsciousrdquoCarlJungPsychologicalTypes(PrincetonUniversityPress1971)p 133 Viewable herehttppsychclassicsyorkucaJungtypeshtm

acareerthatrsquoshadfewparallelsTherersquosatonofgreatPotterinfoouttherebutIwouldsuggestldquoTheAerialistrdquoOutsideMagazineJuly2011

Potter took his one-man band down to Patagonia A lot of theinformation about Potterrsquos trip through Patagonia was based oninterviews with Potter himself But Patagonia climbing historianRolandoGaribottihelpedmeworkoutdetailsabouttheroutesandthemagnitudeoftheaccomplishmentAlsoaseriesofarticlesthatran in the Alpinist including ldquoThe Callrdquo Fall 2002 ldquoFallingrdquoWinter2004ndash05ldquoTheSpaceBetweenrdquoFall2007

48 ldquoAfterawhollyuneventfultimeincollegerdquoSeeDietrichrsquosonlinebiographyherehttpwwwharforddearnepagesbiographyhtml

49 ThePFCis theheartofourhighercognitiveabilitiesCDFrithand R Dolan ldquoThe Role of the Prefrontal Cortex in HigherCognitive Functionsrdquo Cognitive Brain Research 5 (1996) pp175ndash81 C D Frith and U Frith ldquoCognitive PsychologymdashInteracting Mindsmdasha Biological Basisrdquo Science November 261999pp1692ndash95JMFusterldquoTemporalProcessingmdashStructureandFunctionoftheHumanPrefrontalCortexrdquoAnnalsoftheNewYorkAcademy of Sciences 769 (1995) pp 173ndash81 JM FusterldquoExecutiveFrontalFunctionsrdquoExperimentalBrainResearch133

(2000)pp66ndash70

ldquoTheprefrontalcortexiswherethinkinghappensrdquoArneDietrichAIaseriesofinterviewsstartinginMay2012andrunningthroughJuly2013

transienthypofrontalityArneDietrichldquoFunctionalNeuroanatomyofAlteredStatesofConsciousnessTheTransientHypofrontalityHypothesisrdquoConsciousnessandCognition12(2003)pp231ndash56

ldquoIf there is a sudden dangerrdquo ldquoWatching theBrain lsquoSwitchOffrsquoSelf-Awarenessrdquo New Scientist April 2006 Or Ilan GoldbergMichalHarelandRafaelMalachldquoWhentheBrainLosesItsSelfPrefrontal InactivationDuring Sensorimotor ProcessingrdquoNeuronVol 50 Issue 2 April 2006 Also see httpwis-wanderweizmannacilmaking-the-self-disappearUe6BTY42XTQ

50 Charles Limb began using fMRI Monica Lopez-Gonzales andCharles Limb ldquoMusical Creativity and the Brainrdquo CerebrumFebruary 2012 Also ldquoCharles Limb and Allen Braun ldquoNeuralSubstratesofSpontaneousMusicalPerformanceAn fMRIStudyofJazzImprovisationrdquoPLOSOne20083(2)

themedialprefrontalcortexLimbandBraunldquoNeuralSubstratesofSpontaneousMusicalPerformancerdquo

PennStatekinesiologistVladimirZatsiorskyVladimirZatsiorskyand William Kraemer The Science and Practice of StrengthTraining Second Edition (Human Kinetics 2006) Also see JeffWiseExtremeFear(Palgrave2009)

51 Potter didnrsquot even know how to skydive Again all the Potterquotesandinformationfromthissectioncomesfromalongseriesofinterviewsconductedin2012and2013

54 Thesameeventsthateraseoursenseofselfalsodistortoursenseof time David Eagleman AI 2011 Also Kotler ldquoHow TimesFliesrdquo Lastly see Maria Coffeersquos excellent Explorers of theInfiniteTheSecretSpiritualLivesofExtremeAthletesmdashAndWhatThey Reveal About Near-Death Experiences PsychicCommunicationandTouching theBeyond (Penguin 2008)Also

for a very cool discussion about the enhanced perception thatcomes with time dilation see Nobuhiro Hagura Ryota KanaiGuido Orgs and Patrick Haggard ldquoReady Steady Slow ActionPreparationSlowstheSubjectivePassageofTimerdquoProceedingsoftheRoyalSocietyBiologySeptember52012

elegant fMRI experiments David Eagleman ldquoHuman TimePerception and Its IllusionsrdquoCurrent Opinions in NeurobiologyApril 2008 18(2) pp 131ndash36 Also Chess Stetson MatthewFiesta and David Eagleman ldquoDoes Time Really Slow DownDuringaFrighteningEventrdquoPlosOne2(12)December2007

55 variations of it are not that uncommon in action and adventuresports Steven Kotler West of Jesus Surfing Science and theOrigins of Belief (Bloomsbury 2006) Also Explorers of theInfinite

professionalkayakerSamDrevoCoffeeExplorersoftheInfinitep57

neuroscientist Andrew Newberg and University of PennsylvanianeuropsychologistEugeneDrsquoAquiliIhavebeentalkingflowwithAndrewNewberglongerthanjustaboutanyoneelseThatsaidalloftheinformationinthisbookcanbefoundinAndrewNewbergEugene DrsquoAquili and Vince RauseWhy God Wonrsquot Go AwayBrain Science and the Biology of Belief (Ballantine 2002)Alsosee Kotler ldquoThe Neurology of Spiritual Experiencerdquo H+September 16 2009httphplusmagazinecom20090916neurology-spiritual-experience

59 60 Minutes ldquoI am flyingrdquo 60 Minutes October 11 2009 Seehttpwwwcbsnewscomvideowatchid=5377292n

Theearliestattemptsatldquohuman-poweredflightrdquoMichaelAbramsBirdmenBatmenandSkyflyersWingsuitsandthePioneersWhoFlew in Them Fell in Them and Perfected Them (Three RiversPress2006)pp13ndash27

4THEWHATOFFLOW

60 FrenchmanPatrickdeGayardonAbramsBirdmenpp211ndash25

BirdmanInternationalSeewwwbird-mancom

Super Terminal The flick is all over YouTube just search forldquoSuper Terminalrdquo For impact seehttpwwwflylikebrickcomwingsuit-historyphp

JTHolmesThischapterisbasedonextensiveinterviewswithJTHolmes Andy Farrington Mike Swanson and Jon DevoreconductedbetweenMay2012andJuly2013Averyspecialthanksto JT Holmes who allowed me to call him whenever I had aquestion (and this included waking him up in the middle of thenightonseveraloccasions)

RedBullAirForceSeeredbullairforcecom

62 decided to play a little Frogger For a very cool video of thisexperiment check out ldquoFit Hearts Have Street Smartsrdquo atSciencenowcom Seehttpnewssciencemagorgsciencenow201202video-fit-hearts-have-street-smahtml

63 FortheexperimentLauraChaddockMarkNeiderMichelleVossJohnGasparandArthurKramerldquoDoAthletesExcelatEverydayTasksrdquoMedicineandScienceinSportsandExerciseVol43No10pp1920ndash262011

NewYorkTimesGretchenReynoldsldquoHowSportsMayFocustheBrainrdquoNewYorkTimesMarch232011

Jeff Hawkins and Sandra Blakeslee in On Intelligence JeffHawkins and Sandra Blakeslee On Intelligence (Times Books2004)p89

64 thebrainrsquospattern-recognitionsystemAlotofneuroscientistsarestarting to believe that the basic function of the brain is patternrecognition For a great book on the subject see RayKurzweilHow to Create aMind The Secret of Human Thought Revealed(Viking2012)

thefeel-goodneurochemicaldopamineLotstochoosefromhereSee C R Clarke Clarke G M Geffen and L B Geffen

ldquoCatecholamines and Attention I Animal and Clinical StudiesrdquoNeuroscienceandBiobehavioralReviews11(4)341ndash52(1987)PKrummenacher CMohrHHaker and PBrugger ldquoDopamineParanormal Belief and the Detection of Meaningful StimulirdquoJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience 22(8) pp 1670ndash81 (2010)Georg Winterer and Daniel Weinberger ldquoGenes Dopamine andCortical Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Schizophreniardquo Trends inNeuroscience Vol 27 No 11 November 2004 And SvenKroenerLJudsonChandlerPaulPhillipsandJeremySeamansldquoDopamineModulatesPersistentSynapticActivity andEnhancesthe Signal-to-Noise Ratio in the Prefrontal Cortexrdquo PLoS OneAugust 2009 4(8)e6507 Also Michael Sherman gave anexcellentTEDtalkonhowtoomuchdopaminepatternrecognitionleads to strange beliefs seehttpwwwtedcomtalksmichael_shermer_on_believing_strange_thingshtml

itrsquos why learning happens P R Montague P Dayan and T JSejnowski ldquoAFramework forMesencephalicDopamineSystemsBasedonPredictiveHebbianLearningrdquoJournal ofNeuroscience16(5) 1936ndash47PRMontagueSEHyman and JDCohenldquoComputational Roles for Dopamine in Behavioral ControlrdquoNature431760ndash67(2004)

thedopaminedumped inoursystemhellipTherersquosa tonofstuffoutthereondopamine and learning reinforcement butMarthaBurnswroteaniceblogonthesubjectforTheScienceofLearningBlogentitledldquoDopamineandLearningWhattheBrainrsquosRewardCenterCan Teach Educatorsrdquo September 18 2012 Seehttpwwwscilearncomblogdopamine-learning-brains-reward-center-teach-educatorsphp

65 very complicated predictions about the future For a greatdiscussiononpatternrecognitionchunkingandfuturepredictionsee Vivek Ranadive and Kevin Maney The Two-SecondAdvantage How We Succeed by Anticipating the FuturemdashJustEnough(CrownBusiness2011)

66 FlowisanextremelypotentresponseOfalltheresearchpresentedin this book the neurochemistry of flow presents the greatestchallenges For starters the researchers are balkanized so forget

about a consensus opinion Secondly there are huge questionmarks everywhereWhat is the exact order of the neurochemicalcascade Do neuroelectrical changes trigger neurochemicalchangesorvisaversa(Appears todependon initialconditions)Is the neurochemistry of flow the same in every person(Doubtful) Does neuropeptide Y play a role Does theneurochemistrydifferforsensationseekersmdashdoblunteddopaminereceptors play a huge roleAnd on and onThat saidwhat IrsquovetriedtodointhischapterispresenttheideasthatmostresearchersagreeonatleastmostofthetimeThegoodnewsiswearegettingbetter andbetter atmeasuringneurochemical response and theseissuesshouldstarttoresolvethemselvesoverthenextdecade

The process includes dopamine For a great discussion ondopamineandflowseeGregoryBernsSatisfactionTheScienceofFindingTrueFulfillment(HenryHoltandCompany2005)pp146ndash74

67 Norepinephrine provides another boost For a norepinephrineoverview seeEddieHarmon-Jones andPiotrWinkielmanSocialNeuroscience Integrating Biological and PsychologicalExplanations of Social Behavior (Guilford Press 2007) p 306Also for a great look at all of the neuroscience surroundingattentionseeMichaelPosnerCognitiveNeuroscienceofAttention(Guilford Press 2004) Finally for a look at the relationshipbetween norepinephrine and flow Harvard cardiologist HerbertBensonForthelayversionofthisworkseeHerbertBensonandWilliam Proctor The Breakout Principle How to Activate theNaturalTriggerThatMaximizesCreativityAthleticPerformanceProductivityandPersonalWell-Being(Scribner2003)pp46ndash68

Endorphins our third flow conspirator The research pointing inthisdirectiondatesbacktothe1980sbutitwasnrsquotactuallyproveduntil much more recently See Henning Boecker Till SprengerMary E Spilker Gjermund Henriksen Marcus KoppenhoeferKlaus JWagnerMichaelValetAchimBerthele andThomasRTolleldquoTheRunnerrsquosHighOpioidergicMechanismsintheHumanBrainrdquoCerebral Cortex 2008 18 (11) pp 2523ndash31 Also seeHenningBoeckerldquoBrainImagingExplorestheMythofRunnerrsquosHighrdquoMedicalNewsTodayMarch42008

The next neurotransmitter is anandamide Arne Dietrich andWMcDaniel ldquoEndocannabinoids and exerciserdquo British Journal ofSports Medicine October 2004 38(5) pp 536ndash41 and D ARaichlen A D Foster G L Gerdeman A Seillier and AGiuffrida ldquoWired to Run Exercise-Induced EndocannabinoidSignalinginHumansandCursorialMammalswithImplicationsforthelsquoRunnerrsquosHighrsquothinsprdquoJournalofExperimentalBiology2152012pp1331ndash36

the brain releases serotonin This one is certainly up for debateMostresearchersseemtoagreethatserotoninissomehowinvolvedinflowbutdirectworkhasnotbeendoneWedoknowforsurethatserotoninshowsupwithexercisesothechemicaliscertainlyinthemixwhenitcomestoactionandadventuresportsathletesinflow For a general look at serotonin and exercise see SimonYoung ldquoHow to IncreaseSerotonin in theHumanBrainWithoutDrugsrdquoJournalofPsychiatryandNeuroscience2007AlsoJohnRateyandEricHagermanSparkTheRevolutionaryNewScienceofExerciseandtheBrain(LittleBrown2008)

Philip Cowen told the New York Times Natalie Angier ldquoJobDescription Grows for Our Utility Hormonerdquo New York TimesMay22011

68 ldquoEvery so often a Celtic gamewould heat uprdquo Bill Russell andTaylorBranchSecondWindTheMemoirsofanOpinionatedMan(BallantineBooks1980)

69 itacceleratessocialbondingIfyouwantthelaypersonversionofthis idea see Helen Fisher Why We Love The Nature andChemistry ofRomantic Love (Holt 2004) For the very technicalversion see Jaak Panksepp Affective Neuroscience TheFoundations ofHumanandAnimalEmotions (OxfordUniversityPress1994)

ItwastimefortheirtriproundSuicideCornerTherersquosreallygreatfootage of these jumps see ldquoBirdmen Fly Through Chicago forlsquoTransformersrsquothinsprdquoCBSNewsJune282011

70 TaoBermanrsquossentimentTaoBermanAI2011

The fight-or-flight response Obviously therersquos tons of stuff out

therebutJaimalYogisdoesanexcellentjobwiththescienceinhisrecent book The Fear Project What Our Most Primal EmotionTaught Me About Survival Success Surfinghellipand Love (Rodale2013)

71 thatrsquos flowrsquos real trigger Benson and Proctor The BreakoutPrinciple

72 psychologists call ldquosituational awarenessrdquo Mica EndsleyldquoTowards a Theory of Situational Awareness in DynamicSystemsrdquoHumanFactors199537(1)pp32ndash64

74 purportedly forADHDAlanSchwartz ldquoRiskyRiseof theGoodGradePillrdquoNewYorkTimesJune92012

number one cause of accidental death ldquoDrug Deaths ExceedTrafficDeathsrdquoABCNewsSeptember202011

a trillion-dollar public-health problem ldquoDrugFacts NationwideTrendsrdquoNational Institute onDrugAbuseDecember 2012 Seehttpwwwdrugabusegovpublicationsdrugfactsnationwide-trends

75 nakedspreadeaglesMuchoftheresearchforthissectionisbasedonconversationswithScottGaffneyandJTHolmesAlsoseeRobStory ldquoSkiing Will Never Be the Same the Life and Death ofShaneMcConkeyrdquoSkiingAugust2009

76 the website Tahoetopia ldquoTahoe Resorts A-to-Z Squaw ValleyUSArdquo tahoetopiacom httpwwwtahoetopiacomnewstahoe-resorts-z-squaw-valley-usa

cult-classic ski flick Daydreamshttpwwwtahoetopiacomnewssquaw-valley-palisades-daydreams-film Also seehttpcraigbeckproductionscomDaydreams_Historyhtml

RobStory inSkiingmagazine Story ldquoSkiingWillNeverBe theSamerdquo

5THEFLOWSHORTCUT

77 VailintheirwisdombannedhimforlifeBillGiffordldquoDyingtoFlyrdquoMenrsquosJournalJune102009

ldquoEvery morning hersquod be the first uphelliprdquo ldquoFellow Pros onWhatShaneMeanttoThemrdquoPowdermagcomAugust182009

ldquoPrettymuchitrsquosalwaysabad idea to try todosomethingShanecandordquoIngridBackstromPush(MatchstickProductions2005)

ldquoMcConkey turnrdquoSee ibidSkierEricHjorleifsongives aprettygreatdescription

LeslieAnthonyoncefittinglydescribedhellipLeslieAnthonyWhitePlanet A Mad Dash Through Modern Global Ski Culture(GreystoneBooks2010)p204

78 DougCoombsThiscomesfrominterviewswithDirkCollinsbuttherersquosagreatoldSkimagazine interviewwithCoombsavailableherehttptailgatealaskacomnode52

straight-lined Python You can see the run in Matchstickproductionrsquos1998filmSickSenseThesixty-miles-per-hourtidbitcomesfromSteveWinterwhowasshootingthatday

79 University ofChicago educational psychologistBenjaminBloomlaunched the Talent Project K Anders Ericsson Neil CharnessPaulFeltovichandRobertHoffmanTheCambridgeHandbookofExpertise and Expert Performance (Cambridge University Press2006)pp287ndash301

AsBloomlatertoldreportersIbid

80 ldquoAlotofuswerefrombrokenhomesrdquoJohnRoosldquoSkateboardingPunkInspireaHunnrsquosSalvationrdquoLATimesDecember52000

AndersEricssonperformedEricssonetalCambridgeHandbookof Expertise and Expert Performance and Malcolm GladwellOutliersTheStoryofSuccess(LittleBrown2008)pp35ndash68

ldquoTheyworkmuchmuchharderrdquoGladwellOutliersp39

81 WalterMischel performed Philip Zimbardo and JohnBoydTheTime Paradox The New Psychology of Time That Will ChangeYourLife(FreePress2008)pp216ndash20

82 Outside magazine profile of Shane McConkey Tim Sohn ldquoTheLifeandDeathofShaneMcConkeyrdquoOutsideJune2009

ldquoFromthisexperiencerdquoThisentiresection isbasedonZimbardoandBoydrsquosTheTimeParadox

84 UCLA psychologist Steven Berglas Steven Berglas Reclaimingthe Fire How Successful People Overcome Burnout (RandomHouse2001)

85 Psychologists describe flow as ldquoautotelicrdquo CsikszentmihalyiCreativityp113

ldquoBecauseflowinvolvesmeetingchallengesanddevelopingskillsrdquoMihalyCsikszentmihalyiGood Business Leadership Flow andtheMakingofMeaning(Penguin2003)p50

ldquoThepersonIbecamehelliprdquoRobSchultheisBoneGamesExtremeSports Shamanism Zen and the Search for Transcendence(BreakawayBooks1996)pp10ndash11

87 high-performance sports psychologist Michael Gervais MikeGervaisAIAugust2012

South Korean researchers looking at e-learning Li-An Ho andTsung-Hsien Kuo ldquoHow Can One Amplify the Effect of E-Learning An Examination of High-Tech Employeesrsquo ComputerAttitude and Flow Experiencerdquo Computers in Human BehaviorJanuary201026(1)pp23ndash31

militarysniperstrainedinflowSallyAdeeldquoZapYourBrainintothe Zone Fast Track to Pure FocusrdquoNew Scientist February 62012

it literally shortens the path A lot more has been written aboutflowandlearningForadecentwikionthesubjectcheckoutUdoKonradt ldquoFlow Experience and Positive Affect DuringHypermediaLearningrdquoBritishJournalofEducationalTechnology201034(3)httpedutechwikiunigechenFlow_theory

Dr Rob Gaffney explains in Squallywood Robb GaffneySquallywood A Guide to Squaw Valleyrsquos Most Exposed Lines(WestbridgePublishing2003)p120

88 Official Canadian Ski Museum biography Seehttpwwwskimuseumcabiodataphplang=enampid=33

89 ldquoDuringhisbig-mountaincompetitiondaysrdquoMicahAbramsldquoItrsquosTotallyDoablerdquoFreezeFebruary2003Issue82

ldquoIn one particular scene Shanehelliprdquo ldquoFellowPros onWhat ShaneMeanttoThemrdquo

90 ldquoShane brought everyone hoperdquo Seehttpwwwsessionscomblog20121230happy-birthday-shane-mcconkey

93 ldquoTheywould have toldme Iwas committing suiciderdquoAllDougAmmons quotes are based on a long series of interviewse-mailexchanges between Ammons and the author These took placebetweenJuly2012andJune2013

Outside made a list of the ten greatest adventurers since 1900ldquoGame Changers The Ten Greatest Adventurers Since 1900rdquoOutsideMarch102010

94 ldquoPerhaps the most beautiful experience in kayakingrdquo DougAmmonsWhitewaterPhilosophy(WaterNymphPress2009)

ldquoA Brief Historyrdquo See httpwwwdougammonscomother-stories-stikine_shorthtml

97 analtruism-triggeredflowstateAllanLuksandPeggyPayneTheHealingPowerofDoingGood(iUniverse2001)pp17ndash18Alsohttpallanlukscomhelpers_high

98 the lure of the joystick Ben Cowley Darryl Charles MichaelaBlack and Ray Hickey ldquoTowards an Understanding of Flow inVideo Gamesrdquo Computers in Entertainment 6(2) July 2008Penelope Sweetser and Peta Wyeth ldquoGameFlow A Model forEvaluating Player Enjoyment in Gamesrdquo Computers inEntertainment3(3)July2005

ldquoPlacing players in flowrdquo Erik Gregory ldquoUnderstanding Video

6OUTERFLOW

Gamingrsquos Engagement Flow and Its Application to InteractiveMediardquoMediaPsychologyReview1(1)2008

OraclersquosDeveloper Insight Series Janice Heiss ldquoThe DeveloperInsightSeriesPart3TheProcessofWritingCoderdquoOracleMay2009 Seehttpwwworaclecomtechnetworkarticlesjavasedevinsight-3-139847html

flow-based accounting Tom DeMarco and Timothy ListerPeopleware Productive Projects and Teams 2nd ed (Dorsett1999) pp 62ndash68 also seehttpjavatrooperscomPeoplewarehtml

99 ldquoAllofthebasicactivitiesthatledtotodayrsquoshigh-techrevolutionrdquoReeseJonesAIJanuary2013

ldquoThe peak experience in sportrdquo Ken Ravizza ldquoQualities of thePeak Experience in Sportrdquo Psychological Foundations of Sport(HumanKinetics1984)pp452ndash62

2000 study run on kayakers Christopher Jones StevenHollenhorstFrankPernaandSteveSelinldquoValidationoftheFlowTheory in an On-SiteWhitewater Kayaking Settingrdquo Journal ofLeisureResearch200032(2)pp247ndash61

100 GreylockPartnersventurecapitalistJamesSlavetJamesSlavetldquo5New Management Metrics You Need to Knowrdquo ForbescomDecember 13 2011 Seehttpwwwforbescomsitesbruceupbin20111213five-new-management-metrics-you-need-to-know

101 the amygdala Joseph LeDoux The Emotional Brain TheMysteriousUnderpinnings of Emotional Life (SimonampSchuster1996)pp138ndash78

ldquoTherewasarushrdquoAmmonsWhitewaterPhilosophyp6

102 neuropsychologist Barbara Sahakian Barbara SahakianAIMay2012 Also see Steven Kotler ldquoTraining the Brain of anEntrepreneurrdquo Forbescom May 14 2012httpwwwforbescomsitesstevenkotler20120514training-the-brain-of-an-entrepreneur

anevenbiggerneurochemicalresponseisfacilitatedTherersquosatonof literature about the relationship between risk and dopamineGregBernrsquos aforementionedbookSatisfaction is a great place tostart Also see Peter Gwin ldquoThe Mystery of Riskrdquo NationalGeographic June 2013Moreover it appears that certain peoplearemorehardwiredthanothersforsensationseekingForexampleseeAliceParkldquoWhyWeTakeRisksmdashItrsquostheDopaminerdquoTimeDecember30 2008SusannePiet ldquoWhatMotivatesStuntMenrdquoMotivationandEmotion11(2)1987

Harvard psychiatrist Ned Hallowell Ned Hallowell AI March2013

consequences of betting on a bad idea For a great look at theneuroscienceofmentalrisktakingseeGregBernsIconoclastANeuroscientistRevealsHowtoThinkDifferently(HarvardBusinessPress2008)

104 hold our attention much like risk Brian Knutson and JeffreyCooper ldquoThe Lure of the UnknownrdquoNeuron 2006 51 (3) pp280ndash81 Nico Bunzeck and Emrah Duzel ldquoAbsolute Coding ofStimulusNovelty in theHumanSubstantiaNigraVTArdquoNeuron200651(3)pp369ndash79alsoJonathonBenjaminLinLiChavisPattersonBenjaminGreenbergDennisMurphyandDeanHamerldquoPopulation andFamilialAssociationBetween theD4DopamineReceptor Gene and Measures of Novelty Seekingrdquo NatureGenetics199612pp81ndash4

awe is a state of total absorption Dacher Keltner and JonathanHaidt ldquoApproaching Awe a Moral Spiritual and AestheticEmotionrdquoCognitionandEmotion2003(17)2pp297ndash314AlsoMelanie Rudd and Kathleen Vohs ldquoAwe Expands PeoplersquosPerceptionofTimeAltersDecisionMakingandEnhancesWell-Beingrdquo working paper available here httpfaculty-gsbstanfordeduaakerpagesdocumentsTimeandAwe2012_workingpaperpdf

105 JamesOldsJamesOldsAIApril2013

Deepembodiment JamieWhealldquoFreeYourAssandYourMindWillFollowEmbodiedLeadershiprdquoChangeThis 42(6) January2007 To get at the heart of this idea also requires a decent

understanding on new thinking about embodied cognition For agreatoverviewLouiseBarrettBeyondtheBrainHowBodyandEnvironment Shape Animal and Human Minds (PrincetonUniversityPress2011)

ldquo[T]asks that require real-timerdquo Arne Dietrich and MichelAudiffren ldquoThe reticular-activating hypofrontality (RAH) modelofacuteexerciserdquoNeuroscienceandBiobehavioralReviews201135pp1305ndash25

107 ldquomillion-dollarholerdquoGerryMoffettAIJuly2012

ldquoparadoxofcontrolrdquoCsikszentmihalyiFlowpp59ndash62

ldquoIt is this absence ofhellipemotionrdquo Martin Seligman AuthenticHappiness Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize YourPotentialforLastingFulfillment(FreePress2002)p116

108 ldquoWhen yoursquore arrogant and egotisticalrdquo James Olds AI March2013

109 Mandy-Rae Cruickshank never intended to become a superheroAll Mandy-Rae quotes and details come from an interviewconductedJune2002

110 AlecWilkinson explained in the pages ofTheNewYorker ldquoTheDeepestDiverdquoTheNewYorkerAugust242009

ldquoIhadzerofreedivingtechniqueatthetimerdquoKirkKrackAIJune2012Alsoseehttpwwwperformancefreedivingcom

113 ldquo[W]e tend to exist in a distracted presentrdquo Douglas RushkoffPresentShockWhenEverythingHappensNow(Penguin2013)p4

114 thethreemostcriticalCsikszentmihalyiFlowpp48ndash93

mostofthestudentsdidnrsquotseethegorillaChristopherChabrisandDanielSimonsTheInvisibleGorilla(Harmony2011)

doctorstestedfailedtospottheanimalAlixSpiegelldquoWhyEven

7 INNERFLOW

RadiologistsCanMissaGorillaHidinginPlainSightrdquoNPRorgFebruary112013

116 ldquoIn the mountains feedback is instantrdquo John Gans executivedirector of NOLS Lecture delivered at HighMountain InstituteCO1999

professionswith less direct feedback loops StephenDubner andStevenLevittldquoAStarIsMaderdquoNewYorkTimesMay72006

about4percentChipConleyAISeptember2013TherealratioaccordingtocalculationsperformedbyCsikszentmihalyiis196

Yerkes-Dobson law Robert Yerkes and John Dodson ldquoTheRelationofStrengthofStimulustoRapidityofHabitFormationrdquoJournalofComparativeNeurologyandPsychology190818pp459ndash82

117 ldquoEver since you were a little kidrdquo Miles Daisher AI January2013

118 ldquoMindsetrdquoreferstoCarolDweckMindsetHowWeCanLearntoFulfillOurPotential(BallantineBooks2007)

119 they were the winning drivers Lisa Trei ldquoFixed versus GrowthIntelligence Mindsets Itrsquos All in Your Head Dweck SaysrdquoStanfordNewsServiceFebruary72007

ldquoWhenyouthinkaboutitrdquoDweckMindsetp11

120 Four-partflowcycleBensonandProctorTheBreakoutPrincipleYouwillalsonotethattheflowcyclelooksanawfullotlikeAlexOsbornandSidneyParnesrsquosldquoCreativeProblem-SolvingModelrdquoItalsobearsalotofsimilaritytomostldquolearningcyclesrdquoThisisnotaccidentalCertainlymoreresearchneedstobedonebutitseemslikewersquorelookingatversionsofthesameprocess

ldquoFor a businesspersonrdquo Benson and Proctor The BreakoutPrinciplep18

121 Norwegian skier and BASE jumper Karina Hollekim KarinaHollekimAIFebruary2013

JamieWhealJamieWhealAIJuly2012

123 ldquoI grew upwatching the greatest show on earthrdquoAll of the IanWalshquotesanddetailsweregarneredinaninterviewconductedFebruary2013

124 The articleMichael Shapiro ldquoOnOneBreathrdquoHanaHou TheMagazineofHawaiianAirlinesAugustSeptember2008

125 theridewashisSeehttpxxl11billabongcomarchiveroty

126 ldquoCareers are a jungle gym not a ladderrdquo Sheryl SandbergLeanInWomenWorkandtheWilltoLead(Knopf2013)p53

128 MarkPowellwhofirstsolvedtheseissuesStevenRoperCamp4Recollections of a Yosemite Rock Climber (The Mountaineers1994)pp83ndash87

ldquoHeknewthatapersonwhodidnrsquotmindalittlehardshiprdquoIbid

129 ldquoPowelldistinguishedhimselfrdquoJosephTaylorIIIPilgrimsof theVertical Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk (HarvardUniversityPress2010)p134

130 ldquoWhenyouplayinensemblesrdquoUnlessotherwisenotedallKeithSawyer information in this chapter comes from a series ofinterviewsconductedbetweenAugust2012andJuly2013

131 ldquoSurgeonssaythatduringadifficultoperationrdquoCsikszentmihalyiFlowp65

ldquoMy years of playing pianordquo Keith SawyerGroupGenius TheCreativePowerofCollaboration(BasicBooks2007)px

132 ifthoseconversationshappenatworkCsikszentmihalyiFlowpp157ndash59

StBonaventureUniversity psychologistCharlesWalkerCharlesWalker ldquoExperiencing Flow Is Doing It Together Better ThanDoingItAlonerdquoJournalofPositivePsychology20105(1)pp3ndash11

ldquogroupflowwerethehighestperformersrdquoSawyerGroupGenius

8THEWEOFFLOW

p43

133 waystoaltersocialconditionstoproducemoregroupflowIbidpp39ndash58

134 theveryfirsttimeinthe120-yearhistoryIbidp53

135 deep solidarity and togetherness Richard Celsi ldquoTranscendentBenefits of High-Risk Sportrdquo Advances in Consumer Research198219pp636ndash41

136 ldquoTwoofCamp4rsquosbouldersrdquoRoperCamp4pp151ndash52

137 the moment the technology truly exploded Aaron NmungwunVideo Recording Technology Its Impact on Media and HomeEntertainment(Routledge1989)pp168ndash70

article forSlateMatthewMalady The Search for Animal ChinSlatecomJuly272011

139 ldquoYou canrsquot really describe the impactrdquo Joe Donnelly AI June2012

ldquoMayorof theDirtbagsrdquoRobBuchananldquoClimbingat theSpeedofSoulrdquoOutsideDecember2002

JTHolmesexplainsJTHolmesAIOctober2012

140 PrimalCrewgottoworkThisstoryisbasedonaseriesofMilesDaisherinterviewsconductedinJanuary2013

ldquoThey called it the Primal Houserdquo David Miller ldquoThe PrimalCrew A Group of Friends Who Redefined Gravity SportsrdquoMatadorNetworkcomOctober242008

141 Frank ldquoThe Gamblerrdquo Gambalie Janet Reltman ldquoLast BaserdquoESPNTheMagazineFebruary212000

143 ldquoThatwasabigdealrdquoJTHolmesAIMarch2012

JimmyChinexplainsJimmyChinAIJanuary2013

9THEFLOWOF IMAGINATION

144 globalsurveyconductedbyIBMldquoIBM2010GlobalCEOStudyCreativity Selected as Most Crucial Factor for Future SuccessrdquoIBMcomMay2010

Partnershipfor21stCenturySkillsSeehttpwwwp21org

ldquothe process of developing original ideas that have valuerdquo KenRobinsonOutofOurMindsLearningtoBeCreative(Capstone2011)pp1ndash7

TherersquossignificantriskinvolvedineverystepofthisprocessGregBerns Iconoclast A Neuroscientist Reveals How to ThinkDifferently(HarvardBusinessReviewPress2010)

ldquoCreativityisjustconnectingthingsrdquoGaryWolfldquoSteveJobsTheNextInsanelyGreatThingrdquoWiredApril2002

145 thecreativeactForlinksbetweencreativityanddopamineseeSAChermahiniandBHommelldquoThe (B)linkBetweenCreativityand Dopamine Spontaneous Eye Blink Rates Predict andDissociate Divergent and Convergent ThinkingrdquoCognition June2010 115(3) pp 458ndash65 Also ldquoParkinsonrsquos Treatment CanTriggerCreativityrdquoScienceDailycomJanuary142013

ldquoWhen yoursquore concentrating on something that mattersrdquo NedHallowellAIMay2013

flow state itself acts like a force multiplier for creativity SeeCsikszentmihalyi Creativity Also Alison Gopnik ldquoForInnovation Dodge the Prefrontal Policerdquo Wall Street JournalApril52013

lowalphahighthetastatealsoboostscreativityTherersquosobviouslyatontochoosefrombutforasolidreviewofthefieldNarayananSrinivasan ldquoCognitive Neuroscience of Creativity EEG BasedApproachesrdquoMethods200742pp109ndash16AlsoAndreasFinketalldquoTheCreativeBrainInvestigationofBrainActivityDuringCreativeProblemSolvingbyMeans ofEEGand fMRIrdquoHumanBrainMapping200930(3)pp734ndash48

ldquoWhen yoursquore out skiing or skating with your friendsrdquo MicahAbramsAIJune2013

146 ldquoShanedesperatelywantedrdquoScottGaffneyAIFebruary2012

147 $500000tobuildDarylFranklinAIJune2012

148 shot at thedouble ski-BASEonMarch25 2009rdquoThedetails inthissectionarebasedoninterviewswithbothJTHolmesandSteveWinter(bothofwhomwerethereathisdeath)conductedMayandJuneof2011

149 LeslieAnthonywroteinWhitePlanetIbid

153 tentimesvotedSnowboardBigMountainRideroftheYearrdquoMaxKlinger ldquoA Soft-Spoken Snowboarder Blazes Icy Trailsrdquo NewYorkTimesFebruary232013

ldquoWithout the sponsors and supportrdquo Seehttpwwwoneillcommenasiapacificteamridersgglobal_team|jeremy_jones

154 ldquoAlaska was a different planetrdquo All Jeremy Jones quotes comefromaseriesofauthorinterviewsconductedbetweenMarch2013andJuly2013

155 the ldquoDeeperrdquo experimenthttpwwwtetongravitycomfilmsdeeper

159 ldquoIfeltIcouldnotbehurtrdquoPeleacuteandRobertLFishMyLifeandthe Beautiful Game The Autobiography of Peleacute (Doubleday1977)

ESPNcalled 2011 the ldquogrimmest year in [action] sportsrdquoDevonOrsquoNeil ldquoNoOne Is Immune toRiskrdquoESPNcomDecember282011AlsoseeAndrewKehldquoSarahBurkeFreestyleSkierDiesfrom Injuries in Trainingrdquo New York Times January 19 2012ldquoArne Backstrom 1980ndash2010rdquo PowderMag June 4 2010 Andfor why 2013 looks grimmer than 2011 seehttpsnowboardsecretscomdeaths

160 ldquoNot less than everythingrdquo T S Eliot Four Quartets (MarinerBooks1968)

10THEDARKSIDEOFFLOW

ramificationsaresoul-suckingWhatwersquorereallylookingathereisthe incredibly addictive power of neurochemistry See Ting-JuiChou and Chih-Chen Ting ldquoThe Role of Flow Experience inCyber-Game Addictionrdquo CyberPsychology and BehaviorDecember 2003 6(6) pp 663ndash75 Vaughan Bell ldquoThe UnsexyTruthAboutDopaminerdquoTheObserverFebruary22013ldquoGettingYour Endorphin Fixrdquo New York Times June 24 2013 DanPetersonldquoRunnerrsquosHighCanTurn intoaRealAddictionrdquoNBCNews August 29 2009 Susan Perry ldquoDid You Know These 7Surprises About Slotsrdquo PsychologyTodaycom November 42012

ldquoNoquestionaboutitrdquoAlltheJamieWhealquotesinthischaptercome froma seriesof interviewsdiscussionsbetweenApril 2011andJuly2013

ldquoWhenIfeelthatreallydrainingrdquoDeanPotterAIMarch2013

161 ldquoIhopeyoutalka littleabouthowutterlyfuckedrdquoChrisMalloyAIFebruary182012

162 wehavedecidedthatplayJohanHuizingaHomoLudensAStudyof the Play-Element in Culture (Beacon Press 1971) KennethGinsburg ldquoThe Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy ChildDevelopment and Maintaining Strong Parents-Child BondsrdquoPediatrics January 1 2007 119(1) pp 182ndash91 MargaritaTartakovsky ldquoThe Importance of Play for AdultsrdquoPsychCentralcom

163 RedBullforexamplehasteamedupwiththeNavySEALsMarkAndersldquoTheRiverofPainrdquoTheRedBulletinJanuary52013

ldquoAll my friends who have been lostrdquo ldquoThe Death ZonerdquoNBCNews February 23 2012 Seehttpunofficialnetworkscommsnbcs-rock-center-brian-williams-speaks-dr-robb-gaffney-sherry-mcconkey-risk-fatalities-sport-skiing-78051

164 a $750 billion lifestyle industry ldquoThe Outdoor RecreationEconomyrdquo Outdoor Industry Association 2012 SeehttpwwwoutdoorindustryorgpdfOIA_OutdoorRecEconomyReport2012pdf

166 snowboardinglegendCraigKellydiedFrankLitskyldquoCraigKelly36HelpedRedefineSnowboarding asSport andArtrdquoNew YorkTimesJanuary252003

ldquoKellywasthepioneerrdquoAlltheTravisRicequotesinthissectioncomefromanauthorinterviewconductedMay2013

168 ldquoYoursquove got to be kidding merdquo The Art of Flight Brain FarmDigitalCinemaandRedBullMediaHouse2011

170 fast followers Steven Blank ldquoYoursquore Better Off Being a FastFollowerThananOriginatorrdquoBusinessInsiderOctober52010

The X Games were in San Francisco Statistacom Seehttpwwwstatistacomstatistics205228total-x-games-attendance Elizabeth White ldquoWonder Where the Fans WentThinkXGamesrdquoMediaLifeMagazineJanuary2001

skateboardingrsquos Best Trick competition Tony Hawk and SeanMortimerHawkOccupationSkateboarder(ReganBooks2001)pp1ndash5

171 It was a show all right httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=1vInHTvNX6Q

ldquoEverything blanked out except the 9rdquo Hawk and MortimerHawkpp2ndash3

HestartedskatingbythetimehewasfiveyearsoldAlltheTomSchaar details come from an author interview conducted April2013 but also see httpblogdcshoescomusenskatethe-teamtom-schaar

172 ldquoI remember thinkingrdquo Bones Brigade An AutobiographydirectedbyStacyPeralta2012

landed the worldrsquos first 1080 Keith Hamm ldquo12-year-old TomSchaarLands1080rdquoESPNcomMarch302012

ldquoI canrsquot believe I can do something Tony Hawk canrsquotrdquo

11 THEFLOWOFNEXT

ldquoSkateboarder Tom SchaarlsquoMy First Xrsquo The Evolution of the1080rdquoNetworkAJune252012

173 ldquoItrynottothinkaboutanythingrdquoldquoXGamesLosAngeles2012MitchieBruscoSilverMedalInterviewrdquoXGamesJuly32012

174 itwas bound to happenNealBascombThePerfectMileThreeAthletes One Goal and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It(MarinerBooks2005)

ldquoMostpeopleconsideredrunningrdquoIbidp1

175 ldquoIfyouwanttounderstandtheBannistereffectrdquoMikeGervaisAIApril2013

Edmund Jacobsonwho first discovered this linkF JMcGuiganandPaulLehrer ldquoProgressiveRelaxationOriginsPrinciplesandClinical Applicationsrdquo in Principles and Practices of StressManagement Third Edition edited by Paul Lehrer RobertWoolfolkandWesleySime(GuilfordPress2008)pp57ndash71

liftingweightswasenoughtoincreasestrengthGuangYueandKJColeldquoStrengthIncreasesfromtheMotorProgramComparisonof Training with Maximal Voluntary and Imagined MuscleContractionsrdquoJournalofNeurophysiology67no5 (May1992)pp1114ndash23

176 furtheramplifying flowAngieLeVanldquoSeeing IsBelievingThePower of Visualizationrdquo PsychologyTodaycom December 32009

177 ldquoWhenIwasstartingoutrdquoTravisPastranaAIMarch2012

ldquoWhen yoursquore talking about this next generation of athletesrdquoLeslieSherlinAIFebruary2013

178 far greater amounts of flow thanmore traditionalmethodologiesKevinRathundeldquoMontessoriEducationandOptimalExperienceA Framework for New Researchrdquo The NAMTA Journal Winter200126(1)pp11ndash43

University of Virginia psychologist Angeline Lillard AngelineLillard and Nicole Else-Quest ldquoThe Early Years Evaluating

MontessoriEducationrdquoScience September 29 2006 313(5795)pp1893ndash94

WhenprofessorJeffreyDyerhellipandHalGregersenTheinnovatorsDyer andGregersenare referring to includeeveryone fromhigh-tech pioneers like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos SimCity creatorWill Wright Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Googlecofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page to culture-shapingcreatives like rapperentrepreneur SeanCombs chefentrepreneurJuliaChildandNobellaureateauthorGabrielGarciacuteaMaacuterquezIn2004whenBarbaraWaltersinterviewedPageandBrinsheaskedif the fact that theirparentswerebothcollegeprofessorswas themajorreasonfortheirsuccessPagefeltotherwiseldquoWebothwenttoMontessorischoolsandIthinkitwaspartofthattrainingofnotfollowing rules andorders andbeing self-motivated questioningwhatrsquosgoingonintheworlddoingthingsalittlebitdifferentlyrdquo

they too found a Montessori connection Jeffrey Dyer HalGregersen and Clayton Christensen ldquoThe Innovatorrsquos DNArdquoHarvardBusinessReviewDecember2009

179 ldquoGo back to Roger Bannisterrsquos timerdquo Mike Gervais AI April2013

180 ldquoTheideawastodeveloprdquoLeslieSherlinAIFebruary2013

ldquoquantified Selfrdquo devices Lila Battis ldquoFitness TrackersComparedrdquo Menrsquos Health Seehttpwwwmenshealthcomtechlustnew-fitness-trackers

181 Hugh Herr the head of the biomechatronics Steven KotlerldquoBionicManrdquoPlayboyJune2012

ldquoanyonewithabumkneerdquoIbid

182 fivetimesthespeedofMoorersquosLawPeterDiamandisandStevenKotler Abundance The Future Is Better Than You Think (FreePress2011)

183 meet Alex Honnold Honnold quotes and details came from aseriesofinterviewsconductedbytheauthorbetweenMarch2013andJuly2013

PeterCroftandDeanPotterDouglasMacDonaldldquoAstromanandRostrum Free-Solordquo Climbingcom Seehttpwwwclimbingcomnewsastroman-and-rostrum-free-solo

ldquoWhen you talk about what the nextrdquo Jimmy Chin AI March2013

186 first person in history to solo Half Dome ldquoNG LIVE FreeSoloing with Alex Honnoldrdquo National Geographic Live Seehttpvideonationalgeographiccomvideospecialsnat-geo-live-specialschin-bonus-nglive

finishing the route in one hour twenty-two minutes JoshuaWeatherlldquoHonnoldSolosElCaoHalfDomeandMtWatkinsinEighteenHoursrdquoAlpinistcomJune72012

187 skydiver Felix Baumgartner was heading Seewwwredbullstratoscom

188 ldquoFelixisanactionsportsathleterdquoAndyWalsheAIApril2013

189 ldquoAtacertainRPMrdquoJohnTierneyldquo24Miles4Minutesand834MPHAllinOneJumprdquoNewYorkTimesOctober142012

190 lived through their midair crack-up See Summary ReportFindings of the Red Bull Stratos Scientific Summit CaliforniaScienceCenterJanuary232013

AnsariXPrizein2004Seewwwxprizeorg

SpaceShipTworsquos flight was a test burn ldquoVirgin GalacticrsquosSpaceShipTwo Makes Test Flightrdquo USATodaycom April 292013

Paying customers going rocket man before 2015 ElizabethHowell ldquoVirgin Galactic Richard Bransonrsquos Space TourismCompanyrdquoSpacecomDecember202012

192 Arie de Geus Arie de Geus The Living Company Habits forSurvival in a Turbulent Business Environment (HarvardBusiness

12FLOWTOABUNDANCE

ReviewPress2002)

193 ldquoWearetheonesrdquoAliceWalkerWeAretheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingForInnerLightinaTimeofDarkness(NewPress2006)

AbouttheAuthor

StevenKotler is aNew York Times best-selling author and an award-winningjournalistHisbooks include thenonfictionworksAbundanceA Small FurryPrayerWestofJesusandthenovelTheAngleQuickestforFlightHisarticleshaveappearedinmorethanseventypublicationsincludingtheNewYorkTimesMagazinetheAtlanticWiredForbesGQPopularScienceandDiscoverHeis also the cofounder anddirector of research for theFlowGenomeProject atransdisciplinaryinternationalorganizationdedicatedtodecodingflowandopensourcing it toeveryone(wwwflowgenomeprojectco)Youcanfindhimonlineat wwwstevenkotlercom or writing Far Frontiers his blog for Forbescomwwwforbescomsitesstevenkotler

Index

absorption30Seealsoawarenessabundance191ndash92193actionandadventuresports

careers127ndash29communities129ndash30135ndash39evolutionof169ndash73evolutionofhumansandxvxxi101falseimageof108flowcyclefor122lifestyle77ndash78129167ndash68asmoviestunts60ndash626569ndash73neurochemicalsactivatedin66ndash69101ndash2newgenerationof169ndash73177ndash79rebelliousnessof77ndash78142146RedBull3560ndash626569ndash73143187ndash91sponsorship153ndash54163traditionalsportsversusxiv99103

addiction646774adrenalinerush70ndash71Alaska

PythonPeak78snowboardingallover154ndash57Stikine94ndash97103ndash4

alphabrainwaves33145alteredconsciousness31AmmonsDoug93ndash97103ndash4106ndash8amygdala101

anandamide67AnsariXPrize190apps180TheArtofFlight165ndash66168athletes

asadrenalinejunkies70definingxvnewgenerationof169ndash73177ndash79normalpeopletestedversus63predictionskillsof63sponsorship153ndash54163traditionalversusextremexiv99

awarenessfordecisionmaking34deepembodiment105ndash6asflowcomponent3031self-49ndash51119situational72timedilationand54Seealsoconsciousness

BakerMountxviBannisterRoger174BASEjumping

byBaumgartner187ndash91CellarofSwallows52ndash54deathby142149evolutionof89ndash90143148ndash49byMcConkey89ndash90140ndash43148ndash49byPotter51ndash55byPrimalCrew140ndash43ski-90121143148ndash49fromspace187ndash91wingsuitflying60ndash626569ndash73

basketballSeesportsBaumgartnerFelix187ndash91BayMichael5960BeckGreg76

BeckerErnestxxiBensonHerbert71ndash72BentleyRoss118ndash19BermanTaoxiiindashxivBernsGreg180betabrainwaves33biologySeephysiologybionics181ndash82BirdmanInternational60BlakesleeSandra63ndash64blissjunkies162BloomBenjamin79BonzaiPipeline25BoulleJulian60BradshawKenxxBradtTylerxivBrainSport180brain-wavepatterns3340145SeealsoneuroscienceBrinSergey221BritishColumbia

SelkirkMountains166Stikine94ndash97103ndash4106ndash8

BrownBobbyxiiiBrownJake514BruscoMitchie173bungeejumping140ndash41burnout84BurnquistBob1417business

corporatelongevity192ndash93creativityin144147entrepreneurship134ndash35147178feedbackin116134ndash35flowin2198100

CaliforniaMaverickrsquosxviiindashxxiSquawValley75ndash7687ndash89140ndash43

Yosemite128ndash29136142183ndash86Camp4(Roper)128136CanadianCertifiedMountainGuides166CannonWalterBradford12carracing118ndash19careerbuilding127ndash29161CarrollShannonxiiicavesBASEjumping52ndash54CellarofSwallows52ndash54challengeskillratio30116ndash17119163chessmasters3334ndash35children171ndash73177ndash79ChinJimmy143146ndash47183ChinaGreatWallof4ndash8ChryslerBuildingjump142ldquochunkingrdquoandpatternrecognition64ndash65clarity114ndash15SeealsofocusClarkJeffxviiiclimbing

evolutionof8ndash9183FitzRoy4244ndash47free183kayakingand69Santis89snowboardingand155ndash57Yosemite128ndash29136142183ndash86

cocaine64codingcomputer98communicationflow133134ndash35communities129ndash30135ndash39competition146192ndash93Seealsogroupflowcomplexity104ndash5computercoding98SeealsotechnologyconcentrationSeefocusconsciousness

altered10ndash1228ndash29oneness55ndash58167self-30

consequencesSeerisktaking

controlduringflow30107ndash8133offlow164ndash65

CoombsDoug78corruption163cortisol7072creativity

inbusiness144147flowand39ndash4197130145fromgroups129133143145ndash48improvisation131133neuroscienceof39ndash40144ndash45patternrecognitionand144ndash45risktakingfor147ndash48triggers144ndash48winningversus146ndash47

Creativity(Csikszentmihalyi)20CruickshankMandy-Rae109111ndash12CsikszentmihalyiMihaly17ndash1819ndash2230ndash31

decisionmakingstudiesby33ndash34groupflowstudiesby130ndash32timedilationstudiesby54

cultureSeesocietyCurrenPat24CussonJFxvi

DaisherMiles117140ndash43DaleyHarry136dangerSeerisktakingDrsquoAquiliEugene55ndash57DARPA(DefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency)87163deGeusArie192ndash93death

byBASEjumping142149fearofxxi57ndash58flowand5557ndash58158ndash60ofFooMarkxxndashxxiofGambalieFrank142

honoring142157166ndash67ofKellyCraig166learningandmotivationfrom166ndash67ofMcConkeyShane149156ndash57near-experiences10ndash11byskiing149159ndash60bysnowboarding166bysurfingxxndashxxiSeealsorisktaking

decisionmakingcreativityin145explicitversusimplicit34ndash35flowand3140ndash4149intuitionfor43ndash44neuroscienceof33ndash344049stages35ndash36

deepembodiment105ndash6Deeperexperiment155ndash57DefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgencySeeDARPAdeltabrainwaves33TheDenialofDeath(Becker)xxidepression

drugs74post-flow161ndash62

DevoreJon61ndash6273DiamandisPeter191DietrichArne48ndash49disruptivetechnology164divingxvndashxvi109ndash12DoernerDarrick242526Dolomites148ndash49dopamine6466ndash67101ndash2117doubt50DouglasMike77DrevoSam55drugs

flowmissingand162neurochemicalsand6467useandabuseratesof74

DweckCarol118ndash19DyerJeffrey178

EaglemanDavid54educationSeelearningtrainingefficiencyindecisionmaking34egohumilityand108133e-learning87electroencephalography(EEG)32ndash3335180embodimentdeep105ndash6emotion

controlparadoxand107depression74161ndash62fight-or-flightresponseand12neuroscienceof66ndash6769101

encouragement79ndash80Seealsomotivationendorphins67entrepreneurship134ndash35147178environment

asexternalflowtrigger100ndash105learning178weather127

epiphany39ndash40SeealsocreativityEricssonAnders80ESP(extrasensoryperception)

flowneurochemicalsand68patternrecognitionas63ndash65

evolutionofactionandadventuresports169ndash73ofBASEjumping89ndash90143148ndash49ofclimbing8ndash9183offlow173humanxvxxi100ndash101naturalselectionforxvofskateboarding5137ndash39170ndash73ofskiingxvi89ndash90143146ndash49ofsnowboardingxvi154ndash57165ndash66ofsurfing24ndash2538ndash39

survivalinstinctfor101117expertiseSeemasteryskillsexploration6790extrasensoryperceptionSeeESPextremesportsSeeactionandadventuresports

familiarity133FarmerShawnxviFarringtonAndy61ndash6269ndash73fear

adrenalineand70challengeand116ascompass101ndash2167ndash68ofdeathxxi57ndash58phobic188

feedbackimmediate30115ndash16134ndash35neural180181

FerrerasPipin110fight-or-flightresponse1270ndash72filmmaking

moviestunts60ndash626569ndash73pioneersinsnowboarding154ndash57VCRhistoryand137ndash39

FitzRoy4244ndash47flow

adrenalineand70ndash71altruism-triggered97ndash98anandamideand67blocking100113163inbusiness2198100challengeskillratiofor30116ndash17119163childrenin171ndash73177ndash78communication133134ndash35controlduring30107ndash8133controlof164ndash65corecomponentsof30ndash31corruptionof163

creativityand39ndash4197130145cyclestagesof120ndash23216darksideof157ndash65deathand5557ndash58158ndash60decisionmakingand3140ndash4149definingviiindashix20ndash2128depressionafter161ndash62discoveryof20ndash22disruptivetechnologyand164dopamineand6466ndash67117druguseversus74endorphinsand67environment-triggered100104ndash5evolutionof173feedbackimmediatefor30115ndash16134ndash35fight-or-flightresponseversus70ndash72goalclarityfor30114ndash15growthmindsetfor119hacking101ndash2Internetsurfingndashtriggered98invincibilityand159masteryby85ndash87164measuringixmeditationand4056113micro-31militaryresearchin87163neurochemicalsof66ndash69neuroscienceof27ndash2849ndash5166ndash69210ndash11norepinephrineand67210onenessin55ndash58167pleasureseekingand84ndash86psychologyof10ndash112130ndash3199research87163179ndash82resources66195risk-triggered11ndash12101ndash3serotoninand67211societalpotentialfor192ndash93strengthin50ndash51technology-triggered98ndash99

timedilationand9ndash103053ndash5498trainingfor626972106triggersexternal100ndash106internal112ndash18

triggersforgroup133ndash35Seealsogroupflowvideogamendashtriggered98

Flow(Csikszentmihalyi)54130ndash31FlowGenomeProject180ndash81195flying59SeealsoBASEjumpingfMRI(functionalmagneticresonanceimaging)48179ndash80focus

clarityand114ndash15fight-or-flightresponseand70ndash72asflowcomponent30goalclarityand114ndash15mistakesand118onenessand57risktakingfor101

FooMarkxixndashxxifootballSeesportsfreeclimbing183freediving109ndash12freeridemovement146ndash47freeBASE51Froggerstudy62ndash63fulfillment20ndash21SeealsosatisfactionfunctionalmagneticresonanceimagingSeefMRI

GaffneyRobb163GambalieFrank141ndash42gaming98gammabrainwaves3340deGayardonPatrick60generationsSeeevolutiongeniusxiindashxiiiSeealsomasteryGervaisMichaelxv6887175179182188GladwellMalcolm80

goals30114ndash15gratificationdelayed81ndash8283ndash8486GreatWall4ndash8GregersenHal178groupflow

creativityin129133143145ndash48needfor129ndash30neuroscienceof132135performanceenhancementby130ndash32135ndash39140ndash43ofPrimalCrew140ndash43psychologyof130ndash32socialsupportand135ndash37socialtriggersfor133ndash35videorecordingand137ndash39

growthmindset118ndash22123ndash26gymnastics3ndash4

HaagGunder174hackingflow101ndash2Haines156ndash57HalfDome44183ndash86HallowellNedviiiHamiltonBill25HamiltonLaird

flowexplainedby41atJaws38ndash39atTeahupoo23ndash2729ndash30

happinessix19ndash20132Hawaii

BonzaiPipeline25Jaws37ndash39123ndash26WaimeaBay24

HawkTony170ndash71HawkinsJeff63ndash64HeimAlbert8ndash10helperrsquoshigh97ndash98HerrHugh181HolbeckLars95

HollekimKarina121HolmesJT

doubleski-BASEby143148ndash49wingsuitflyingby60ndash626569ndash73

HonnoldAlex183ndash86HosoiChristian15humility108133hypofrontality49ndash5156ndash57177

imagination26175ndash77immediatefeedback30115ndash16134ndash35implicitdecisionmaking34ndash35impossibility136175177improvisation131133impulsecontrol50ndash51impulsiveness81ndash82Incognito(Eagleman)34injurythreshold13ndash16innovationSeecreativityInternet

surfing98videosgroupflowand139

intrinsicmotivation19ndash203085ndash86intuition

onenessand58phenomenonof43ndash4457ndash58psychologyof44

invincibility159invisiblegorillaexperiment114ItalyDolomitesof148ndash49iWalkprosthetic181

JacksonSusan21JacksonHole154JacobsonEdmund175JamesWilliam11ndash1215Jaws37ndash39123ndash26

jobsSeeworkJonesJeremy153ndash57158ndash59165ndash66JonssonMadsldquoBigNadsrdquoxviJungCarl44

KalamaDave37ndash39KaoYang(emperor)59kayaking

recordsxiiindashxiv93ndash9495108skydive-143Stikine94ndash97103ndash4106ndash8

KellyCraig166KerboxBuzzy24kids171ndash73177ndash79KittingerJoe187ndash88KnievelEvelxiiiKrackKirk110ndash11KramerArt63

LakeTahoeSeeSquawValleyLandyJohn174LaoTzu164lateralization123ndash26learning

fromdeathlymistakes166ndash67flowinschool178216growthmindsetand119124ndash26Montessori178221predictionandldquochunkingrdquofor64ndash65shortcutsto86ndash87speedandlongevity192ndash93

LesserRob95ndash96lifestyle77ndash78129LillardAngeline178LimbCharles50179listening133LopezGerry37

love69LuksAllan98

macroflow31magneticresonanceimagingSeeMRIMalloyChris161mammaliandivingreflex110ndash11marijuana6774marshmallowexperiment81ndash828386MaslowAbraham18ndash19mastery

bycompliance81ndash8283ndash8486byflow85ndash87164parentingand79ndash80bypractice80ndash818486ndash87

MaverickrsquosxviiindashxxiMcConkeyJim88McConkeyShane

BASEjumpingby89ndash90140ndash43148ndash49deathof149156ndash57skiingbyxindashxii75ndash7887ndash90148ndash49

McDougallBob95ndash96medicalsurgeons116131meditation4056113mental

clarity114ndash15growthstate118ndash22123ndash26painthreshold13ndash16risktaking102ndash3visualization175ndash77

MetzgerMikexviimicroflow31military87163MillenniumWave26ndash2729ndash30MillerChris41MischelWalter81Montessorischool178221MoorersquosLaw182

morality164MosleyJonny89motivation

bydeath166ndash67factors158intrinsic19ndash203085ndash86

motocrossxviimountaineeringSeeclimbingmoviestunts60ndash626569ndash73MRI(magneticresonanceimaging)48179multitasking113musicians80130131mysticalexperiences10ndash1119Seealsoflow

naturalselectionxvnature

complexityof104ndash5nurtureversus79ndash80

NavySEALs163near-deathexperiences10ndash11neuralfeedback180181neurochemicals66ndash72101ndash2neuroscience

amygdalain101brain-wavepatterns3340145ofchildren177ofcreativity39ndash40144ndash45ofdecisionmaking33ndash344049dopaminein6466ndash67101ndash2117ofemotion66ndash6769101offight-or-flightresponse70ndash72offlow27ndash2849ndash5166ndash69210ndash11offreediving110ndash11ofgroupflow132135hypofrontalityin49ndash5156ndash57177oflove69neocortexin63nitricoxidein71ndash72

ofnovelty105ofoneness56ndash58orientationassociationarea(OAA)in56ofpatternrecognition63ndash65144ndash45ofpleasure132ofrecovery121ofrelease120ofrisktaking101ndash2215ofself-awareness49ndash50ofself-monitoringanddoubt50ofstrength50ndash51ofstruggle120oftimedilation54

Neurotopia35NewbergAndrew55ndash57nitricoxide71ndash72NollGreg129norepinephrine67101ndash2210novelty104105NumiPaavo174

OAASeeorientationassociationareaOldsJames105OliviaPedroxivOlympicsxv3oneness55ndash58167opiates6770optimalperformancexviiOregonMountBakerinxviorientationassociationarea(OAA)56Outliers(Gladwell)80

PageLarry221painthreshold13ndash16PalisadesSquawValley75ndash76paradigmshifts175Seealsoevolutionparenting79ndash80

passionlossof161ndash63PastranaTravisxvii71617177Patagonia4244ndash47patternrecognition63ndash65144ndash45peakexperiences19SeealsoflowPeleacute(soccerstar)159PeraltaStacy137ndash39perfection22performance

ofathletesversusnormals63expectations163group-enhanced130ndash32135ndash39140ndash43mastery79ndash8283ndash87ofMontessoristudents178onenessbenefitfor57ndash58optimalxviipatternrecognitionand63ndash65trackingtechnology179ndash82ultimatehumanxvii22visualization175ndash77

PFCSeeprefrontalcortexphobia188physiology

bionic181ndash82divingreflexmammalian110ndash11fight-or-flightresponse1270ndash72relaxationresponse71ndash72trackingtechnology180visualizationand175ndash77Seealsoneuroscience

play162pleasure

neuroscienceof132seeking828384ndash86Seealsorisktaking

PotterDeanBASEjumpingby51ndash55climbingby4244ndash47flowexperiencesof555758161

PowellGeorge137PowellMark128ndash29practice80ndash818486ndash87predictionneuroscienceof63ndash65prefrontalcortex(PFC)49ndash50PrimalCrew140ndash43progression126prosthetics181psychicabilities

ESP63ndash6568onenessand55

psychologyofflow10ndash112130ndash3199offlowmissing160ndash62ofgoalclarity114ofgroupflow130ndash32impossibilityand136175177ofintuition44ofpainthreshold15ndash16ofplay162ofpleasureseeking8283Seealsoneuroscience

PythonPeak78

racecardriving118ndash19RavizzaKen99realitybaseline173175177recoverystageinflowcycle121ndash23RedBull

AirForce(wingsuitflyers)60ndash626569ndash73doubleski-BASE143NavySEALsand163Neurotopiaand35Stratos(spacediving)187ndash91

reflexmammaliandiving110ndash11releasestageinflowcycle120ndash21researchflow87163179ndash82Seealsopsychologyresourcesflow66195

Rheokneeprosthetic181RiceTravis157165ndash68risktaking

challengeskillratiofor116ndash17creativityfor147ndash48darksideof158ndash60evolutionand100ndash101flowtriggeredby11ndash12101ndash2invincibilityand159mental102ndash3neuroscienceof101ndash2215

RobbinsRoyal136RoyalDutchShell192running174RussellBill68

SacrificeSquawValley87ndash89SalomonxiiiSantis89SassPordoi148ndash49satisfaction

delayedgratificationand81ndash8283ndash8486happinessix19ndash20132

SawyerKeith130ndash32SchaarTom171ndash73SchillerTJxvischoolMontessori178221TheSearchforAnimalChin137ndash38SecondWind(Russell)68secondwinds15self-awareness

ofchallengeskillratio119ndash20neuroscienceof49ndash51

SelkirkMountains166sensationseeking828384ndash86serotonin67ndash68211SheldonGeorgexvndashxviSherlinLeslie32ndash3640177

SilvaJason26SimonsDaniel114singlepositronemissioncomputertomographySeeSPECTsituationalawareness72skateboarding

evolutionof5137ndash39170ndash73HawkTonyin170ndash71PeraltaStacy137ndash39SchaarTomin171ndash73WayDanny4ndash813ndash1771XGames513ndash17170ndash73Zephyr137ndash38

skiingBASEjumping90121143148ndash49BigAirxvibilly-goating89deathby149159ndash60evolutionofxvi89ndash90143146ndash49freeridemovement146ndash47byHollekim121byMcConkeyxindashxii75ndash7887ndash90148ndash49SquawValley75ndash7687ndash89wingsuitflying148ndash49

skillschallengeratioto30116ndash17119163lateralizationof124sponsorpressureand163ldquoTwenty-FirstCenturyrdquovii200

skyaking143SeealsoBASEjumpingSlavetJames21snowboardingxvi

Alaska154ndash57deathby166evolutionofxvi154ndash57165ndash66freeridemovement146ndash47JacksonHole154byJonesJeremy153ndash57158ndash59165ndash66168byRiceTravis165ndash66168SelkirkMountains166168

Seealsoskiingsocialtriggersforflow133ndash35Seealsogroupflowsociety

abundancein191ndash92193disruptivetechnologyof164flowcorruptionby163flowpotentialof192ndash93jobexpectationsand161ndash62

spacediving187ndash91SPECT(singlepositronemissioncomputertomography)56speedindecisionmaking34spirituality1156ndash57167sponsorship153ndash54163SeealsoRedBullsports(traditional)

actionandadventuresportsversusxiv99103flowexperiencesin6899

SquawValleyPalisades75ndash76PrimalCrew140ndash43Sacrifice87ndash89

Stikine94ndash97103ndash4106ndash8StratosProject187ndash91strengthinflow50ndash51stressresponse70ndash72120StrugKerri3ndash4strugglestageinflowcycle120stuntsmovie60ndash626569ndash73successixSuperTerminal60surfing

BonzaiPipeline25deathbyxxndashxxievolutionof24ndash2538ndash39byHamiltonLaird23ndash2729ndash30Jaws37ndash39123ndash26MaverickrsquosxviiindashxxiMillenniumWave26ndash2729ndash30Teahupoo23ndash2729ndash30tow-in24

WaimeaBay24byWalshIan123ndash26

survivalinstinct101117SwansonMike5961ndash626569ndash73SwitzerlandSantispeakin89

TahitiTeahupooof23ndash2729ndash30TalentProject79ndash80TartCharles29Teahupoo23ndash2729ndash30technology

advancementin170177179ndash82bionic181ndash82disruptive164flowtriggeredby98ndash99videorecording137ndash39

temporalawarenessSeetimeTetonGravityResearch(TGR)154156ndash57thetabrainwaves3340time

bioniclifeextension182dilation9ndash103053ndash5498flowblocksand98100113futureversuspresent82ndash87practiceand80ndash818486ndash87presentmoment113ndash14

trainingadvancementin170177fordeepembodiment106forflow626972106needfor127weaknesses124Seealsomastery

TransformersDarkoftheMoon60trust68ndash69truth97ldquoTwenty-FirstCenturyrdquoskillsvii200

ultimatehumanperformancexvii22unconscious

decisionmakingand34intuitionand44

unitySeeonenessunpredictability

desirefor117asflowtrigger104105improvisationin131133

videogames98videorecording137ndash39SeealsofilmmakingVirginGalactic190visualization175ndash77TheVoiceSeeintuition

WaimeaBay24WalshIan123ndash26WalsheAndyxvii188WarshawMatt204watersportsSeedivingkayakingsurfingwindsurfingWayDanny4ndash813ndash1771147weather127WhealJamie160WhitewaterPhilosophy(Ammons)94WillisTowerjump61ndash626569ndash73willpower50ndash518186WillsAlfred8ndash9windsurfing37ndash38wingsuitflying

moviestunts60ndash626569ndash73skiing148ndash49

WinterStevexindashxiiwork

careerbuilding127ndash29mundane127161

WyomingJacksonHole154

XGamesmotocrossxviiskateboarding513ndash17170ndash73skiinginxvi

XPrize190

YosemiteElCap142GambalieFrankin142HalfDome44183ndash86HonnoldAlexin183ndash86PotterDeanin44PowellMarkin128ndash29RobbinsRoyalin136

YuanHuang-trsquoou59YueGuang175ndash76

ZatsiorskyVladimir50ZephyrSkateTeam137ndash38ZimbardoPhilip8182ndash84zoneSeeflow

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Start Reading

Preface The Why of Flow

Introduction Before the Flow

PART ONE HE IS THIS FRENZY

1 The Way of Flow

2 The Wave of Flow

3 The Where of Flow

4 The What of Flow

5 The Flow Shortcut

PART TWO FLOW HACKER NATION

6 Outer Flow

7 Inner Flow

8 The We of Flow

9 The Flow of Imagination

PART THREE TIME TO RISE

10 The Dark Side of Flow

11 The Flow of Next

12 Flow to Abundance

Afterword

Authorrsquos Note

Notes

About the Author

Index

ContentsStartReading

PrefaceTheWhyofFlowIntroductionBeforetheFlowPARTONEHEISTHISFRENZY1TheWayofFlow2TheWaveofFlow3TheWhereofFlow4TheWhatofFlow5TheFlowShortcutPARTTWOFLOWHACKERNATION6OuterFlow7InnerFlow8TheWeofFlow9TheFlowofImaginationPARTTHREETIMETORISE10TheDarkSideofFlow11TheFlowofNext12FlowtoAbundanceAfterwordAuthorrsquosNoteNotesAbouttheAuthorIndex



PrefaceTheWhyofFlow

















Itistimetorise


SHANE McCONKEY









THENEWHIGHBAR























THEQUESTIONOFCOST

























P A R T O N E

HEISTHISFRENZY



1

TheWayofFlow























































THEWAYOFWAY



























THEGODFATHEROFFLOW































2

TheWaveofFlow










































































































3

TheWhereofFlow

DEAN POTTER




















































UNSTUCKINTIME














































4

TheWhatofFlow





Hiswasararesuccess




























































































5

TheFlowShortcut

































































SEEINGLINES



















P A R T T W O

FLOWHACKERNATION


6

OuterFlow


























THEFLOWLANDSCAPE














HACKINGFLOW




































THEPARADOXOFCONTROL














Ammonrsquossolo

7

InnerFlow














Turnsoutshecould





























































LATERALIZATION























8

TheWeofFlow
































GROUPFLOWTRIGGERS















SOCIALSUPPORT









recorder

STACYPERALTAAND















9

























CREATIVETRIGGERS





















THEFALLOFSUPERMAN










P A R T T H R E E

TIMETORISE


10

TheDarkSideofFlow

JEREMY JONES
















































































11

TheFlowofNext

FUTURE F LOW
























































































12

FlowtoAbundance

STRATOS







































Afterword






AuthorrsquosNote













Page






PREFACE












INTRODUCTION




























(FreePress1973)












1 THEWAYOFFLOW

























2THEWAVEOFFLOW









Lightning


























3THEWHEREOFFLOW








(2000)pp66ndash70
















4THEWHATOFFLOW







































5THEFLOWSHORTCUT




































6OUTERFLOW































7 INNERFLOW



























8THEWEOFFLOW

p43





































10THEDARKSIDEOFFLOW





















11 THEFLOWOFNEXT



































12FLOWTOABUNDANCE

ReviewPress2002)


AbouttheAuthor


Index



















































































love69LuksAllan98























play162pleasure






PythonPeak78












































XPrize190




Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Start Reading




1 The Way of Flow

2 The Wave of Flow

3 The Where of Flow

4 The What of Flow

5 The Flow Shortcut


6 Outer Flow

7 Inner Flow

8 The We of Flow




11 The Flow of Next


Afterword

Authorrsquos Note

Notes

About the Author

Index



PrefaceTheWhyofFlow

















Itistimetorise


SHANE McCONKEY









THENEWHIGHBAR























THEQUESTIONOFCOST

























P A R T O N E

HEISTHISFRENZY



1

TheWayofFlow























































THEWAYOFWAY



























THEGODFATHEROFFLOW































2

TheWaveofFlow










































































































3

TheWhereofFlow

DEAN POTTER




















































UNSTUCKINTIME














































4

TheWhatofFlow





Hiswasararesuccess




























































































5

TheFlowShortcut

































































SEEINGLINES



















P A R T T W O

FLOWHACKERNATION


6

OuterFlow


























THEFLOWLANDSCAPE














HACKINGFLOW




































THEPARADOXOFCONTROL














Ammonrsquossolo

7

InnerFlow














Turnsoutshecould





























































LATERALIZATION























8

TheWeofFlow
































GROUPFLOWTRIGGERS















SOCIALSUPPORT









recorder

STACYPERALTAAND















9

























CREATIVETRIGGERS





















THEFALLOFSUPERMAN










P A R T T H R E E

TIMETORISE


10

TheDarkSideofFlow

JEREMY JONES
















































































11

TheFlowofNext

FUTURE F LOW
























































































12

FlowtoAbundance

STRATOS







































Afterword






AuthorrsquosNote













Page






PREFACE












INTRODUCTION




























(FreePress1973)












1 THEWAYOFFLOW

























2THEWAVEOFFLOW









Lightning


























3THEWHEREOFFLOW








(2000)pp66ndash70
















4THEWHATOFFLOW







































5THEFLOWSHORTCUT




































6OUTERFLOW































7 INNERFLOW



























8THEWEOFFLOW

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10THEDARKSIDEOFFLOW





















11 THEFLOWOFNEXT



































12FLOWTOABUNDANCE

ReviewPress2002)


AbouttheAuthor


Index



















































































love69LuksAllan98























play162pleasure






PythonPeak78












































XPrize190




Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Start Reading




1 The Way of Flow

2 The Wave of Flow

3 The Where of Flow

4 The What of Flow

5 The Flow Shortcut


6 Outer Flow

7 Inner Flow

8 The We of Flow




11 The Flow of Next


Afterword

Authorrsquos Note

Notes

About the Author

Index

the rise of superman: decoding the science of ultimate human performance

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