La ciencia, Mihaly y su legado

“Concentration is like breathing: you never think of it. The roof could fall in and, if it missed you,you would be unaware of it.” – Chess player

In 1992, during the NBA championship series, the Portland Trailblazers were winning over the Chicago Bulls when the Bulls’ coach called a timeout. Michael Jordan came out of this timeout with a sense of intense concentration, hitting three six-pointers, looking almost surprised by his performance. He would later describe this experience as being ‘in the zone.’

Now, people in every sport describe a similar experience, where they tune out the crowd, noise, and distraction and play their best game. But this experience isn’t limited just to sports. Musicians, doctors, painters, mountain climbers, authors, engineers, composers all experience being in the zone.

It is a strange paradox where time seems to stand still and yet be over in an instance. It feels effortless even though it’s an extreme challenge. There is a sense of relaxation, but it’s also powerful and intense. You feel more present than ever, but you also seem to lose your sense of self.

You probably experienced this yourself when you were so engaged in an activity that you lost the sense of time and place. There is a term for this, and it is called ‘being in a state of flow.’ And if we want to be fully empowered to own our creative processes and engage in deep and meaningful work, we must understand what it means to achieve a state of flow.

The Science of Flow

Flow theory was developed in the 1970s when Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi became fascinated by artists who were so lost in their work that they would lose track of time, space, and themselves and even forget to eat, drink and sleep. Through his research, he noticed similar experiences with other people skilled in various areas, namely scientists, authors, athletes, and others engaged in meaningful work. It was a state of hyper-focus and utter engagement that Csikszentmihalyi described as an ‘optimal state.’

This is how Csikszentmihalyi embarked upon what soon became one of the most extensive psychological surveys ever. He started interviewing people worldwide, from chess players and surgeons to Navajo sheepherders and Italian farmers, asking them about the times in their lives when they felt and performed their best.

And everyone told him the same thing, regardless of their age, class, gender, and education levels – that they felt and performed their best when they were in a state of flow. Csikszentmihalyi chose the term ‘flow’ because his interviewees would describe their experience of a state where every decision and action led fluidly to the next.

The science of flow dates way back to the 1970s. In the early 1900’s researchers like William James and physiologist Walter Bradford Cannon would document the ways our brains can alter [consciousness](https://worldhappiness.foundation/blog/felicidad/the-best-techniq

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