You’ve probably heard this word – flow. When I ask clients if they’ve ever been in an optimal state of flow while performing, most say no. The ultimate flow is when everything comes together in a positive successful way. Is this something that just happens?

Or can we make it happen? Yes to both. It can just happen, and we can develop the ultimate flow.

The magic of traditional flow

Traditional flow is what most performers know as the ability to freely move through a performance or moments in a performance with little to no thought. A performer is fully immersed, focused, and in enjoyment of their performance. It’s that ‘just do it’ moment.

Generally what accompanies this is euphoria – good things are happening and you don’t have to put any thought or real energy into making it happen. It’s where you get to utilize the muscle memory you’ve built up during training and practice and allow it to shine.

Wow! That sounds great, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not many performers are able to get to this state. Why? Because their brains are so cluttered with the perfect technique, as well as, doubts, fears, and worries. So, how can we make it happen?

Create your ultimate flow

When you ask a performer about this state of flow, most know what it is but can’t define it, and that is okay. The key is to understand it and know that you can create your own state of flow, and get as close to that ultimate state as possible. You can learn and develop a set of mental skills you need in order to flow through your own experience.

Every performer has their own unique fears or worries, and the first step is to be aware of what they are and when they have presented themselves.

Beat the demons

This concept of flow is the foundation of my system, Beating the Demons, and the very reason for developing it. There are moments in every performer’s performances where the demons (ego, head) pop up and try to sabotage their performance. The best way to set performers up for success and experience a state of flow is to give them the tools and skills they need to deal with those moments.

Create your system

Ever heard the cliché – ignorance is bliss? It’s so true. I hear so many stories of how kids were freely performing and having fun (ignorance) until one day when it all changed and fear set in – they were successful and expectations grew.

Once this happens, there’s no going back, there’s only going forward. They have to move through the fear and develop the mental tools to beat their demons.

I love the concept of flow. Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi has written several good books on the topic. In my own experience and work with elite performers, it is not realistic to think that performers can organically get into this state, that they should try to, or that they need to feel less than for not being able to. However, I do believe that we can develop the tools we need to flow through the experience.

The next step in Beating the Demons after you recognize what your interruptions are and where they show up in your performance is to create your own system. Yes, you can create your own system to deal with these moments that can make or break your performance.