In 1975, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi introduced the concept of Flow—a state we reach when a task's challenge perfectly aligns with our skills.
The process of your merging with the problem creates the solution itself.
Without a meaningful challenge, boredom becomes unbearable. When skills fall short, anxiety and panic creep in. And if neither challenge nor skill exists, apathy takes over our soul.
Imagine you're faced with a task. Is it fascinating or insurmountable?
There are both objective and subjective parts. The objective part is straightforward—it’s tied to your accumulated knowledge and experience. But the subjective perception of the problem? For me, that can shift wildly within a single day.
In the morning, it’s “I'm doomed!” By evening, it’s “I’m the Lord of the Rings!” Fatigue, illness, injury, conflict, failure, or bad news can change everything. Suddenly, what felt like a pesky dwarf becomes a bloodthirsty Cyclops.
By the way, for managing emotions, check out this episode.
Another factor shaping whether you think “This is awful!” or “No big deal” is this: Did you choose the task willingly, or was it forced upon you? Curiously, one can transform into the other and back again.
No resources or tech are required for this transformation—just willpower, faith, and thought.
I’m both inspired and awed by the infinite potential that lies within each of us.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.