How To Unlock Insane Focus On Command

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Published 2023-05-08
The flow state will change your life.
Visit www.flowstate.com/ to sign up for my upcoming book.

ABOUT ME

Rian Doris is the Co-Founder & CEO of Flow Research Collective, the world’s leading peak performance research and training institute focused on decoding the neuroscience of flow states and helping leaders and their teams unlock flow states consistently. Clients include Accenture, Audi, Facebook, Bain & the US Airforce.

Along with being listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 Rian's thought leadership has been featured in Fast Company, PBS and Big Think and he hosts Flow Research Collective Radio, an iTunes top 10 science podcast.

Rian is also the Executive Chairman & Owner of Consulting.com. On the side, Rian does some angel investing in health and performance companies like Levels Health, Neurohacker Collective, The Way & Myodetox.

Rian holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) from Trinity College Dublin, an MSc in Neuroscience at King's College, London and an MBA. Rian is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Birmingham—focusing on how flow states affect perceived meaning in life.

Prior to co-founding Flow Research Collective with Steven Kotler, Rian worked with NYT Bestselling Author Keith Ferazzi, and 12X NYT Bestselling Author Dr. Dan Siegel, distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

All Comments (21)
  • @riandoris
    Get the FREE One-Month Day checklist here: www.flowstate.com/onemonthday Rían here. Thanks for watching! If you struggle to stay focused or ever feel like you work all day but get nothing done, this PDF will change the game for you. With the science-backed techniques in this checklist, you can strategically stack flow blocks to exceed a month’s worth of work in less than a day.
  • @catedoge3206
    I have been learning about flow for some time now. Do NOT, I mean DO NOT mistake it as focused concentration! Flow is effortless. No need for energy. If you're resisting and you're pushing, you are not in flow. Flow is a spectrum, and at the end of it, out of body experience. I experienced this while running on a track at 11 pm alone pitch black with just my phone flash light illuminating a few feet in front of me. When there is only one task to do, no distractions, or even if there are distractions, it doesn't matter. The mind is on one thing and that alone. It's insane.
  • @mat_leo
    Key Takeaways: 1. Flow state is a state of consciousness that makes work feel effortless, and is behind the success of many high-performing individuals. 2. The four pillars of flow state are: flow blockers, flow proneness, flow triggers, and the flow cycle. Action Items: Flow Blockers: - Remove common sources of flow blockers, such as distractions from your phone. - Practice "flow before phone": complete 2-3 hours of productive work before checking your phone. Flow Proneness: - Increase your likelihood of accessing flow by optimizing your physiology, psychology, and environment. - Begin your most important work within 90 seconds of waking up, while your brain is still in a flow-friendly state. Flow Triggers: - Utilize flow triggers such as clear goals, immediate feedback, and challenge-skill balance. - Apply these triggers to activities that may not naturally have them, like work tasks. - Engage in tasks that are about 4% more difficult than your current skill level. Flow Cycle: - Understand that flow states operate like dimmer switches, not light switches. - Persist through the struggle phase by practicing task persistence and attention span stretching. - Allow yourself to release and recover after achieving flow, to replenish energy and integrate new knowledge or skills. EDIT: 1.5k likes WOW! Did not expect this comment to blow up, thanks all :)
  • @arhanbhat4730
    Top tip: Decide what you want to do the next morning the night before. Make a clear list of some goals you want to achieve so when you wake up you can look at the list and take on each thing. This prevents you from having to this to much and instead get into the flow
  • @stargirrlanushka
    1. Flow before phone - get 2-3 hrs of productive work done, first thing in the morning. 2. Start doing the work within first 90 seconds of the day. Develop flow proneness. 3. Flow triggers - immediate feedback, clear vision and challenge/skill above 4% your current level. 4. Flow cycle - stretch your attention span, develop this muscle.
  • @WizClouty
    I've always had flow after I hit the lowest part of my life, I would meditate for what feels like around 40m-1h of just pure focus. So focused I no longer take any input from my 5 senses, a internal world is the best way I can describe the feeling. After I feel a speedup in all my senses. I hear, see, smell, taste, touch more than ever before. Changed the world for me, made me realize just how malleable we humans are. It helped me more than anything, and I hope the rare knowledge I presented helps you too.
  • As a long time educator in California I would beg someone take on the task of educating teachers and administrators in this concept. I mention the book FLOW in my book on Classroom Discipline 101 and the school systems are maniacally stuck in a matrix of mediocrity, the opposite of FLOW where they constantly frustrate and torture students through social promotion and an ideology of ‘meeting state standards’ rather than understanding students need to have a challenge 4% above their current level. Thanks for the video.
  • @Inhabitednot
    i am 12 and after watching this my grade and my marks has rise in 3 month i went from 60-70% to 90-95% i use flow in my studies it helps a lot i am improving my flow but it is so much helpful not only that while i play sport my mindset went from arguing and trying to tell the that i am good to showing that. I'm happy that i watched this video while writhing i just wanted to write only few words but i wrote a lot then i though thx for reading
  • Flow = Living in the Present moment = Meditation (at not so deep level) ... Mediation is a great tool to learn how to get into the Flow State
  • @ayshan0
    I made these notes for myself, I am putting them here so maybe they can help someone else: 1. do not check out the phone before you do something in the flow state. do not use the phone as an alarm clock; sleep at the same time every night, so you're going to wake up at the same time every morning. 2. you should keep the morning routine the shortest you can (like making the bed, brushing your teeth, going to wc), you can put a bottle of water on the table at night for tomorrow. and after waking up you should start studying the most important topic as soon as possible without any distraction or desire. if you have any thoughts that distract you, just note them to think later. you can also make plans and organize the materials from the night before.
  • @iEslam3
    No, don't use your flow first thing in the morning to work on your business, stay in bed, contemplate, meditate, and obeserve your mind and thoughts. Get in touch with who you truly are, not what society is telling you who you're supposed to be, go over the day's plan, go over the big plan, think about the dreams you had and what they mean, how did these dreams make you feel, what is something in real life that triggers similar feelings, this is the most important thing to do every morning after sleep, this is the second half of sleep rejuvonation, you lose sleep healing properties when you do this to yourself, working on business, scrolling on tiktok, a billion context switches, instead, use the first 15-30 minutes after waking up, to intergrate your dreams and get all the psychological benefits from sleeping.
  • @danieljetzer7892
    Rian Doris, I just came across your video on flow. I look at you as a role model, when I was born I had brain damage it was in the front left lobe, caused speech, read difficulty's and the simple understanding of math problems. It brings me great joy in seeing someone who has had a struggle in the past and over came the difference. when I was younger I used to do the wall trick you talked about, I always felt at peace staring at a wall putting my fall attention it felt like a canvas of my thoughts but I didn't know why I felt at peace. It makes me feel amazing know there are visionary people like you in the world. So Thank You For Becoming A role model in my life.
  • @mrmat2
    I've felt flow once. I train for America Ninja Warrior, and it was during training. I normally come in last or 2nd to last with my training group, and I came in first that day. It felt magical. The world was quiet, it was just me and the course around me. I've been fighting to get that feeling back since. Really hoping this video helps Edit 1: I deleted everything on my phone 2 or 3 weeks ago. I wake up at 5~ every day now, and the first day I got straight to work like 2 minutes after waking up, I worked until the sun came up in complete peace. Removing the phone does work.
  • @LePain32
    "Flow" in this stage of extreme focus, it is the ultimate domain only for the chosen few 🗣🗣🔥🔥
  • @685_TOOPZ
    So when Ali said - Float like a Butterfly, Sting like a Bee.... he meant Flow.... because when Ali is in that type of mood, he is flowing and just gliding around that ring..also whilst outboxing you and make it seem effortless..... he was in that flow state... Dammmmmmnnnnnn 💯🙌🏾🔥
  • Speaking as a Psychiatrist this is indispensable information. Personally, I've been able to find "flow" naturally at will even as a child, but I also was considered very strange for those same abilities, because I do actively block out the extraneous noises from the outside world. People use to think I was being rude, obnoxious, or arrogant when I'm writing and letting it loose by allowing myself to find this state of mind. The old saying "just go with the flow" is a phrase I often use, because for myself that metaphor sums-up the experience as a whole; however, distraction is definitely the enemy of "flow" and your smartphone is a major contributor. I don't own one just because of this reason. The only advice I may offer anybody is that "flow" is an effortless state of mind, which people often confuse for deep concentration, which it isn't, because it's simply a state of being content within oneness. In my mind "flow" simply allows for the location of the simplest answers, which often make for the best conclusions. We all have these moments when we instinctively know the answer to a question, but if someone asks how you arrived at the right conclusion, but you can't explain it, because it's just there and correct. I'd describe the neurotransmitters involved; however, I know that's above most people's comprehension. I enjoyed watching this video, so continue the good work gentlemen.
  • @metadoran
    Great video! The information presented in the video is enough to make the first steps into flow. I came up with an acronym to remember the steps: 1. Forsake interruptions 2. Leap into action before distraction 3. Otimize environment for triggers 4. Wield the whole cycle
  • @gunnar4660
    I have been at a goal to maximize my productivity over the past couple of months. I have learned many things about how to do this and I have been taught what the flow state is, but I was never shown how to get into the state. Because of the insight you have given me, I have been able to get into the flow almost every day for longer periods of time before. I hope that this video can drive me to the final goals I want to achieve. Thank you for making this video Rian. Keep making amazing content like this.
  • @maxstor6422
    As a gamer I can attest to these things especially the balance between the challenge itself and the skill involved. If a game is just a bit harder it makes you focus.