Effort and Flow
"Rowing is the only thing keeping rowers from taking over the world. If we put as much effort into anything else as we do this sport, cancer would be cured, world huger would be solved, and the stars would align."
- Anonymous, U.S. National Crew Team
Lately I have been thinking about the ideas of Effort and Flow. The Eastern world says that the best way to be productive is through Flow while the Western world think that Effort is the way to really get things done. I think both concepts have their place in the world of "getting things done" but both have a specific context in which they should be applied.
When I think of the essense of what Effort is about, it's more about intention than clubbing something to death for the sake of the clubbing. Effort in my mind means you set an intention that is reasonable and achievable in the present, and you don't let internal things get in the way of fulfilling that intent. For example, if I am going to go for a 10 mile run I am not going to let fatigue or "not feeling good" get in the way of completing that run. I may have to walk for a few minutes and gather myself, but I am going to finish the run.
Flow is sort of the flip side of the coin of Effort. When I think about the essence of Flow, it means that you create space for new possibilities and ideas to be part of the process. Flow is about exploring what is possible in the context of working towards something auspicious. Often times when this occurs, it almost feels like the new "thing" that is added to the process came through you and not from you.
Still playing the waiting game here, and still rolling with Uncertainty. It gets easier with practice. Looking forward to getting some vacation in next week, recharging my emotional batteries, and catching up with some old friends.
Namaste
- Anonymous, U.S. National Crew Team
Lately I have been thinking about the ideas of Effort and Flow. The Eastern world says that the best way to be productive is through Flow while the Western world think that Effort is the way to really get things done. I think both concepts have their place in the world of "getting things done" but both have a specific context in which they should be applied.
When I think of the essense of what Effort is about, it's more about intention than clubbing something to death for the sake of the clubbing. Effort in my mind means you set an intention that is reasonable and achievable in the present, and you don't let internal things get in the way of fulfilling that intent. For example, if I am going to go for a 10 mile run I am not going to let fatigue or "not feeling good" get in the way of completing that run. I may have to walk for a few minutes and gather myself, but I am going to finish the run.
Flow is sort of the flip side of the coin of Effort. When I think about the essence of Flow, it means that you create space for new possibilities and ideas to be part of the process. Flow is about exploring what is possible in the context of working towards something auspicious. Often times when this occurs, it almost feels like the new "thing" that is added to the process came through you and not from you.
Still playing the waiting game here, and still rolling with Uncertainty. It gets easier with practice. Looking forward to getting some vacation in next week, recharging my emotional batteries, and catching up with some old friends.
Namaste
posted by Zen_Accountant at 9:00 AM
2 Comments:
That's a fascinating bit of philosophy. One of the biggest endeavors in my life has been the training for my black belt.
In the martial art of Jujitsu, it is all about Flow. (I'm talking more about the art and less about the martial aspects.) You flow with your opponent's energy and motion using it to your advantage. In that way the person's stature becomes an asset not a liability. Said another way, I used to be a 280 pound, all muscle, 6 foot 6 inch fighting machine yet my 5 foot 120 pound training partner could often kick my butt.
This concept is most evident when the masters of the system described our training's end goal as "effortless perfection." This effortless perfection is achieved through flow to the extreme that the masters can knock you to the ground without actually touching you.
However when asked how one achieves this kind of flow, the masters will always say, "Hard work and practice." AKA Effort.
In looking at the rest of my life the same holds true. I have worked my ass off at accounting to get to a place where I flow. I have worked my ass off at track and field to get to a technique that flowed. I have worked my ass off with my inner self so that my life with my wife flows.
Effort properly applied leads to flow. Misdirected effort usually just leads to more effort.
MAD
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