Brian Johnson explains flow as the balance between challenge and skill, recommending 4% incremental stretches beyond what you can do now. Larry Hamilton's wave-surfing progression shows how small, steady improvements compound over time.
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another micro class. This one's on Superman plus flow plus 4%. It's inspired by the Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler. This book, the Rise of Superman, is all about flow.
We're going to talk about what flow.
Is in this quick micro class. Here is flow, which exists at the nexus point of where your skills match.
The challenges you're facing.
So you have a high level of challenge up here. You have a high level of skills here. Boom, there's flow. Now, if, on the other hand, you have a high degree of challenge, but you have very low levels of skill, what you feel is not flow, but anxiety. On the other hand, if you have a high level of skill and the challenge is very low, you will feel boredom. So flow is all about the ratio of challenge to skill. And specifically, you want to stretch yourself a little bit, right? We talk about rubber bands all the time. You want to stretch yourself beyond your current comfort zone, but not so much that you snap. So the question becomes, what's that amount? In the little book of talent, we described the sweet spot. Well, Steven Kotler tells us research says we want to stretch by 4%, 4% outside of our skills, right? The challenge is just 4%. It's not a ton 4% higher than our current level of ability. That's the flow zone, right? Right in there. Stretching ourselves, we have to focus our attention, but we're not overwhelmed and falling into anxiety, nor are we underwhelmed and being bored. Now when I hear 4%, I think, well, that's kind of a small number, and that's the point. But what we need to do is compound this incrementally over time, right? So we're always talking about you. Hello, you. Right? And then let's say that this is your dream. This is your current impossible. Wow. Can't do that now. You don't go for that today. You may feel tempted to do. I certainly have in the past. But what you need to do and what the master does is they look.
At it and say, okay, cool.
I want to do the impossible. Larry Hamilton wanted to surf huge waves, but he didn't start there. He started here.
And he got a little bit better.
With what he was currently able to do.
He Plus 4%. Plus 4%. Plus 4%. Plus four percent. Plus 4%.
Week in and week out, month in and month out, decade in and decade out, we continuing doing that. And over the course of the career, we're able to do what's impossible. Steven Kotler says, as if it's just.
You know, another day at the office.
But you didn't make this leap. You made these incremental tiny improvements compounded over time to achieve a level of mastery and greatness to rise like a superhuman being by having the right ratio of challenges to skills.
There you go.
That's a quick look at Superman plus flow plus 4%.
Hope you enjoyed.
How can you stretch yourself? Which way are you falling? Are you feeling anxiety in your life? If so, then what that means is the challenge you're giving yourself is currently too much for your current skill level. Not a big deal. But reduce the challenge level while you increase your skill level. That's how you deal with anxiety. Be patient. See it over the long run. If you're feeling bored with life, well then your skills are too big for your challenges. No big deal. Work on the ratio by increasing the challenge you're experiencing. That's how we enter flow more consistently.
I hope you enjoyed and I look forward to sharing more.
Here's to the rise of Superman via 4%.
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