I've always been big on bicycle metaphors for business development. I love the idea of separating tasks into direction (front wheel) and execution (back wheel). With a little balance, a little direction, and a little power, you can go just about anywhere. This has stuck with me since I first heard it at an International Special Events Society leadership retreat, with Michael Miller.
Today, I presented to a Hospitality and Event Management class at Lasell College, and as I prepared some content, I realized that what students really need is something specific to help drive their next steps. As helpful as inspiration is, they need something a bit more concrete.
Bicycles to the rescue! This time, in the form of a video, which captivated me the moment I saw it in my Facebook newsfeed, courtesy of Alan Smithson at Shok Creative. Here's the video:
What makes this so powerful (besides the SPECTACULAR video work), is this incredible, peaceful sense of focus that shines throughout the piece, as Brandon simply CRUSHES this run. What we're seeing here is called flow state, and it's really, really important.
In a TED Talk in 2004, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explores "Flow, the Secret to Happiness," and this state is captured perfectly in the video above.
Here's why: it captures somebody doing something very challenging, in an area in which he is extremely skilled. If either area is lacking, it's not flow. And the alternatives aren't always pretty:
Csikszentmihalyi goes further, to identify key characteristics associated with (or experienced in) a flow state:
Completely involved in what we are doing; focused; concentrated
A sense of ecstasy; of being outside everyday reality
Great inner clarity; knowing what needs to be done, and how well we are doing
Knowing that the activity is doable; that our skills are adequate to the task
A sense of serenity; no worries about oneself, and a feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of the ego
Timelessness; thoroughly focused on the present; hours seem to pass by in minutes
Intrinsic motivation; whatever produced flow becomes its own reward
OK. So what?
Well, my brother got all the analytics genes, but what we've got here are two key metrics: Skill and Challenge. So step one is to build up our skills. I'd argue that you're more likely to amass more skill in an area that you LOVE. So figure out what you love doing, and get really good at it. Then figure out how to get someone to pay you to do it. This alone can lead to a career (and a life) filled with relaxation and control -- not bad! To shift from there to a flow state, just pepper in some challenge.
And just like that, you're doing backflips on a mountain in California.* Boom.
*figuratively
