Flow, popularly called ‘being in the zone’, is a psychological state — described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — of complete absorption in an activity, with effortless concentration, a merging of action and awareness, a distorted sense of time and intrinsic enjoyment. Athletes in flow report that performance feels automatic and effortless. Flow tends to arise when the challenge of a task closely matches the performer’s skill level — hard enough to demand full engagement, but not so hard as to cause anxiety. Action sports like skateboarding and surfing are particularly associated with flow, but it can occur in any sport and is a sought-after contributor to peak performance.
Key points
- Complete, effortless focus and immersion
- Action and awareness merge; time distorts
- Arises when challenge matches skill
- Linked to peak athletic performance