Flow

by Michael Drake

PSIA-NW DCL

'In the Zone’.  How many times have we all heard that phrase?  Most of us have experienced it at one point or another in our lives, but are left wondering just what happened and how to find it again.  It can be a fleeting experience for some.  Others seem to find it with frequency.  In his heyday, Michael Jordan seemed to have had a full time residency (with his own zip code) in ‘the zone’. 

Yet, what is ‘it’ really when we use this phrase?  I attended an interesting workshop on this topic.  It was based on research done by a guy with a tongue twister of a name, Mihaly Csikszentmihali.  He’s published in a number of books over the years.  The one that I went out and picked up was titled, Flow, the Psychology of Optimal Experience (published by Harper Perennial, 1991).  What Mihaly did was actually go out to examine and quantify what this vague ‘thing’ was that most of us call by varying names, but can never really pin down.  Everyone knows what it is, but few of us could really describe it as being much more than doing really well at something for a while.  Mihaly researched thousands of folks, many in athletics, but also other disciplines from Musicians to Heart Surgeons.  In his book(s) he reveals a number of discoveries as to consistent patterns and conditions that were characteristic of those who felt ‘in the zone’ or ‘in flow’ while undertaking their activities.  

When hearing this, I was immediately taken with how his framework could fit into the context of skiing and ski instruction.  So, the following are some thoughts on the matter.

Stages

One thing that gets outlined right away is an overview of the stages or levels of accomplishment.  ‘Flow’ or being ‘in the zone’ are all related to the aspect or condition of ‘doing something’.  As we all learn to ‘do’ that something, we progress along in stages and relate to the activity in question in differing ways. 

First off is the ‘Novice'.  This person tends to follow the rules religiously.  They demand structure and wish to know the immediate cause and effect - black and white - of the activity.  Then there is the ‘Advanced Beginner’ who is pretty much the same as the ‘novice’, but will modify the rules somewhat to fit the context of the situation. 

The next stage is that of ‘Competence’.  Here one follows the rules in fluid manner.  There is an overall sense of rules and one can choose the appropriate rules when required (although not in case of an emergency or new situations).  The ‘Proficient’ stage tends to follow.   Here the participant does not consciously think about the rules or steps per se.  There is increasing adaptability to new or unexpected situations. 

Finally, there is the stage of the ‘Expert’.   The expert may not even know or be aware of the rules or may not even follow the rules.  The expert performs smoothly, effortlessly and subconsciously.  The expert may not even be able to ‘name’ what they are doing precisely (i.e. may not be able to phrase it or the phrase may not exist).   New discoveries and developments may flow from the expert as part of this final stage of accomplishment.  

Most of us may think that it is with the expert that 'flow', or ‘being in the zone’ occurs.  And although that is likely to be the place where it may be found the most often (and is most visible to others - i.e. Michael Jordan at the top of his game or Tiger Woods in the middle of consecutive PGA wins), it is not the only place where it can be found.  In fact, we mere mortals may experience the ‘flow’ at much lower levels of proficiency. And it’s those moments that fuel us to get better so we can be ‘there’ more often.

Characteristics

So where is ‘there’?  Mihaly identifies nine characteristics he associates with flow.  To me they are partly cause and some of them seemingly more effect, yet most or all of these conditions seem to be present for those in ‘flow’.  They are:

Clear goals are present.  Simply, people know what needs to be done.  There is energy in the specifics of clear goals.  With specifics there is ‘aliveness’.  In contrast, with vague conditions and goals there results an uncertainty that saps the energy out of an activity.

There is immediate feedback to ones' actions.  Actions have consequences or a result.  With racing for example, one has a quick feedback loop.  One made the gate or did not.  One could hear and feel the skis braking sideways or not.  The clock at the finish of a course confirmed that a set of turns were or were not more efficient than the last time.  Even with free skiing, one can look back and see ones' tracks in the snow for marks of success (thin, round, with spray pattern being outward, not just down, etc.), or simply knowing the internal sensations with successful movements (like not falling down as a start to more subtle movements of our bodies as we ski or ride well).  Simply, with feedback comes the ability to self adjust.   

Balance between challenges and skills.  This aspect of flow was a cool revelation to me.  It is actually quite obvious.  If a person has a low skill level (ATS level 4 skier), but the challenge is high (black diamond bump run), these conditions will in all likelihood lead to frustration and anxiety.  Yet, if the conditions are reversed; a highly skilled participant in a low challenge task or situation, then boredom and depression may be the rule.  It is invigorating when the situation can be found that will match the approximate levels of tension between the two aspects of ‘challenge’ and ‘skill’.  And the cool thing is, the balance of challenge and skill is always having to be adjusted.  As we get better, we must keep elevating the challenge.  The application of this principle to skiing is obvious.  How many skiers have left the sport because they have hit a plateau in their abilities and have gotten bored and stopped? 

On the flip side, how many times have we seen the challenges clearly overwhelm the student's abilities and the experience left them frustrated and not wanting more? (i.e. like the frustrated beginner or intermediate that dreads bumps or crud due to being overwhelmed skill wise by the conditions)  How often do we as instructors end up having to try to teach to the lowest common denominator in our groups, boring those more advanced into not wanting to return for a future lesson?  In our own skiing, pushing the tension of challenge (steepness, terrain, racing, etc.) to our skills is what keeps many of us at this sport year after year.  For our students, we are in the ideal place to set up the conditions that will allow us to coach our students around this tension zone.

Action and awareness merge.  This seems to happen when one is fully engaged in a task.  Ones' concentration is fully focused on what he or she is doing.  The action required tends to bring folks into the moment with a full awareness of everything involved.

Distractions are excluded from consciousness.  Distractions are either not noticed or conversely, they are of heightened annoyance.  Also, awareness is focused on what is relevant to the here or now.  When one is ‘in the zone’, one is not preoccupied with the past or having anxiety about the future.

No worry of failure.  Too involved in the moment to be concerned about it.  Focus is on the process ('playing the game') versus the result. (Will I win?)

Self consciousness disappears when 'in the zone'.  During the activity, the ‘ego’ tends to dissipate.  Afterwards, if anything, the ego is strengthened.  During the activity, there is usually no time to worry about how one might look or what others might think, feel, etc..  Yet afterwards, the positive outcome of the activity tends to be self assuring.  It helps provide for a boost to ones' self esteem.

Sense of time is distorted.  When we are in the midst of our passion, time usually flies.  Or in some situations, perhaps it seems to stand still.  But in either case, the sense of time is distorted in a way that is spoken of in a positive manner.  When I have my rhythm in bumps, I seem to have all the time in the world even though I may be skiing them faster to the outside observer.  On the flip side, when 'in the zone' on a powder day, the runs seem to just go by in a blur. 

Autotelic.   This is a Greek term that means roughly, ‘something that is an end in itself’.  It’s a phrase that can be used for those that may feel no more reason to do ‘it’ than to simply enjoy the experience of doing ‘it’.  With skiing, there may not be any real purpose to our going up a hill other than just to come down.  We may do it simply because it's fun or applying our skills to getting down the hill may be an addictive activity.  As ski teachers, we may have a financial motivation, yet if that is why we teach, we may not find ourselves ‘in the zone’ very often.  It is the process more than the outcome.  That is where ‘the zone’ lies.  Interestingly, the outcome tends to follow those that are ‘into’ the process.

So what’s this have to do with skiing or riding?

What can we do with this (characteristics of ‘the zone’) as skiers and instructors?  First, simply do our best to create the conditions for the above states.  In following the tenants outlined above, the first item would be to start setting goals.  First, there is setting the big picture - long term overall goals.  Make them specific (just to  ‘ski better’ is pretty vague and weak).  Next, break things down by setting subgoals.  These are more of the ‘baby steps’ along the way to the overall goal.  If a student has it in mind to master a certain moguled black diamond run top to bottom by end of season, then the sub goals might be to work up to it in steepness (hard blues, then some easy blacks, etc.) and length (conditioning, ski the length of the run in quarters, then thirds, half’s, etc).  As the student’s coach, you might provide skill tasks that allow building up to the challenge.  Approach it initially with an easier skidded pivot slips style, then use more of a short swing style, then tackle the run with more shaped, carved short radius style turns with active extension and retraction moves. 

The overall goals will vary from person to person and the subtasks may be as diverse as ones' creativity and imagination.  They must be specific, attainable and contribute in some way to reaching the overall goal.

The next item on the list of qualities would be to find those ‘feedback loops’ that immediately tell the skier how they are doing toward the goal.  Simply, find ways of measuring progress in terms of the goals.  Examples may be progressions or exercises that provide some feed back.  To me, these may be in two general forms: internal and external feedback.  By external, it may be the tracks left in the snow (a ‘Z’ or a ‘C’ or if working on carving, smudged edges vs. clean lines in the snow or whether the inside ski track is as ‘clean’ as the outside track, etc.).  Or having not fallen when on a certain type of terrain (O.K., there’s a bit of internal on that one too).  Outcomes that could only be achieved with proper use of terrain or time in the gates (the ‘clock’ being as concrete an external measure as there is) or benchmarking against other skiers on certain terrain, runs and so forth.  By internal, it’s reinforcing those feelings and sensations (associated with the proprioceptive system) that cue one in with having efficiently and effectively carried out a movement. 

Next, keep concentrating on what you are doing, but keep making finer and finer distinctions.  We learn gross motor movements first and then move on to fine tuned movements.  An example might be internal awareness of pressure sensations on my feet.  Some beginners may have absolutely no awareness or sensitivity of anything down at their feet.  So, if I’m talking about how I’m rolling pressure over onto my little toe of my inside ski when the student may be totally ‘numb’ from the knees down, that is not going to connect.  So I start; left foot versus right foot, inside ski versus outside ski, do they know they have differing pressures there?  Develop that, then on to forward and aft pressure differences on a given foot (toes versus heel side).  Then forward and lateral distinctions (forward foot, big toe side of outside ski foot at this particular phase of a turn….).   The higher the level, the finer the distinctions that can be made.  Of course, different folks will progress through the levels of distinction at different rates.  I have better success telling an adult to ‘press down with the big toe side’ than I do with one of our five year old students where such a comment, no matter how creatively phrased (press the button, squash the grape….) will likely just flop.  Young children typically do not have the motor coordination and awareness development of older kids and adults. 

Next step?  Developing skills.  Folklore has it, that one of the greatest hitters in the game of baseball, Joe DiMaggio, didn’t just practice a lot.  He purportedly practiced at least twice as many hours per season as the next most frequently practicing player on his team.   How can you incorporate practice into your or your student's routine?   How many thousands of wedge christies and open parallels do you do each season?  And does that thought strike you as potentially boring? (i.e. pull you out of ‘the zone’?)  Not if you are creative about it.  Try picking a particular section of a run you ski often.  Everytime you go by that particular spot, crank out forty open parallel turns.  Bumps?  Same deal.  They get easier with practice.  Hop turns?  I now try to do about thirty or forty each time I’m on skis.  Not all at once - ten here, fifteen there.  But, the important thing is to drill good ones, not quick sloppy ones.  Also, try rhythm changes.  Every now and then just start alternating five short radius with five mediums radius turns until you reach the bottom.

And of course, keep raising the stakes if the activity becomes boring.  It can be sooo easy with skiing and riding.  Just crank the pitch up, change the terrain or conditions.  Or change the task when on the same pitch.  Try one legged skiing on a blue run.  Suddenly it’s not so easy going the whole run non-stop.

As an instructor, there are a few other areas of Mihaly’s criteria I can also try that can facilitate helping someone reach ‘the zone’.  I can be conscious of the ‘peer’ pressure issues of my students (distractions intruding on performance, or fear of failure issues).  I can minimize my use of ‘call down’, where everyone is looking and staring as one student is ‘on stage’ for the rest of us as they ski down.  I can remember to look after Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for my students to assure better opportunity to focus on the activity.

I also emphasize that improvements and changes in skiing are all about percentages.  Once one ‘knows’ a new improved method or movement, that’s the golden moment.  After that, it’s just a matter of upping ‘percentages’ (how often one can repeat that movement).  If my goal is to carve some turns well before the fall line, I’ll sure miss a few of those now and then.  Everyone does (potential exception being maybe, oh Dave Lyon…he’ll deny it, but I’ve never witnessed him missing one he planned on making…).   The thing is, how’s your average?  If it’s all about raising it, suddenly fouling up a turn now and then is not so insurmountable an issue.  So, try to switch perspectives for your students.  Not to try to convince them that it’s O.K. to fail…that goes counter to the whole performance activity premise of being in ‘the zone’.  But instead, shift the perspective from a ‘failed’ or ‘passed’ paradigm view to focusing on the process and the continuum of chasing a goal that can always be nudged a bit higher and further….. 

Whether working on your own skiing or riding, teaching, focusing on certification exams or whatever your activity or passion may be, from what I’ve experienced and what Mihaly seems to confirm, we seem to be ‘wired’ to seek ‘autotelic’ experiences.  There may be extrinsic rewards for doing something better (rumor has it Michael Jordan made a few dollars playing basketball….), but the real value in the end was its intrinsic fulfillment.  I suspect he would have played basketball as his chosen life passion, even if it didn't pay so well. 

So here’s wishing you all the best of luck in ‘upping’ your percentage of life in and around your ‘autotelic’ activity….in flow….in ‘the zone’.  

See you on the slopes…..