Flow state is overrated

Dr. Kiersten Janjigian
Dec 16, 2025
2 min read

Stop Chasing Flow - It's a Byproduct, Not the Plan

“Flow” gets romanticized as the only route to peak performance. Reality check: when the stakes are high, most great performances feel effortful, deliberate, and gritty. That’s a CLUTCH STATE...not effortless bliss. Flow can happen, but you don’t manufacture it; you set conditions for good execution and sometimes flow shows up.

What the research actually says

Flow ≠ effortless. Csikszentmihalyi described flow as intense absorption when challenge and skill match, with clear goals/feedback and no perceived threat (1990). Helpful frame, but it’s not a switch you flip.
Measurement is squishy. Most flow data comes from self-report scales (e.g., Flow State Scale; Dispositional Flow Scale). Useful, but subjective and vulnerable to recall bias. Replication across contexts is mixed, and physiological “signatures” aren’t consistent across studies.
Neuro findings are inconsistent. Papers report everything from “transient hypofrontality” (reduced prefrontal chatter) to neural efficiency (doing more with less activation). Translation: there’s no single brain pattern you can chase on command...at least that we currently know of and can measure.
Clutch ≠ flow. In pressure moments, athletes report heightened effort, conscious focus, and controlled aggression - decidedly not floaty ease. It’s intentional regulation under stress, not dissolving into the moment.

Why chasing flow backfires

You start monitoring your state instead of the task (“Am I in flow yet?”), which steals attentional bandwidth.
You avoid necessary discomfort because flow is supposed to feel great. Elite performance is often precision under strain. How well can you tolerate frustration and challenge?

What to train instead (the clutch toolkit)

If–Then plans (implementation intentions)
- “If we concede, then I breathe 4 slow cycles, scan, call the next cue.”
- Automates resets under stress.
External focus cues (one per phase)
- Before action: “Eyes to target.”
- During: “Drive through the seam.”
- After: “Land, freeze, breathe.”
- External cues consistently improve motor output and decision speed.
PPR: Pre-Performance Routine (30–60s)
- Breath (1–2 resonance cycles) → Cue word → Imaging the first rep → Go.
- Goal is stability, not hype.
Constraint-led reps
- Tighten the problem, not the pep talk: time caps, smaller targets, limited touches.
- Trains clarity + execution under realistic pressure.
Acceptance over avoidance (ACT-informed)
- “It’s hard and I can feel it; I commit to my cue anyway.”
- Discomfort becomes data, not danger.
Micro-recoveries
- 20–40s down-shift after high exertion: slow nasal exhale emphasis, soft gaze, posture reset.
- Keeps the system in a 'clutchable' zone across the session.

This week’s 5-minute experiment

Write one If–Then for your most common disruption.
Pick one external cue you’ll use all week.
Run your 60-second PPR before the hardest rep/meeting.
After, rate execution quality (1–10) and a one-line lesson. Repeat.

Bottom line

Don’t chase a feeling. Build routines, cues, and regulation that produce reliable execution. When conditions align, flow may show up. If it doesn’t, you can still be clutch.