In the summer of 2012, I found myself competing in my first Ironman race in Louisville, Kentucky. If you are not familiar with the sport, the day consists of a 2.4-mile swim, followed by 112-mile bike ride, and concludes with a 26.2-mile run. On this hot August day, the heat was brutal. The day was long. However, something magical came together. I was able to find my "flow" as an athlete while out on the course.
I was dialed in where my legs did not hurt. My lungs felt strong. My mind felt sharp. I conquered what seemed impossible, and as Ironman finishers say: "I can now brag for the rest of my life."
What is "flow" exactly?
The idea of "flow" was first introduced by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his 1990 book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience." According to Csikszentmihalyi, "flow" is a state of complete immersion and focus on an activity, where the person is fully engaged and energized by the task at hand. This state is characterized by a sense of timelessness, a loss of self-consciousness, and a feeling of control and mastery over the activity.
In the context of hockey, achieving a state of “flow” can be a game-changer, as hockey players who are in "flow" are able to perform at their best and reach their full potential. Are you now curious how you can create "flow" for yourself - that magical place where everything feels effortless, and your performance soars? To achieve this elusive "flow" state, you need to learn how to stop overthinking, and it starts by understanding five key concepts.
1. Have a Plan
I would never have completed my Ironman without first having it as a goal. I remember watching the Ironman World Championships with my father when I was a child where the seed was planted early in my athletic journey. The desire stayed with me, and I was able to chip away at over years of training and enduring hard swim workouts, grueling bike rides, and countless long runs.
All this to say, I am a huge advocate of goal setting, recognizing its power to motivate and shape any athlete. Borrowing from the work of Ben Levesque, founder of Built for Hockey, he advocates his 3-Goal System which includes breaking your hockey goals down into three distinct categories:
Outcome Goals: These are your big picture goals. This can include goals like getting recruited to your favorite college or even getting drafted to the NHL. These goals are all about defining your biggest opportunities.
Performance Goals: According to Levesque, these are your short-term goals or the milestones that need to be achieved on your way to accomplishing your Outcome Goals.
Process Goals: And finally, these goals are the small daily and weekly deposits which need to be made. They are completely action driven and fully in your control to achieve.
By having a plan through the use goal setting, you can start to foster the forward-thinking mindset required to create a "flow-friendly" environment - a foundation which must exist.
Exercise: Take a moment and write down your goals for each of these three areas. Find a quiet place to reflect and get them on paper or a digital format if you prefer.
2. Develop a Pre-Game Ritual
According to the Cherokee story, a wise elder tells his grandson about a battle that rages within every individual. He describes it as a struggle between two wolves. One wolf embodies qualities such as courage, discipline, teamwork, determination, and self-belief. The other wolf represents negativity, fear, doubt, selfishness, and destructive tendencies. The young boy, intrigued by the story, asks his grandfather which wolf will emerge victorious. The elder's response holds a crucial lesson: "The one you feed."
You can not go into a game with destructive emotions, so you must be intentional about what you are feeding yourself through self-talk and visualization. Studies suggest that pre-game rituals can enhance focus and reduce anxiety. It is the very reason I had a pre-race triathlon ritual and have a pre-game hockey ritual today. Whether it's a specific warm-up routine, visualization exercises, or your favorite playlist, these rituals signal to your brain that it is time to enter the zone. For hockey players, creating a consistent pre-game routine can serve as a mental trigger for achieving "flow" on the ice.
Exercise: If you do not already have a pre-game ritual, create one this week. Get rid of negative self-talk and replace those words with 5-7 affirmations which will remind you are a good hockey player and say them outloud or in front a mirror. Find a playlist which calms you and practice visualization exercises the night before and the day of your match. You should also take care of yourself by getting 8 hours of quality sleep and eating healthy meals leading up to your game. Bottom line, create a ritual that will help you dial into your gameday strategies and enhance the level of belief you have in yourself and your abilities.
3. Focus on the Macro
If you want to outperform and outshine your opponents, you must be able to focus on the macro aspects of the game when under pressure. For instance, when competing in triathlon I was not thinking or worried about my swim technique, biking position, or run stride - all which are micro elements. Instead, I had a macro perspective and was dialed into the race and what I had to do that moment.
Think about the world of gaming. You always have two components to a game: micro and macro. Micro is your skill with a champion. Macro is your ability to read the map or playing field. You must master the micro components of your hero so you can focus on the strategy of the game which involves macro awareness.
In the sport of hockey, practice, or the process goals we discussed are equivalent to micro mastery. However, your "flow" will not be found there but rather at the macro stage where you are not thinking about your individual skill sets but the game as a whole unit. This means stepping back from the granular details of your skills and abilities in a game scenario and paying attention to the bigger picture - the game itself. Ideally, your skills will be dialed in enough that you can trust your body to perform without conscious interference. To apply this concept effectively, try the exercise below.
Exercise: Consider the larger picture of your game. Ask yourself, "What's my role on the team, and how does it contribute to our success?" Write down your response and reflect on how you can focus on your overall contribution rather than getting bogged down in the small details.
4. Trust Your Instincts
Whether you are a hockey player, triathlete, or businessperson, pick up a copy of Timothy Gallwey's The Inner Game of Tennis. The book is about tennis, but it is also about peak performance making it one of Bill Gate's all-time favorite books. In the pages of the book, Gallwey introduces the concept Self 1 and Self 2. Self 1 is that analytical part of your self. It is the conscious, thinking part of your mind which is critical, judgmental, and instructive. Did you miss that shot and now you are telling yourself you are terrible hockey player? That is Self 1. Conversely, Self 2 is the non-conscious and intuitive part of your self. If I asked you to take a seat, you would pull up a chair and do it naturally without thought. That is Self 2.
This concept of Self 1 and Self 2 is particularly relevant to hockey since Self 1 is the part of your mind that overthinks, while Self 2 is the intuitive, instinctive part of you that executes actions without conscious intervention. And here is the reality: you will never reach a "flow" state if Self 1 rules your mindset. It is essential to let go of self-doubt and allow your instincts (a.k.a. Self 2) to guide you.
Exercise: Take a moment to recall a time when you performed exceptionally well in a game. What did it feel like? Write down your feelings and thoughts. Now, consider how you can tap into those feelings more often and trust your instincts.
5. Have Fun
At the time of this writing, I am currently a youth hockey coach with the Nashville Predators. I am on the ice or coaching from the bench two to three times a week and the prevailing theme for every one of my sessions is always to "keep it fun and engaging" for the athletes. It is my objective for 6- to 8-year-olds and even the teenagers but somehow as adults we lose that focus. We get caught up in the results, the next goal, the next blocked shot, and what is displayed on the scoreboard.
Hockey is exhilarating, but it can become a grind when you lose sight of why you started playing and participating in this great sport. To reach a state of "flow," you need to enjoy the game, relish the camaraderie, and embrace the challenges. Simply, remember why you laced up your skates and let that drive your aspirations.
Exercise: Write down what initially drew you to hockey and the aspects of the game that still make you smile. Make a list of the most enjoyable moments you've had on the ice. Keep this list with you as a reminder of why you play hockey.
Parting Advice
Ultimately, reaching a state of "flow" is about finding the perfect balance between effort and ease, allowing you to play at your best while embracing the joy of the game. Use the exercises provided to help you work on these five critical aspects of achieving "flow." As you practice these concepts, you will find that your performance improves, your enjoyment of the game deepens, and you become more connected to the essence of what drew you to hockey in the first place.
