The Formula For Peak Performance w/ Steven Kotler

Steven is an entrepreneur and writer whose work has appeared in just about every publication you can think of — New York Times, Forbes, Wired, TIME, you name it — and was nominated for a Pulitizer for his book “A Small Furry Prayer.” I wanted to have Steven on because he has a very unique focus in his latest book “Stealing Fire”: understanding peak human performance — not in an abstract sense, but the specific mechanisms that make people like world-class athletes, Navy SEALs, and entrepreneurs able to do the incredible things they do and more importantly, how that formula can be reverse-engineered and applied to YOUR life.

Parts of this episode are a bit more heady than what you may expect from this show – we geek out a little and throw around some science buzzwords – but what’s important isn’t that you remember of the buzzwords but understand the idea that there is a SYSTEM for this stuff, for unlocking your potential. I’ve seen a lot of people trying to kind of cobble together their own system by mimicking the habits of successful folks and while that’s not a bad idea per se, the more you understand the underlying concepts and framework, the more you’ll be able to create a system with intention. You know that this show is all about giving you uber practical, actionable stuff that you can put into practice TODAY and this episode is no exception – and this episode isn’t just for those who want to be hyper-achievers, it’s for literally anyone who want to get shit done.

>> PS – If you like what Steven has to say on the show, then make sure to sign up for the free broadcast of his CreativeLive class where he’ll be laying out the exact blueprint for getting into your flow + unlocking your creativity. Sign up here + tune in on June 27th at 9am PST

Today on the podcast,

We get deep into one of Steven’s signature themes which is “flow:” the optimal state of consciousness where we feel + perform our best – this is where our biggest creative breakthroughs happen. It turns out that there are some specific triggers that create flow and we dissect those in detail.
Why mindfulness is a super important part of all this– Steven says that many of us live in a constant state of mild fight or flight that overtaxes our nervous system, and a mindfulness practice is key to downregulating the nervous system and priming you for flow.
The implications of all this specifically for creatives – what Steven learned from studying ravers, CEOs, SEALs is actually directly applicable to designers, photographers, and other creators and we go into exactly how creatives can apply it.

Enjoy!

If you want more flow in your life, practice taking risks

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Some Questions I Ask:

What’s your background and how did you get here? [1:00]
Can you orient our audience around your book, The Rise of Super Man. [7:20]
Take us to your new book, Stealing Fire. [25:50]
So you put a number to chasing these altered states? [32:50]
What are some of the things that are useful and more down the middle that we can do to help reach flow? [44:15]
What are you working on next? [56:14]
What’s something that if you told people, they’d be surprised to know? [57:47]
Do you have a title for your upcoming book? [59:55]
How do people follow you on the internet? [1:00:07]

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Steven’s driving, fundamental question that has shaped his career: what does it take to do the impossible. [2:00]
A quick definition of “flow state”. [3:00]
My first foray into sports psychology and shaping my own future with it. [5:00]
Ultimate human performance: being your best when it matters most. [8:45]
A beautiful definition and explanation of what the flow state is and what it feels like. [11:20]
Although reaching the flow state will help you with high speed decision making, it’s not perfect. [13:00]
What happens on a hormonal level when you reach the flow and how it applies to your creativity. 400-700% increase in creativity. Huge. [14:23]
Flow isn’t reserved for individuals- teams, bands, and other collectives can reach flow together. [16:20]
The triggers that drive you into the flow state have one common theme; they drive you into a state of great focus. [17:00]
Sign up for Steven’s newsletter here for a breakdown of exactly how to train the triggers for reaching a flow state. [18:00]
Top executives in the flow state are 500% more productive than executives not in the flow. [19:00]
Some of my experience tapping into flow triggers and how I unknowingly harnessed some of flow’s triggers. [20:25]
Why I focus so much of my time in harboring the right state, rather than focusing on bulldozing through work when I’m not in the right state. [22:00]
The easiest way to tap into flow is to engage multiple senses. It forces you to focus on the now. [22:40]
Mindfulness practices are a great practice for tapping into flow. [25:08]
How ravers and hippies are tapping into the same states as top athletes and executives, even though their activities are drastically different. [29:50]
The four common characteristics that altered states carry: selfless states, timeless states, effortless states, and information rich states. [33:50]
We spend 4 trillion dollars per year trying to change our consciousness. [35:30]
The urge to get out of our heads is a fundamental evolutionary driver. It’s as powerful as our search for sex, sustenance, and shelter. And it’s not limited to humans- other mammals like getting high, too. [36:43]
The pros and cons of patterned thinking, and a wooly mammoth metaphor to accompany it. [39:10]
Although chasing altered states can go wrong, top down control isn’t the solution either. [40:25]
Why you need to put a sign on your door that says “fuck off, I’m flowing” for a minimum of 90 minutes at a time, start meditating, and practice taking risks. [45:00]
The mindfulness practice for people who hate meditating: box breathing and how to do it. [46:50]
Why I choose to move my body on a daily basis and how a 20 minute walk is enough to change your mental state. [48:30]
How PTSD is being combatted with state change techniques including MDMA, surfing, meditation and talk therapy. SURFING AS MEDICINE! [50:25]
One out of four of us are taking antidepressants, sleep aids, or anti-anxiety medication. We are lost. [52:40]
The number one most common thread between all the world class performers that Tim Ferriss interviewed for his book, Tools of Titans, is a mindfulness practice. [53:40]
Why you need to actively calm down at the end of your day. [54:00]
How you can benefit from reading 25-50 pages of information outside of your specialization. [55:00]
Steven bought his first car with “magic money”. [58:05]

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