8 Comments
User's avatar
Janice Walton's avatar

LIke Susie, writing does that for me - I can get lost for hours in the process of writing and then in the process of editing.

Expand full comment
Don Akchin's avatar

Only minutes for me. I'm more a sprinter than a marathon man.

Expand full comment
Susie Kaufman's avatar

Writing does it for me like no other activity. If I had to describe how this works, I would say that when I initially sit down to write, I don't edit at all. Editing is a different function and works fine after flow. Thanks, Don.

Expand full comment
Michelle S's avatar

TM (transcendental meditation) when practiced regularly, helps with flow. It’s different than mindfulness practice. But i do agree when you get to that state it’s bliss.

Expand full comment
Don Akchin's avatar

Good to know!

Expand full comment
Don Akchin's avatar

Susie, I agree completely. The internal editor needs to be told when to butt out.

Expand full comment
Don Akchin's avatar

Similarly, the paradox that creativity is greatly enhanced by discipline.

Expand full comment
Patricia Shearer's avatar

Interesting that an unstructured state called “flow” is, in fact, achievable by predictable efforts.

Expand full comment