High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way

by Brendon Burchard

In addition to choosing a high performance identity, you’ll have to immerse yourself fully in activities that force you to stretch. You can’t just prance around thinking you’re good. You have to put yourself in situations that make you good. Fortunately, research has clearly outlined exactly what will help you find those challenging and immersive experiences. This popular concept in positive psychology is known as flow. According to Mihay Csikszentmihalyi, flow happens when several of these elements are in play: You have goals that are clear and challenging yet attainable. Strong concentration and focused attention are required. The thing you’re doing is intrinsically rewarding. You lose self-consciousness a bit and feel serene. Time stops—you feel so focused on the present that you lose track of time. You’re getting immediate feedback on your performance. There’s a balance between your skill level and the challenge presented. You know that what you’re doing is doable even if difficult. You have a sense of personal control over the situation and the outcome. You stop thinking about your physical needs. You have the ability to focus completely on the activity at hand.22