Indeed, in his book, The Rise of Superman, Kotler introduces the power of flow and its effects on human performance. This book is an easy and fun read full of suspenseful stories of action and adventure athletes accomplishing incredible feats in impossible circumstances.

For example, there is the story of surfer Laird Hamilton, who pulls out a novelty move on his surfboard while faced with a death-defying wave. This is a move that Hamilton never thought of, nor practiced before, and that allowed him to successfully surf a wave that would have previously been considered impossible to surf. With this move, Hamilton completely restructured the surfing community’s view of what’s possible.

There’s also the story of a professional skateboarder, Danny Way, who jumps across the Great Wall of China with a fractured ankle from a trial run the day before. He not only lands the jump with a fractured ankle but then decides to jump again, not once but four more times! Kotler shares the skateboarder’s response when later asked about his success: “When I’m pushing the edge, skating beyond my abilities, it’s always a meditation in the zone.” Pretty gnarly if you ask me! Especially if you consider that Way has a self-proclaimed fear of heights.

Or the story of Dean Potter, who, while free-soloing Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia (that is, rock-climbing without ropes or gear), listened to a ‘voice’ inside of him during a rockfall and decided to go against his training by kicking outward instead of using the recommended technique of making himself small. This move would end up saving his life, as Potter managed to avoid being hit on the head by the projectiles. Potter’s description of that ‘voice’ is then described in the book as follows: “When I’m really in tune with it, really deep in the zone, I get to a place where I disappear completely, where I merge with the rock, when time slows down, my senses are unbelievably heightened, and I feel that oneness, that full-body psychic connection to the universe”.

Potter’s description is also in line with Flow research findings in the field of psychology, which are also presented in the book. Indeed, Kotler explains that Abraham Maslow and, later, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, found that flow states were characterized by the following: an expansion of self or a falling away of the ego, an altered perception of time, and a sense of unity and meaningfulness in life. These psychologists also found that such an experience would linger in a person’s memory, providing them with a sense of purpose in life.

The book also touches upon the main difference between a meditative state and a flow state. Flow requires that we respond quickly to circumstances through action and decision-making. This makes sense as athletes in flow need to make split-second, life-saving decisions, while such applications are not required in a meditative state.

Additionally, from a neurological perspective, flow is characterized by the activation of low alpha brain waves and high theta waves (the latter of which are abundant during deep sleep and deep states of meditation). While alpha waves allow for relaxation/contentment as well greater alertness/split-second decision making, theta waves are linked to intuition and the generation of novel ideas. The simultaneous activation of these two types of brain-waves is said to boost creativity, just as engaging in creative activities is said to stimulate these brain-wave patterns.

The book concludes with the assertion that cultivating these states of flow, in which the impossible can become possible, may very well be what the world needs at this time. Kotler explains: “What the world needs most is Superman. What the world needs most is us”. In essence, Kotler’s book is about human potential, and to me, it’s also about a mysterious experience that leaves such an imprint that people are willing to face death for a taste of it. In that experience, they discover the full measure of what they’re capable of.

Reference:
Kotler, S. The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.