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Types and the flow

alcea rosea

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What do you say, would some type be more prone to have the flow experience than some other type?

I have a thought that a flow would be more important to people with strong preference to Ne. Any comments?
 

Lady_X

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i have no way of knowing how others experience it but i do all the time. i call it being in the zone too totally zoomed in and focused but it's effortless...like surfing.
 

gromit

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I have felt that way in sports, running, art, design, sometimes with work tasks or like writing an essay, and sometimes with things like yardwork or housework. It's not a super common experience, though.

I can't imagine how it would be type-related though...
 

wolfy

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I'll bet my bottom dollar that some types are more interested in it than others. I am really interested in flow, the concept fascinates me.
 

slowriot

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What do you say, would some type be more prone to have the flow experience than some other type?

I have a thought that a flow would be more important to people with strong preference to Ne. Any comments?

I think all types can experience this at any given time. But as Csíkszentmihályi say some types will probably experience it more often.

If you look at his graph I would experience control and relaxation more times than flow.

i have no way of knowing how others experience it but i do all the time. i call it being in the zone too totally zoomed in and focused but it's effortless...like surfing.

Sure thats not what Csíkszentmihályi means as control and relaxation?
 

Lady_X

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i'm not sure...no...what do you mean? i'm not understanding what he means by flow?
 

wolfy

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i'm not sure...no...what do you mean? i'm not understanding what he means by flow?

Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.

Part of his theory is that you can enter flow by following the conditions.

1. One must be involved in an activity with a clear set of goals. This adds direction and structure to the task.[8]
2. One must have a good balance between the perceived challenges of the task at hand and his or her own perceived skills. One must have confidence that he or she is capable to do the task at hand.[8]
3. The task at hand must have clear and immediate feedback. This helps the person negotiate any changing demands and allows him or her to adjust his or her performance to maintain the flow state.[8]


472px-Challenge_vs_skill.svg.png


You enter flow when the challenge and your skill level meet in the flow area.

Colloquial terms for this or similar mental states include: to be on the ball, in the zone, in the groove, or keeping your head in the game.


But it isn't necessarily a feeling of effortless. More defined by a loss of self and a clean feedback loop. You are one with the environment.
 

Lady_X

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yeah...that's how i understand it too...was just asking slowriot what he meant...he seemed to be asking me if i meant something else...but...no.
 

Nonsensical

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I can slip into the flow naturally when my mind and body are in tune and I have adequate energy. it really is like surfing like lady x said.

when I'm tired or upset I can be extremely apathetic. that's kind of the opposite, apparently.
 

wolfy

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yeah...that's how i understand it too...was just asking slowriot what he meant...he seemed to be asking me if i meant something else...but...no.

I think he was saying that the challenge is low in the situation you described. So it would be relaxation.
 

Lady_X

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I think he was saying that the challenge is low in the situation you described. So it would be relaxation.

oh...i see because i said effortless....yeah well that's the deal tho isn't it when things flow they seem that way...even tho it isn't necessarily.
 

wolfy

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oh...i see because i said effortless....yeah well that's the deal tho isn't it when things flow they seem that way...even tho it isn't necessarily.

Yeah, that is very true. You are unaware of the effort.
 

Lady_X

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right...like when you have something really hard to do and as a p you procrastinate...it's overwhelming...you don't know how to get started you don't want to do it...and then the moment strikes...it's got to be done and you do it...and you're fast and efficient...it just flows...like a writer who's blocked for days and sits down to write a novel.
 

gromit

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yeah...that's how i understand it too...was just asking slowriot what he meant...he seemed to be asking me if i meant something else...but...no.

I think he was saying that the challenge is low in the situation you described. So it would be relaxation.

Yes you are actually exerting a tremendous amount of effort, but it's almost like you aren't typically able to 'tap into' that degree of effort without the flow conditions.

2. One must have a good balance between the perceived challenges of the task at hand and his or her own perceived skills. One must have confidence that he or she is capable to do the task at hand.[8]
3. The task at hand must have clear and immediate feedback. This helps the person negotiate any changing demands and allows him or her to adjust his or her performance to maintain the flow state.[8]

Bold have been especially important for me. If I'm not able to get feedback I can just fall right out of it. And if I'm not confident in my skills then it doesn't matter how high they are, it's really difficult to find yourself in the zone/flow.
 

KDude

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i'm too emo for the flow :emot-emo:

i kind of prefer it that way.

but when i'm there, it's all good. i just.. usually don't care anymore.
 

entropie

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the flow's mandatory, cause a round rectangle has an endless amount of edges

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td1R70yOVj8"].[/YOUTUBE]
 

gps

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Flow with the go

What do you say, would some type be more prone to have the flow experience than some other type?

I have a thought that a flow would be more important to people with strong preference to Ne. Any comments?

To my mind the signature preference among the MBTI relating to `flow' is the only one not attributable to Jung: the J/P preference, which David Keirsey has said has more to do with closure VS open-endedness than either `judging' or `perceiving' per se.

I'm inclined to believe that those who prefer P to J would be more inclined to experience flow, but I suspect that J types can if they feel well-bounded between supposed beginnings and supposed dead-lines for any of their paint-by-numbers regions of time on their calenders, itineraries, or daily schedules.
 

entropie

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That reminds me of the enormous feeling of flow I get go karting.

Yes ! I know what you mean, tho never do it drunk or the flow does overtake you on midtrack :D ( a painful experience :D )

The flow too is the main reason why I ever learned english
 

Lady_X

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oooh i so wanna go go karting too right now...i could use a lil flow i am bored outta my gourd at the moment...actually it feels like weeks now. :/
 
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