Mikaela Shiffrin described the flow state as a 'ball of energy that starts from the start [gate] and that each turn you're actually building this energy.' This encapsulates the essence of being fully engaged and focused during performance.
Shiffrin describes her best runs as a ball of energy that keeps building with every turn, a continuous surge that never quite peaks. 'It's not about wanting to win,' she explains. 'When I think about winning, it never works. I just focus on the skiing.'
Robbert van de Corput, a world-renowned DJ professionally known as Hardwell, has been performing in front of large crowds across the world for over a decade. But for Hardwell, it's not about the technical precision or the size of the crowd; it's a full mind and body experience. He has spent the last several years developing strategies to effectively manage his energy levels, stress, and recovery, ultimately improving his performance in all areas of life.
Zen Buddhist monk and personal hero of mine, Thich Nhat Hanh, spent much of his life writing about mindfulness. He stressed that when we do anything, we should commit to it fully, giving it our undivided attention and allowing ourselves to become immersed in it, be it simply eating, walking, or anything else. "Drink your tea slowly and reverently," he said, "as if it is the axis on which the earth revolves--slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future."
"I think I'm going to get into beading," I said to my husband as we sat on the couch together in the post-bedtime slump. After we get our 4-year-old to bed, sometimes with a fight, we crash in the living room together and just enjoy the sound of silence. In telling him, I was mostly preparing him for the number of packages that were about to arrive in the mail bearing beads, tiny pliers, and little gold doodads.