When was the last time you were so absorbed in what you were doing that time seemed to disappear?
Where were you fully engaged, at your best, and everything just… clicked?
That’s flow.
For my doctoral research, I wanted to understand this elusive state—not just as a concept, but as a lived experience. Over several years, I interviewed and studied people from all walks of life—executives, athletes, musicians, teachers, entrepreneurs, and everyday professionals—about the moments when they were “in the zone” and performing at their best.
What I learned was both surprising and affirming:
While the contexts varied—boardrooms, classrooms, studios, kitchens, mountainsides—the ingredients of flow were remarkably consistent. People often described clear goals, deep focus, a sense of challenge, and the right balance of skill and difficulty. They also shared personal strategies that helped them get into and stay in flow—ranging from goal-setting to music, visualization to breathing routines.
Now, I want to go even deeper.
I’m inviting you to share your personal flow stories—times when you were at your best, and what helped you get there. Your experiences can help expand our understanding of how individuals across different fields and cultures access and sustain flow. Whether you’re a senior leader, a high-performing team member, a student, a creative, or anyone striving for excellence—your insight matters.
To make it easy, I’ve created a Flow Survey that will guide you through reflecting on your experiences:
- Where and when you’ve been in flow
- How it started
- What kept it going
- What strategies worked for you
- And what can pull you out of it
It’s designed to not only contribute to this body of research but also to help you recognize patterns in your own peak performance moments.
Here’s my invitation to you:
Take 10–15 minutes to complete the survey. Share your experiences openly. In return, I’ll send you a free PDF copy of my book, Finding Your Flow, or a 1080° Sweep Assessment as a thank-you for contributing to this work.
Your stories will help shape tools, strategies, and training that can make a real difference for individuals, teams, and organizations striving to perform at their highest level.
After you complete it, email me at bruce@attentionalleadership.com with the subject line “Survey Completed,” and I’ll send your copy of Finding Your Flow.
Because when we share our stories of being at our best, we help more people get there.