Hey there,
And welcome to Autotelic Principle.
Having a clear goal is necessary for flow states.
Yet,
At the same time,
Flow requires a focus on the process,
On learning and improving day after day.
The pleasure derived from the activity itself becomes the goal.
In other words,
The key is to avoid becoming overly attached to specific outcomes or rewards,
And to fall in love with the process instead.
Because neurobiologically,
When anticipating a reward for engaging in an activity,
This dopamine,
Our driving force,
Will not be released evenly across the activity anymore,
But rather in a rush at the end,
When we receive that reward.
This means that the activity itself becomes less pleasurable.
What Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman recommends is to avoid layering other dopamine-releasing activities right before,
After,
And during an activity that we want to be motivated for in the long run.
So,
Instead of using our favorite treat,
For example,
As a driver to keep going,
We should learn how to make the activity itself the reward.
Since the forebrain is part of the dopamine system in the brain too,
We can use self-talk to turn things around.
We can repeatedly tell ourselves that effort is actually the enjoyable part and that this struggle will pay off.
This will encourage the dopamine system to adapt and to indeed release dopamine during the activity,
Making it more pleasurable and rewarding.
In this session,
You'll train to become less driven by external rewards,
But rather make engaging in the activity the reward.
This will help you develop intrinsic motivation in the long run and experience more flow.
As always,
You can begin by reminding yourself that you've taken this time,
Right now,
To strengthen your inner drive.
So for the remainder of this session,
Dedicate your full attention to be here now and find your flow.
Close your eyes if you like.
And find a comfortable position with your back straight.
Then take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Letting any other thoughts fade into the background.
And arriving more and more in this present moment.
And in a moment.
I will count down from five to zero.
And with every number I count.
You can allow yourself to sink deep into the surface and become more and more relaxed.
5.
Feel the areas of your body touching the surface beneath you.
And letting go of any tension you may be sensing there.
4.
Feel the contact of your feet with the ground.
Three.
Relaxing your legs and buttocks.
Too.
Letting your arms and hands become pleasantly heavy and relaxed Relaxing your shoulders jaw.
And forehead.
Zero.
Your whole body is completely relaxed.
Explore this feeling of deep relaxation and calm for a moment.
How does it feel for you right now?
And in this relaxed and focused state.
You can let your thoughts drift towards an activity that you want to be motivated for in the long run.
But where you might struggle to really enjoy what you're doing.
Perhaps going to the gym.
Cooking Wholesome Meals.
Cleaning the apartment.
Working.
Or something completely different.
Take your time to find such an activity.
And there may be things you're striving for that reward the effort you put in afterwards.
Perhaps the reward of finally being able to tick off a certain goal.
Positive feedback from others.
Or something you reward yourself with.
Telling yourself that,
If you hang in there,
You'll finally allow yourself to buy something you've wanted for a long time.
Celebrate in your most favorite restaurant,
Or something else.
And I wonder if you can put all these great things aside so you can shift your focus toward the process and the activity instead.
Because isn't it true that intrinsic motivation comes from enjoying the activity?
Rather than what comes after it.
And that's why you can now picture engaging in the activity taking the first steps to get going.
And telling yourself,
Even if there are feelings of resistance,
That the effort,
Right now,
Is the fun part,
That all the feelings you can sense here make your life more rich and colorful,
And that this is what rewards your effort.
Because it's not the commitment for a single goal,
But a lifetime engagement that can give you a sense of purpose and helps you improve over and over again.
And it's ok if it doesn't feel completely genuine to you right now Just try to convince yourself that this is pleasurable Because by repeatedly doing that.
.
.
Your dopamine system will adapt and release more dopamine during the activity,
Making it feel pleasurable and fun.
That's why you can silently repeat these words a few times to yourself.
This effort is the fun part.
This effort is the fun part.
Yes,
It is,
And it may be that you're planning to engage in this activity in the near future,
Perhaps today or tomorrow.
If so,
Feel free to set yourself the intention to recall this flow impulse and remind yourself in the crucial moment that this effort is the fun part.
Great,
Now deepen your breath again,
Taking nice deep breaths in,
And strong breaths out.
If you feel like it,
Extend your inhalations a bit to increase the activation.
Allowing your body and mind to slowly wake up again.
And just when you feel a fresh wave of focus rise Open your eyes again.
Well done.
Today you practiced to reappraise the process of engaging in an activity and make it the reward itself,
So you can develop intrinsic motivation in the long run.
With regular training,
Dopamine release will be less tied to certain rewards or outcomes,
But released during the activity instead.
This way,
Your activity will feel more pleasurable and fun.
I'll see you next time.
