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- [00:01]
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Before we start today's episode, let me tell you about my latest adventure introducing Lax Coffee Company, a specialty grade coffee company inspired by creativity and creatives. The debut range is sourced from some of the best farms in Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Africa, offering beautiful flavors and notes. Our single Origins and house blends are roasted every Monday for next day shipping. Visit luxcoffee.co.uk and use code podcast for 15% off your first order. And yes, there's exceptional merch too. Luxe Coffee Company is where art meets exceptional coffee. Welcome to Five Minute Magic from the Mindful Creative Podcast, a short bonus episode sharing tips and insights from the pages of the book of the same title. Every week I'll be sharing one or two ideas that can give you an actionable takeaway for your creative process, your work, your business or just food for thought for the weekend ahead. These episodes share content from the audiobook and you can find the link to the full version in the show notes below. In the last five Minute Magic episode, we talked in detail how to get in a state of flow. We're going to close this chapter with three the benefits of flow states, the importance of beginner's mind and how to invest in your space. And I would like to focus mainly on the beginner's mind the importance of beginner's mind because in an essence it means looking at everything with the same level of openness, excitement and curiosity as we first were exposed to whatever we do. And here's a question when was the last time when you approached a creative task with no expectations, with allowance of hey, this can go either way and I'm happy with doesn't happen often now does it? So I'll leave you with today's five Minute Magic and I'll see you on the next one.
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The Benefits of Flow States the personal benefits that can come from flow states and from working to reach them regularly are many. For a start, adopting the above strategies can enhance your working day by removing any self laid blocks that are in your way. This can benefit your mental health by placing you in a space where you are more likely to be calm, focused and happy. And as well as the physical achievement of probably getting a lot more work done, there will be the inner sense of achievement from upping and optimizing your game. The quality of your work can improve and you're less likely to come away from it feeling dissatisfied or as if you've somehow wasted your time. To top it all, flow states can be incredibly liberating. There are times when your mind is on the ball and not being dragged into all kinds of touchline distractions and ruminations. You're focused on a specific goal and you're taking logical, productive steps to get there, while simultaneously staying open to the magic of your creative superpowers. It's a balance beam that you can stride confidently along and maybe even do a few cartwheels along for good measure. Flow states are our play, our time to tune into ourselves, channel our experience and influences, and unlock the deep potential within us. The Importance of Beginner's Mind We've talked a lot about plans and goals and routines, but as intimated above, there always has to be a healthy balance. Like anyone working to attain a state that relies on a combination of commitment, routine, and some near magical elements. Think of anyone from a ballet dancer to a fisherman. We can box ourselves in without realizing. If we become too narrowly focused on a fixed result or assumption, then it can become counterproductive. We can't lose ourselves in the flow of our creativity because we're constantly measuring it against a rigid idea of what we want to achieve. It can even become dangerous when we can't let go. Some genius musicians have run themselves off a mental cliff trying to recreate the sound they hear in their heads. A highly useful way of countering this kind of rigidity when looking to generate flow states is beginner's mind. It's a concept that comes from Zen Buddhism, where it is known as shoshin. In essence, it means looking at everything with the same level of openness, excitement and curiosity as when we were first exposed to it. Think back, and I'm sure most of you can remember when you first discovered the joy of your own creative discipline, how whole world suddenly opened up before you, and how you couldn't wait to learn more, to practice, and to learn the next new part of the process. Beginner's mind is that beautiful moment, but brought to every new brief or piece of work. Of course, it's easier said than done, especially when you've been doing what you do for a long time. But when looking to initiate flow states, beginner's mind can ground you in the present moment while simultaneously keeping you open to the potential of your creative power. If we work to stay aware and open as to what we can achieve within any required parameters, then we cultivate the right conditions for the more magical elements of the creative flow, where fresh ideas seem to spring from nowhere, allowing us to go beyond anything we've achieved before, and feeling comfortable and confident in doing so. Invest in your space. We've talked about creative space in a kind of spiritual way so far. But reaching that space requires the optimal physical space to work in too. Working from home has become much more prevalent in creative industries and has long been the natural territory of the freelancer. But when we're working from the sofa or our bed, comfortable though it may be, are we putting ourselves in the best position to work undistracted and unhindered? And to tap into that flow state? I would argue that your living space and your office should have a definitive separation, and that latter should be far away enough from the former for you to refresh your mind on the journey. It enables you to get into the right frame of mind a little like a boxer walking to the ring, only minus the theme music, although it is an option. Getting dressed for the day rather than staying in your PJs can also help you to get into a place where you're ready to work at being creative. This isn't about presenting the right image to others. You might not have to deal with anyone in person or visually all day. It's about switching from one mind track to another. It's a circuit breaker that gets you out of rest mode and signals, if only to yourself, that you're going to achieve whatever goals you've set for the day. It's also worth investing money in your workspace. Get a comfortable chair and a proper desk that you can keep organised, or a standing desk if you prefer. Spend the extra money to get the right computer and other tools for your work. Treat yourself to a good quality notepad. Again, more than anything, it's a way of affirming to yourself that you're taking yourself seriously and that you believe in your talent. The extra money you spend now will benefit you later. You're less likely to have to deal with poor quality hardware, backache or any other enemies of the flow state. Flow states equal perfection. Flow states are you in all your creative glory, mistakes and all? It's tempting to think that when we're totally focused on our work and we're in the zone, we nail everything first time. But that's not necessarily the case. Optimal flow states include room for a kind of fearlessness to try new things and risk making mistakes in order to pursue your goal. Sticking steadfastly to what you know and not daring to venture beyond it is less likely to get you into that heightened state. Mistakes are an invaluable part of the learning process as long as we apply what we learn and don't keep repeating the same mistakes, expecting something different to happen. Learning something new, whether it's a new task or something new about yourself and your capabilities, can be one of the most joyous aspects of being in a flow state. When it just ain't happening, you can do everything right. You can turn up day after day working diligently using the best equipment money can buy, and you'll still find yourself getting distracted, tired, boredom, fidgety, and all the rest. Some days will be better than others. Sometimes the flow might come and go. Flow states are a goal to aim for, and you will reach them. But once you do, you won't stay there forever and never have to try again. You'll be in a flow state one day and then nowhere near it the next, despite the conditions being the same. This is part of the enticing magic and part of why we yearn for the time and space to create. Because today might be the day that the idea that's been niggling at us for a few days turns into the best thing we've ever created. We might even come up with something brilliant out of thin air. When it's not happening, look back to some of the previous steps in this book. Find a moment to search for clarity and uncover any obstacles that might be in the way. Use mindful acceptance and observation to step away and return to your work later. Life will always throw things in the way too. It won't do it maliciously or deliberately. That's just how things work. Once you're an adult with responsibilities, you might have children to look after, relationships to tend to and nurture, shopping to fetch food to cook, the desperate desire just to sit down with a cup of tea for five minutes, the hundreds of things that fill up the hours when you're neither working nor asleep. And sometimes, yes, it can feel like the whole world is conspiring to keep you from your art. But if it's truly what you want to do, and you consistently set out to achieve the optimal conditions for getting into that creative flow, then you will find the time and space with surprising ease. The Gardener does not make a plant grow. The job of a gardener is to create optimal conditions. Ken Robinson.
- [12:02]
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Hey, Just a quick note to say thank you for joining me on this episode. If this is your first time or you're a regular listener, please take a minute and rate the show on your chosen platform. A short review helps every show to be more visible to new listeners and provide them with value. So thank you for helping out. Thank you.