Flow State
I’ve been hearing about flow state for a while now—that elusive zone where you’re so deeply immersed in what you’re doing that time dissolves and effort feels almost effortless. I haven’t experienced it in a while, but when I look back, I can recall a few moments where I was definitely in the flow. One of them stands out clearly, like a vivid snapshot from my past.
Allow me to indulge you.
It was the second half of 2005, my very first semester of engineering. The dreaded first internals were around the corner, and I wanted to give them my best shot. The horror stories from seniors about how a poor internal score could ruin your final grade were more than enough motivation.
For one of the subjects, I decided I’d start early and really focus. I knew the hostel would be buzzing by 9:30 AM, making distraction free study nearly impossible. So, I woke up at 6, freshened up, and sat down at my desk by 6:30.
And, I slipped into focus.
I began by writing down and summarizing every single topic from the syllabus. I wasn’t checking the clock. I wasn’t thinking about anything else. Just page after page, concept after concept. Before I even realized it, it was 9:30 AM—breakfast time. A neat stack of handwritten notes sat beside me, and my roommate looked at it in disbelief.
“You already started?!” he asked, surprised.
After breakfast, I sat back down. No rest. No chit-chat.
The second deep session lasted another three hours, all the way to lunch. Then again, post lunch from 1:30 to 5 PM. I was amazed at myself. I wasn’t distracted, I wasn’t tired, and except for short breaks for water or the washroom, I barely moved. I didn’t even speak to my roommates.
After dinner, around 9 PM, my roommate walked in and said something that still makes me smile:
“Dude, what got into you? I’m feeling jealous watching you study like that!”
I turned to look at my desk. It was overflowing with notes. The dustbin was stuffed with the day’s scribbles. I blinked, half in disbelief. It felt surreal, but I didn’t want to stop.
I finally went to bed at around 1:30 AM.
Sixteen hours of study.
No fatigue. No force. Just flow.
That was the first time I tasted what it truly means to be in a flow state, when the world fades away and all that remains is doing. And when it hits, it’s powerful.
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