To access your best brain state for getting work done (of any kind), does the science say you should fight (your way into focus) or seek flow? Cal Newport explains:

This section reminded me so much about what Dr. Huberman is always recommending: purposefully doing things that are difficult in order to stimulate the anterior midcingulate cortex. It makes perfect sense that doing things that are challenging, especially if one is learning something entirely new, is not the same as being in flow.

I always thought, that if it exists, then there must be some evolutionary purposes why it does. A bothism of the world. Pain and pleasure, sleep and awake, hungry and full, flow and frustration. It's all in the game of life.

There is some underlying truth here, but intentional and even painful practice are not mutually exclusive from being in a flow state. I’ve spent hours of my life drilling music, art, sports, where it was very much intentional and painful, but I was also deeply absorbed into a flow state and time flew by.

This was excellent!! It’s going to help me out a lot. Thanks brother ❤️🤠

He’s absolutely right! For example, no one can master themselves without some kind of pain they’ve endured and working through that. Even healing itself feels violent sometimes. Practice makes perfect. It’s intentional until it becomes natural. State of flow.

I dont think you achieve flow until you've already mastered whatever you're trying to do. When you learning something new its always a fight.

Yea and skier without practice just flows 😂

Really helpful episode

Find a full summary of thr episode here!

He’s right. It can be painful.