It's a tragedy that our society uses the phrase "hard work" to describe "going against the flow." We equate the value we bring with this experience of work. Then people intentionally go "against the flow" to show how hard-working they are!! No one wins when we equate the value we are bringing with this kind of "hard work." We don't win. Our workplace doesn't win. Our families don't win.
The hardest thing to do is to let go of this story!! I can't say it better than someone I once read...I'll use flow as the subject: "Flow takes you to the edge of the cliff and when you think it's about to pull you back, it pushes you off. At first, it feels like you are falling, then you realize that you are flying!"
The above quote describes the experience of surrendering to yourself, getting honest, and making decisions that back it up. <--This feels like falling.
Then, when you make it through the channel, it feels like you are flying. You are operating in flow. You are bringing immense value. And the relationships you value most love it! And you love it!
Yet the initial journey is disorienting because the story that flow is inviting you to live in is vastly different than the story our society wants us to live.
As David said, you don't achieve flow, you jump into it like a cannonball.
All of this. You nailed it - especially how living in the "wrong story" leads to nobody winning. I don't think I said it in the article, but a lot of what you said makes me think that what we're aiming for is peace - either by overworking to get it, or by falling into it (aka flow). And only one of these paths actually gets you there.
It's a tragedy that our society uses the phrase "hard work" to describe "going against the flow." We equate the value we bring with this experience of work. Then people intentionally go "against the flow" to show how hard-working they are!! No one wins when we equate the value we are bringing with this kind of "hard work." We don't win. Our workplace doesn't win. Our families don't win.
The hardest thing to do is to let go of this story!! I can't say it better than someone I once read...I'll use flow as the subject: "Flow takes you to the edge of the cliff and when you think it's about to pull you back, it pushes you off. At first, it feels like you are falling, then you realize that you are flying!"
The above quote describes the experience of surrendering to yourself, getting honest, and making decisions that back it up. <--This feels like falling.
Then, when you make it through the channel, it feels like you are flying. You are operating in flow. You are bringing immense value. And the relationships you value most love it! And you love it!
Yet the initial journey is disorienting because the story that flow is inviting you to live in is vastly different than the story our society wants us to live.
As David said, you don't achieve flow, you jump into it like a cannonball.
All of this. You nailed it - especially how living in the "wrong story" leads to nobody winning. I don't think I said it in the article, but a lot of what you said makes me think that what we're aiming for is peace - either by overworking to get it, or by falling into it (aka flow). And only one of these paths actually gets you there.