How firefighters dealt with the trigger varied. While some participants recognized when they were game on, in the zone, or in the flow at the time, only one firefighter in my study said that she consciously decided to enter the flow state. In multiple stories, she told me the trigger for the flow state and then said, “I hit the kill switch,” which enabled her to focus on the task at hand (one of the characteristics of flow) and not get caught up in emotions or the unfolding drama. Everyone else said that flow happened at an unconscious level.
There are five mechanisms of flow that must be in place for us to be able to consciously initiate flow: Knowledge of our own triggers of flow, preparation, physical readiness, mental alignment, and spiritual connection.
Figure 2: Five Mechanisms of Flow
Most of us are not involved in situations where a child is in trouble or our safety is threatened, but we...