The Surprising Key to Flow State: Do What You Naturally Love

I once wrote over 100,000 words of fiction for a novel.
I'll be honest. It wasn’t very good.

It lacked structure, polish, and a lot of good writing. But none of that mattered at the time - because I was in it. Hours flew by. Minutes could turn to hours without even realizing it. I wasn’t trying to achieve flow. It just happened.
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Now I understand why: I was doing something I loved.

What Is Flow (and Why It Matters to Your Work)?

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who coined the term "flow," described it as the state of being so absorbed in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. You're fully present, deeply engaged, and often performing at your best. According to his research, people experience flow most often when they are using their natural skills in meaningful ways and are challenged just enough to keep them engaged without feeling overwhelmed (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).

For small business owners and team leaders, flow isn't just a personal productivity hack - it’s a team performance advantage. Teams that tap into flow regularly report higher engagement, creativity, and resilience (McKinsey, 2020).

Why Flow Starts with What You Love

One of the biggest predictors of flow is intrinsic motivation - the internal drive to do something because it’s interesting or enjoyable, not just because there’s a reward (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

When I wrote that novel, I wasn’t motivated by external validation or publication goals. I just loved the creative process - building characters, shaping scenes, weaving together pieces. That love kept me in flow.

​Today, I channel that same passion into systems thinking. I help teams identify what’s working, what’s not, and how to connect the dots. The medium changed, but the ingredients for flow stayed the same: creativity and connection.

How to Find Flow in Your Work

You don’t have to be a novelist or an artist to experience flow. You just need to identify what you naturally enjoy - and then find ways to integrate that into your daily leadership or business life.

Here’s how:

1. Reflect on Past Flow States

When have you lost track of time while working? What were you doing? What strengths were you using?

2. Look for Patterns
Was it about solving problems? Making things better? Helping people? Chances are, your flow moments share common elements tied to your values or strengths.

3. Redesign Your Work to Include More of What You Love
You may not be able to delegate everything you dislike, but you can structure your work to spend more time in your zone of genius.

Why This Matters for Purpose-First Teams

If you're leading a team, helping each person find work they naturally love is one of the most sustainable ways to unlock flow, performance, and engagement. Purpose isn’t just about grand missions. It’s about designing work that lights people up.

Want your team to do great work? Help them love the work they do.
Reflection QuestionWhen was the last time you were in a flow state? What were you doing—and what does that tell you about what you love most?

If you're ready to design your work—and your team's work—around purpose and strengths, let’s talk.

Send me an email to schedule a 15 minute no-obligation call and take the first step toward building a purpose-first team that thrives.