As as reminder, flow states – when we feel our best and perform our best – have triggers.  As a reminder, flow triggers function by some combination of releasing dopamine and/or norepinephrine into the system, and/or reducing cognitive load. Not all of them must be present to access flow, and their potency and effectiveness will vary by individual!

Autonomy means not only doing what you want, but just as importantly, wanting to do what you’re doing.  It’s our sense of control and freedom to make choices.  

Much like curiosity, passion, and purpose, autonomy is considered an intrinsic motivator – meaning it’s our inner drive to engage in activities for the inherent enjoyment and satisfaction, rather than external reward or punishment.  Autonomy – and thus choosing activities that align with curiosity/passion/purpose and values – leads us to choose rewarding activities that captivate our attention and engage us fully . . . a direct path to flow!  

Cognitive load is reduced with autonomy – following one’s own approach allows focus on the task at hand and creativity in its execution, and also eliminates the need to constantly adapt to external demands or adhere to rigid structures.  Cognitive load is also reduced by eliminating any narrative of whether you do/don’t want to be doing the activity such that your focus can be dedicated to the actual doing of it!

Remember, the way triggers work for people vary.  In the case of autonomy, it may be that insufficient structure increases cognitive load and hinders flow, whereas others might love unrestrained freedom of choice . . . so it’s about striking the right balance for you!  

If choice feels limited for you, access to the autonomy trigger can be enhanced with an internal locus of control.  Locus of control is related to where you conceptually place the responsibility, choice, and control for what you achieve and what occurs in your life. 

There are two types of locus of control, internal or external. An external locus of control supports a belief that one is helpless, without blame, and not in control of one’s successes and failures – at the whim of whatever is happening out there.  An internal locus of control means attributing success, failure, and the chaos in the process to one’s own efforts and actions.

These days, autonomy is showing up for me really powerfully in my work.  After 17 years working for someone else, I’ve started my own business.  I set my schedule, create my own goals and priorities, and am solely responsible for the long term vision. 

I also found power in autonomy when working for a corporation: I integrated activities that I was interested in and wanted to do.  And I chose to be in the role I was in, with full awareness that there might be parts of it I didn’t love.  But, because I wanted the overall situation, I operated from a frame of wanting the detail too.  And there was a lot of power in creating that autonomy where I might not ostensibly have had it.  Combined with my internal locus of control – connecting all that happened back to my own choice of being there – I stayed in the empowered position of choosing to roll with whatever happened, show up to it, and always finding the silver lining and lessons.

Autonomy might be a delicate balance to strike, and may feel out of reach if life feels super chaotic, but reframing your experience and integrating more autonomy into your approach to life has great potential for enhancing access to flow!  As always, reach out if you’d like help to integrate and enhance autonomy and flow in your life!  

What is flow and why should we care?

Flow Triggers:

Curiosity, passion, and purpose