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!

Curiosity, passion, and purpose form a power-packed flow trigger, helping to plunge us into the full immersion in an activity that makes flow so awesome!    

Let’s start with a few definitions.  Curiosity is the desire to explore and learn new things out of genuine interest and fascination.  Passion: often found at the intersection of multiple curiosities, passion is a deep and intense enthusiasm for a specific activity or subject.  And Purpose is the sense of meaningfulness derived from engaging in activities that contribute to personal growth or the well-being of others.

Curiosity, passion, and purpose are 3 intrinsic motivators,  internal factors that drive us to activities for the inherent satisfaction and enjoyment derived from the activity itself. These motivators come from within – they don’t rely on external rewards or incentives.

Curiosity sparks a desire  to explore and learn, driving us to seek new information and experiences (hello, novelty trigger!). This desire to discover and understand naturally leads to heightened focus and concentration.  When passionate about something, we naturally become fully engaged and absorbed in the pursuit, driving us to immerse ourselves wholeheartedly.  With purpose behind our actions, the significance increases focus and commitment and also provides clear direction (aligning with the flow trigger of clear goals as well!).  

Satisfying our curiosity and uncovering new insights causes release of dopamine in the brain, reinforcing the knowledge seeking and rewarding the sense of accomplishment that comes with learning. Passion and purpose pursuits do the same, fueling the cycle of intrinsic motivators and flow.  

While curiosity, passion, and purpose sound juicy and easy to access, I’ve noticed a norm of getting so stuck in patterns and obligations that access to curiosity is lost.  We get so consumed in the day-to-day, filled by social media and busied with the tasks of life that we don’t stop and pay attention to what actually peaks our curiosity.  And while culture seems to imply we should all have a clear passion which we’re in constant pursuit of, that’s not always so obvious to most actual people. 

Making things worse, many of us have the freedom to choose jobs, start our own business, etc. and there’s all this implied pressure to be sure that choice is fueled by passion and designed around it . . . overwhelm at the amount of options out there can be paralyzing.

So, what to do?  Actually bring awareness to what you’re curious about.  What podcasts do you listen to?  If you had a free weekend to do anything, what would you do?  If time to read magically emerged, what would you read about?!?  Actually make a list and start paying attention to what draws you in, remembering that passion lies at the intersection of multiple curiosities so paying attention to what you find interesting can lead you to your passion.  Passion might be a burning flame, and curiosity the modest spark that can lead you there.  If this sounds easier said than done, feel free to reach out for help!  

Engagement in activities related to your curiosity, passion, and purpose lend themselves powerfully to a flow state, whether that be in your profession, with your family, or in your hobbies.  “Indulging” in activities of interest has the capacity to lead you to flow and enhance your access to problem solving capabilities, idea generation, and overall improved performance . . . which might make this pursuit less of an indulgence and more of a responsible use of time!!!!  

Check out this article to see how this trigger shows up for me!