The Flow State, Confirmation Bias, and The Ego Depletion Theory
On finding happiness, truth and willpower.
The Flow State
There are some moments in life where we are fully engaged and feel in control. We feel a sense of exhilaration and a deep sense of enjoyment. We cherish these moments in memory. Such moments are the result of a mental state that psychologists refer to as “Flow State”. The term was coined by Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, a prominent figure in the field of positive psychology.
Flow is not just something that happens when you paint, write, or play a sport. It can be the moments where you are "lost" in the funny dance of your child or while playing fetch with your dog. Studies have shown that being in a state of flow is directly linked to experiencing a sense of well-being and happiness.
In the flow state, there is a deep sense of integration that happens within yourself. Your body, mind, emotions, and energies are directed on a single goal. You experience a certain sense of harmony in your consciousness.
In order to improve our lives, we must improve the quality of our experience. The more we can create opportunities where we are in a state of low, the more we can experience a sense of enjoyment and happiness.
According to Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, happiness is a state where our consciousness is in a state of order. Most of the time, our minds are in a state of turbulence. The stream of desires and worries creates a perpetual ripple of disturbances on the surface of our minds. When our environment creates the right conditions for Flow, our minds settle into a state of order and harmony.
Yet, there is a false perception that “entering” a state of flow is the only way to live a happy life. This can lead to scenarios where people are actively using work as a means of seeking happiness. This may backfire and lead to work-life imbalance and burnout. Happiness is not something that needs to be squeezed out of work or life. It’s a natural byproduct of an ordered state of mind.
We need to look at the bigger picture and uncover the reasons for the disturbance within our minds. Activities that help us enter a state of flow can be used as a short-term solution to derive a sense of happiness and enjoyment. However, we need to take a holistic approach and use tools such as meditation, exercise, and healthy relationships to establish an ordered state of mind.
It’s impossible to prescribe a universal formula for happiness. But, we can seek to understand the cause of the underlying unhappiness. This is the fundamental philosophy behind the eastern traditions of Buddhism and Yoga- To understand the root cause of suffering and eliminate it.
As Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi pointed out in his research about Flow, unhappiness is an internal state of disorder. We have to look within ourselves and explore the cause of such disturbances. And, finding activities and situations that induce a state of flow could be one of the ways to reduce such disturbances and improve the quality of our lives.
Footnotes
Confirmation Bias
Human beings are storytellers. We make sense of the world by creating narratives about how the world works. We have a narrative for who created us, how the world works, and who can be trusted. Without narratives and beliefs, we would be lost.
However, it’s hard for us to change our beliefs even when presented with facts that prove us wrong. Psychologists refer to this tendency as Confirmation Bias. This is why it’s incredibly difficult for people to change their minds on social, political, and scientific issues.
The Firefighter Study
In a famous study that was done at Stanford University, students were given two packets of information about a firefighter named Frank. One packet described Frank as a successful firefighter who always chose the safer option during a rescue mission. The second group received a packet that described him as a lousy firefighter who also chose the safest option during the rescue operation.
Midway through the study, the scientists revealed to the students that the information they received was completely made up. Later they were asked to write down their own opinions about what a successful firefighters’ attitude toward’s risk should be. The group who received the first packet said that a successful firefighter would avoid risk. The group which read the second packet said that a successful firefighter would pursue the risky option. The study proved that even after they were provided with the facts, people failed to revise their pre-formed notions.
We tend to seek facts that confirm our existing belief systems. Religious people will always seek out information that confirms that the presence of a God and Atheists will constantly seek out information that confirms the absence of god. Some parents refuse to get their children vaccinated because they believe that vaccines are bad, even though science says otherwise. Some politicians oppose climate change laws because they believe that climate change is a hoax and look for information that validates their views.
The most famous example in history might be of Galileo who was sentenced by the Church to be held in house arrest for proposing that the earth was not the center of the universe. Instead of examining the facts, they punished people who opposed their beliefs about the world.
Practical Takeaway
In a world where it’s easier than ever to circulate misleading information, it’s more important than ever to keep an open mind to learn the facts. We must learn to choose the pain of confronting the truth over the pleasure of believing a lie.
Footnotes
The Ego Depletion Theory
I came across this concept while reading “Deep Work” by Cal Newport. Social psychologist Roy Baumeister proposed a model where self-control is treated like a muscle that gets tired with effort.
According to the Ego-Depletion theory, our willpower resources are limited. When we start our day, we are high on willpower reserves and as we tackle the challenges of the day, it gets used up like a battery. The depleted reserves of willpower impair our ability for self-control.
The Radish and Chocolate Experiment
Baumeister and his colleagues tested this hypothesis through the radish and chocolate experiment.
Two groups of people were presented with radish and chocolate chip cookies placed on a table in front of them. The chocolate chip cookies were baked in the same room using a small oven. As a result, the room was filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies. In order to study self-control, the researchers had to create a tempting environment.
The study participants were told that they are participating in a taste perception study. The first group of participants was assigned to the radish group. They were asked to taste the radishes and ignore the cookies. On the other hand, the second group was asked to taste the chocolate chip cookies and ignore the radishes. Once the groups were assigned to their food choice, the study directors left the room.
After the tasting, both groups were asked to perform a set of challenging puzzles. The puzzle was rigged so that it would be impossible to solve. The researchers wanted to observe which group would give up first. As they expected, people who resisted the cookies gave up on the puzzle much sooner than the people who did not. They had used up their reserves of willpower by choosing not to eat the cookies.
The Scope of Ego Depletion
The scope of ego depletion is beyond the obvious realm of tasks that require self-control such as avoiding sugary food. Here are some other scenarios that can also cause ego depletion.
Deep Work that requires you to focus on a single task while disregarding competing distractions like Social Media, YouTube, or Email.
Decision Fatigue induced by having to choose between multiple options can also deplete your mental resources. You need to exercise self-control to make an informed choice rather than an impulsive choice.
Cognitively demanding tasks such as participating in meetings that require deep thinking and problem-solving can also deplete your energy reserves.
Emotionally demanding tasks such as engaging in an argument with someone, suppressing anger, or handling depression can also deplete your mental resources.
Practical Takeaways.
Perform cognitively demanding tasks at the beginning of the day when your mental resources are full. The famous productivity quote about eating the biggest frog in the morning now has a scientific base.
If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.
-Mark Twain
Whenever possible, avoid starting your days with meetings that zap your energy. Most of the time, these meetings do not result in any tangible outcomes. Yet, the energy wasted on trivial decisions can reduce the quality of your work later on.
Reduce the number of choices that you have to make every day. The brain is task agnostic when it comes to the expenditure of mental resources. The task of choosing what to wear today and choosing your medical plan will use up your energy reserves in the same way. Save your mental resources for things that matter to you. Having daily routines and systems in place allows you to save up your energy for the important challenges of your day.
Avoid making any important choices towards the end of the day when your self-control reserves are low. You are most likely to make an impulsive choice rather than an informed one.
If you would like to know more about Ego Depletion, I highly recommend reading Willpower by Roy Baumeister.