Is Anxiety a Superpower you can harness?

We all have the innate capacity for extraordinary achievement, but tapping into that potential requires understanding the science behind peak performance states like flow.

In his book "The Art of the Impossible," Steven Kotler explores the phenomenon of flow - those moments of rapt focus where every action feels seamless and effortless. As Kotler explains, flow arises when there's a perfect balance between the challenge of a task and our skill level.

"The challenge-skills balance is often called the golden rule of flow," says Kotler. "We pay the most attention when the challenge slightly exceeds our skill set. You want to stretch, but not snap."

To prime yourself for flow, Kotler recommends creating an environment conducive to deep focus by blocking distractions,leveraging dopamine-boosting triggers like novelty and complexity, and aligning your intrinsic motivators like curiosity, passion and purpose.

But what about that other pervasive human experience - anxiety? Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki argues in "Good Anxiety" that we need to reframe how we view this often-misunderstood emotion.

"Anxiety evolved to protect us," Suzuki says. "You're never going to get rid of it, so my book teaches us to look at anxiety differently - as a potential superpower."

Suzuki outlines several "gifts" of anxiety, including enhanced productivity from anxiety's motivating "what if" scenarios, unlocking micro-states of flow, and greater empathy for others' struggles.

The key is developing an "activist mindset" - the cognitive flexibility to perceive difficulties as opportunities for growth. As Suzuki shares, this mindset helped her find light amid tragedy.

"All that pain was undergirded by love," she says. "My activist mindset asked - what's the gift or opportunity here to learn and grow?"

From the teachings of Zen Buddhism also emerges wisdom for navigating life's inherent impermanence and suffering with more grace.

As psychiatrist Robert Waldinger explains, "Zen doesn't teach you'll never suffer again, but that you can be with unhappiness in a way that's more bearable - without layering on optional suffering from the stories we tell ourselves."

By embracing beginner's mind, loving-kindness, and the ever-changing nature of existence itself, we can remain open to possibilities and suffer less.

The path to peak performance is open to all of us - an ongoing practice of flow, good anxiety, and the ancient insights of Zen. When we align these elements, we unlock our full creative potential.