It's not about pleasure

The third week of the Navy SEALS training is known as Hell Week. During Hell Week, candidates participate in five and a half days of continuous training. Each candidate sleeps at most 4 hours during the entire week, runs more than 320 km, and does physical training for more than 20 hours per day (Wikipedia).

This is far beyond most people's comfort zones - physically and mentally.

This is an extreme example I know but leaving the comfort zone is actually the secret sauce for FLOW. "The mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity." (Wikipedia).

Some weeks are crazy packed and we feel that we are at the edge of our capabilities - we leave our comfort zone at every given moment. We fight, run, solve problems, meet people, organize the family, just let it flow. And it works. I just had such a week and feel tired but at the same time blessed and satisfied with a smile on my face. This is what I call a FLOW week. It's much more than just pleasure. It's a feeling of deep contentment.

If we shy away from challenges, conflicts or trouble, if we are too lazy to leave our comfort zones and seek convenience instead of allowing the week to unfold all we get is boredom. We miss the challenge side of the FLOW equation. Flow needs clarity about our skills and what we really like to do, but also the bold step out of our comfort zone.

Thank you to everyone who I met, whatsapped, emailed, fought, argued, laughed, drank, celebrated, discussed, smiled, praised, criticized and hugged this week. You all made me step out of my comfort zone. You made my week ??

Note: This post is a reminder to myself. Never forget that concept! ??