Flow Radio – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Flow Radio, we dive deep into the fascinating intersection of neuroscience, creativity, and flow states.

In his recent paper in Neuropsychologia, Dr. John Kounios and his team explored the neural mechanisms of creative flow during jazz improvisation.

To indulge your curiosity for full-fledged geekery, Dr. Kounios, bestselling author Steven Kotler, and riff on:

• What EEG (electroencephalography) reveals about brain activity and flow states
• How cognitive control affects state changes
• The role of transient hypofrontality, especially in high-flow individuals
• The relationship between "aha" moments and flow
• The applied neuroscience of creative flow

Tune in to get the rhythms of creative flow revealed and discover how to unleash your creative potential.

In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction

02:50 Steven’s Favorite Part of the Brain

07:29 Setting Up the Jazz Improv Study on Creative Flow

11:00 Type 1 & Type 2 Processes, Back to Kahneman

12:54 Transient Hypofrontality in High Flow People

15:30 Type Zero Cognition

17:00 Aha Moments and Flow

23:00 Creative Flow vs. Other Flow States

28:00 The Expert Knows to Let Go

30:55 The Brain Knows the Distance

36:45 Practical Advice for Creative Flow

About The Guest:

John Kounios is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Drexel University. He has published cognitive neuroscience research on insight, creativity, problem solving, memory, and Alzheimer’s disease and coauthored (with Mark Beeman) the international Amazon Bestseller, The Eureka Factor: Aha Moments, Creative Insight, and the Brain. John's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation and has been reported by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Times (London), and National Public Radio and was featured in BBC Television and Discovery Science Channel documentaries. His work was profiled by The New Yorker and The Saturday Evening Post and is part of a permanent exhibit at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. He is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the Psychonomic Society.

Episode Resources:

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kounios-5242951a/ 

X: https://x.com/JohnKounios 

Flow Radio Is Presented By Flow Research Collective

Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If the answer is yes, then our peak-performance training Zero To Dangerous may be a good fit for you.

Flow Research Collective is a leading neuroscience research and training company. If you’re interested in learning the science-backed techniques we used to train top executives at Facebook, Audi and even the Navy SEALs, click the link here: ⁠https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/zero-to-dangerous/overview⁠

Follow Flow Research Collective:

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@flowresearchcollective⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/flowresearchcollective⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowresearchcollective⁠

X: ⁠https://twitter.com/thefrc_official⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/flowresearchcollective⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠

Website: https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/

Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.

Can a cup of coffee do more than wake you up?

In this episode of Flow Radio, host Ryan Wickes from the Flow Research Collective explores the effects of caffeine on flow states. Joined by Dr. Michael Mannino, Chief Science Officer, and Dr. Niklas Reich, neuroscientist and high-performance coach, they discuss how caffeine can increase the likelihood you drop into flow.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• The Science of Flow: Discover what flow states are, how they feel, and why they're the heartbeat of peak performance and creativity.
• Neuroprotective Benefits of Caffeine: Find out why drinking caffeine regularly can lower the risk of dementia and protect your brain.
• Mechanisms of Action: Understand how caffeine interacts with adenosine and dopamine receptors to keep you alert, focused, and motivated.
• Practical Tips: Dr. Reich shares actionable advice on how to strategically use caffeine to enter flow states with less fuss.
• Optimal Dosage and Timing: Learn the best ways to take caffeine, including the right amount and time to get the biggest bang for your cup without affecting your sleep.

Tune in for an easy-to-follow and practical conversation about how caffeine can be an effective way to enter flow states. Whether you're a student, professional, or athlete, this episode gives you straightforward advice to make the most of caffeine to turbocharge your performance.

In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:37 Neuroprotective Benefits of Caffeine 

08:15 Caffeine and Dopamine

20:27 Caffeine as a Tool for Entering Flow

24:49 Mechanisms of Action

29:57 Practical Tips for Using Caffeine 

40:00 Optimal Dosage

45:00 Caffeine’s Impact on Focus, Flow, and ADHD Management

About The Guest:

Niklas Reich, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and high-performance coach. He works as a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, focusing on Alzheimer's disease therapies. His research includes developing treatments that can protect our brains, which ties into how caffeine might help us today.

He has a strong background in Alzheimer's research, having worked at Lancaster University with top researchers like David Allsop and Christian Holscher. His projects there involved creating peptide inhibitors and exploring new treatment options.

Besides his scientific pursuits, Dr. Reich is a High Performance and Flow Coach trained by us at the Flow Research Collective. He helps people achieve their goals through self-improvement and a growth mindset. 

Episode Resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niklas-reich-ph-d-b1b41b140/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nick.p.reich 

Flow Radio Is Presented By Flow Research Collective

Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If the answer is yes, then our peak-performance training Zero To Dangerous may be a good fit for you.

Flow Research Collective is a leading neuroscience research and training company. If you’re interested in learning the science-backed techniques we used to train top executives at Facebook, Audi and even the Navy SEALs, click the link here: ⁠https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/zero-to-dangerous/overview⁠

Follow Flow Research Collective:

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@flowresearchcollective⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/flowresearchcollective⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowresearchcollective⁠

X: ⁠https://twitter.com/thefrc_official⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/flowresearchcollective⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.flowresearchcollective.com⁠

Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.

In this episode of Flow Radio, we welcome groundbreaking psychologist and author Dr. George Bonanno, one of the world’s leading psychologists on post-traumatic growth and human resilience. Dr. Bonanno joins Flow Research Collective Executive Director Steven Kotler in a vital discussion on how to cultivate the tenacity to bounce back better from tough setbacks. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand how to leverage the science of resilience to become more effective in the face of adversity.

In This Episode:

0:00 Introduction

1:28 The Misconception of Resilience

05:56 The 9/11 Study and Trauma Research

15:34 Post-Traumatic Growth

21:35 The Role of Control in Trauma and Flow

34:59 The Discovery of Flexibility

55:40 The Future of Resilience Research

About The Guest:

George Bonanno is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University's Teachers College and internationally recognized for his pioneering research on human resilience in the face of loss and potential trauma. He is recognized by the Web of Science as among the top one percent most cited scientists in the world, and has been honored with lifetime achievement awards by the Association for Psychological Science (APS), the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), and the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). In addition to the books, The End of Trauma and The Other Side of Sadness, George has published hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific articles, many appearing in leading journals such as Nature, JAMA, American Psychologist, and the Annual Review of Psychology. He is also an avid painter (when he has time), reads widely, and loves music.

Episode Resources:

Website: https://www.georgebonanno.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-bonanno-610a0a22a/

X: https://twitter.com/giorgiobee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giorgiobee/

Flow Radio Is Presented By Flow Research Collective

Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If the answer is yes, then our peak-performance training Zero To Dangerous may be a good fit for you.

Flow Research Collective is a leading neuroscience research and training company. If you’re interested in learning the science-backed techniques we used to train top executives at Facebook, Audi and even the Navy SEALs, click the link here: ⁠https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/zero-to-dangerous/overview⁠

Follow Flow Research Collective:

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@flowresearchcollective⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/flowresearchcollective⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowresearchcollective⁠

X: ⁠https://twitter.com/thefrc_official⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/flowresearchcollective⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.flowresearchcollective.com⁠

Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- "Vulnerability comes from the heart and this recognition that we are flawed." ~ Mark Divine ABOUT THE GUEST: Mark Divine is an expert in human performance as it is displayed in mental toughness, leadership and physical readiness. His work is based on an integral warrior-leader model that he developed and tested on over a thousand special operations candidates worldwide. The integrated training, which involves physical, mental, emotional, intuitional and spiritual training, has resulted in over a 90% success rate for the Spec Ops candidates. It is now taught to executives and corporate teams, tops sports teams, top athletes, professionals, first responders and warriors from all walks of life. Mark is the founder and leader of several highly successful enterprises including SEALFIT (Physical and mental training), Unbeatable Mind, LLC (Executive Mastery Development), NavySEALs.com and USCrossFit. He also co-founded the Coronado Brewing Company in Coronado, CA. SEALFIT developed out of the Navy's SEAL candidate Mentoring program, which took the pass rate for Navy SEAL candidates from 33% to over 80% on the Physical Screening Test at Navy Boot Camp. This program was instrumental in helping the Navy grow the size and quality of the SEAL force. Mark's other professional experience includes 20 years as a Navy SEAL officer, retiring as a Commander in 2011. Also 4 years as a CPA with the firm now known as PriceWaterhouseCoopers prior to his joining the Navy. As a reserve SEAL he led several prominent projects, including the Navy's internal study on whether to support the invitation of USMC into the Special Operations Command. Mark served as Adjunct Professor of Leadership at the University of San Diego and has authored four books: "The Way of the SEAL," published by Reader's Digest Publishing, "8 Weeks to SEALFIT" and "Kokoro Yoga" by St. Martin's Press, "Unbeatable Mind" and the "SEALFIT Training Guide," both self-published. --- If you order Steven's new book, The Art of Impossible, right now, you’ll get $1,500 of free bonuses immediately dropped into your inbox. They include secret chapters he has never released, masterclasses on key skills to help you jack up motivation, heighten creativity, and accelerate learning. You’ll also get an entirely free training to help you fight distraction and spend more time in flow. So click the link here, snag yourself a copy of The Art of Impossible, and let’s get after it. 👉 https://www.theartofimpossible.com/

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- “All the psilocybin subjects rated all the mystical qualities of their experience much much higher than the control group. And 6 months later the psilocybin group had all kinds of persistent beneficial effects to their attitudes and behavior they all said the experience had deepened their faith.” ~ Steven Kotler ABOUT THE GUEST: STEVEN KOTLER is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and Founder and Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. His books include The Art of Impossible, Stealing Fire, and The Rise of Superman. His work has been translated into over 40 languages and appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Wired, Atlantic Monthly, The Harvard Business Review and Forbes. --- If you order Steven's new book, The Art of Impossible, right now, you’ll get $1,500 of free bonuses immediately dropped into your inbox. They include secret chapters he has never released, masterclasses on key skills to help you jack up motivation, heighten creativity, and accelerate learning. You’ll also get an entirely free training to help you fight distraction and spend more time in flow. So click the link here, snag yourself a copy of The Art of Impossible, and let’s get after it. 👉 https://www.theartofimpossible.com/

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- “We are meaning-making machines. What that really means is what neurons do at a really basic level is pattern recognition.” ~ Steven Kotler ABOUT THE GUEST: STEVEN KOTLER is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and Founder and Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. His books include The Art of Impossible, Stealing Fire, and The Rise of Superman. His work has been translated into over 40 languages and appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Wired, Atlantic Monthly, The Harvard Business Review and Forbes. --- If you order Steven's new book, The Art of Impossible, right now, you’ll get $1,500 of free bonuses immediately dropped into your inbox. They include secret chapters he has never released, masterclasses on key skills to help you jack up motivation, heighten creativity, and accelerate learning. You’ll also get an entirely free training to help you fight distraction and spend more time in flow. So click the link here, snag yourself a copy of The Art of Impossible, and let’s get after it. 👉 https://www.theartofimpossible.com/

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- "The broadest thing to say about attention, is it's about privileging some information over other information." ~ Dr. Amishi Jha ABOUT THE GUEST: In her groundbreaking book PEAK MIND (HarperOne; on sale: October 19th), neuroscientist Amishi Jha, PhD—who has presented her work at The Pentagon, The World Economic Forum, and NATO—teaches you how to train your brain to pay attention differently. Through her work with those in high stress, high consequence positions (soldiers, firefighters, athletes, and more), she unpacks her unprecedented insight into where presence, purpose, and mental fitness really come from. Her TED Talk on this subject has over 5 million views! She is a diverse voice who speaks at the forefront of our cultural “crisis of attention.” Dr. Jha teaches us how to strengthen and stabilize the mind, become more aware, mentally agile, and resilient against distraction and stress. With blurbs from Daniel Goldman, Arianna Huffington, Sharon Salzberg, and more. --- If you order Steven's new book, The Art of Impossible, right now, you’ll get $1,500 of free bonuses immediately dropped into your inbox. They include secret chapters he has never released, masterclasses on key skills to help you jack up motivation, heighten creativity, and accelerate learning. You’ll also get an entirely free training to help you fight distraction and spend more time in flow. So click the link here, snag yourself a copy of The Art of Impossible, and let’s get after it. 👉 https://www.theartofimpossible.com/

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- "While he [Mihaly] was, first of all, the most generous person you can imagine, he was just kind, just an amazingly kind person, who was an excellent listener, but could be pointed and directive when he was asking you questions. He had this amazing artistic sense. He was just a special human being." ~ Barbara Schneider ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the mind, creativity, and the depths of human potential. He is the founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential and is an Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Wellbeing Science.  He is the author/editor of 9 books, including Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, and is the host of the #1 psychology podcast in the world— The Psychology Podcast— which has received over 20 million downloads.  Dr. Kaufman received a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University and has taught courses on intelligence, cognitive science, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, Yale, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.  In 2015, he was named one of “50 groundbreaking scientists who are changing the way we see the world” by Business Insider. Barbara Schneider Barbara Schneider is the John A. Hannah University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education and the Department of Sociology. She uses a sociological lens to understand societal conditions and interpersonal interactions that create norms and values for enhancing human and social capital. Her research focuses on how the social contexts of schools and families influence the academic and social well-being of adolescents as they move into adulthood. In her career, Schneider has also played a significant role in the development of research methods for the real-time measurement of learning experiences. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Academy of Education, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and, most recently, was elected to the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. In 2017, she received an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Helsinki. Schneider is the principal investigator of the College Ambition Program (CAP), a study that tests a model for promoting a STEM college-going culture in high schools that encourages adolescents to pursue STEM majors in college and in their careers. She is also the principal investigator of Crafting Engagement in Science Environments, an international high school study that tests the impact of Project-Based Learning on student academic, social and emotional factors in science classes. Professor Schneider has published 19 books and more than 100 articles and reports on family, social contexts of schooling, and sociology of knowledge. Her latest book published in 2020, Learning Science-The Value of Crafting Engagement in Science Environments, published by Yale University Press, is being translated and published in China by Educational Science Publishing House Limited. Dr. Christine Danson Dr. Danson earned her PhD in Positive Developmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA (2017). Her areas of interests include lifespan development and positive contexts for thriving, parenting and family as positive

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- "Nothing was drudgery. There was always a way to make a game out of something. To make it a challenge." ~ Mark CsikszentmihalyiABOUT THE GUEST: Mark Csikszentmihalyi, Professor and Eliaser Chair of International Studies, has an AB in East Asian Languages and Civilizations (Harvard) and a Ph.D in Asian Languages (Stanford). He uses both excavated and transmitted texts to reconstruct the religions, philosophies, and cultures of early China. Recent books include Material Virtue: Ethics and the Body in Early China (2004) and Readings in Han Chinese Thought (2006). He is currently translating a set of Song dynasty essays on the Zhuangzi. He is Editor of the Journal of Chinese Religions. --- If you order Steven's new book, The Art of Impossible, right now, you’ll get $1,500 of free bonuses immediately dropped into your inbox. They include secret chapters he has never released, masterclasses on key skills to help you jack up motivation, heighten creativity, and accelerate learning. You’ll also get an entirely free training to help you fight distraction and spend more time in flow. So click the link here, snag yourself a copy of The Art of Impossible, and let’s get after it. 👉 https://www.theartofimpossible.com/

TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is go to getmoreflow.com right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.  --- "In a sense the pursuit of happiness and meaning, purpose, the way it gets framed out from a practical perspective sounds selfish. What it does to the human being along the way actually isn’t completely unselfish. It sort of turns you into the person deserving of that meaning and that purpose.  It’s a process of becoming." ~ Steven Kotler ABOUT THE GUEST: STEVEN KOTLER is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and Founder and Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. His books include The Art of Impossible, Stealing Fire, and The Rise of Superman. His work has been translated into over 40 languages and appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Wired, Atlantic Monthly, The Harvard Business Review and Forbes. --- If you order Steven's new book, The Art of Impossible, right now, you’ll get $1,500 of free bonuses immediately dropped into your inbox. They include secret chapters he has never released, masterclasses on key skills to help you jack up motivation, heighten creativity, and accelerate learning. You’ll also get an entirely free training to help you fight distraction and spend more time in flow. So click the link here, snag yourself a copy of The Art of Impossible, and let’s get after it. 👉 https://www.theartofimpossible.com/