Is there a difference between delivering great work and peak performance?
Athletes talk about the peak performance ‘flow’ state, a sense of effortless excellence and a calm thrill. Does that translate into the business world?
My recent experience writing my second book sheds light on how peak performance really feels.
The first book
Last year I wrote the first draft of my first book in 6 weeks, writing 5000 to 6000 words in a week. Not stellar by any professional writer’s measure, but certainly acceptable. I had all the right elements in place; a ‘book buddy’, Alex, who was also writing a business book. This gave us both a little healthy competition, encouragement and accountability. I had a good writing process from experts at the publishing house. I was also determined to write the book; internal motivation.
I found that I needed to be in the mood to write well, a little inspired and ready to do it. The right frame of mind. Then I could write for one to two hours before that good feeling waned. If I tried to push myself to write more, it became a hard slog and the quality of my writing went right down.
Writing my second book could not have been more different. Last Sunday, inspiration struck and I had lots of exciting ideas about writing another book. My head was buzzing, knitting together ideas and structure. I used the book structure creation process I’d previously been taught, got all my ideas onto a set of small cards, then arranged them into chapters. In a few short hours I had written a book pitch, detailed table of contents and the introduction. I sent them off to my publisher, Lucy, who replied ‘Excellent, now get writing!’
And so I proceeded to write the first draft of my second book, which I completed within a week. Here’s the secret.
Peak performance science
Between this year and last, I’ve learned that neuroscientists can detect the peak performance flow state, it really is a frame of mind.
The peak performance state occurs when your brain is producing bursts of alpha brainwaves, that is a measurable electrical signal between 8Hz and 13Hz. The experience of a strong alpha brainwave state is calm alertness, effortless excellence, inspiration and joy.
By contrast, the beta brainwave state, 14Hz – 40Hz, where most people spend most of their time is characterised by concentrated focus, effortful thinking and also negative feelings such as anger, frustration and fear.
In writing my first book, I was aware that I needed to be in the alpha state and not the beta state – though I didn’t know that’s what they were called at the time. With my second book, I had been trained through alpha brainwave feedback to create this alpha state whenever I wanted it. The result was that I completed the whole first draft within a week, averaging 6000 words per day.
During my alpha training, I had learned by own particular way to get into the alpha state. Everyone has a unique brain so we each have our own best way of creating lots of alpha brainwaves. The feedback process allowed me experiment with different techniques for increasing alpha. When I hit upon a successful technique for me, the alpha measurements spiked and I had instant real-time feedback that said ‘yes, that works!’ I left that training with my own protocol for excellence that I could confidently use repeatedly. And this is how I wrote my second book.
Second book in peak alpha state
Just as an athlete prepares for a race by stretching out and warming up, I prepared for writing by spending a few minutes going through my alpha-raising protocol. I would then sit down to write, and I would write for one or two hours and then stop. Sometimes I stopped because the alpha feeling was waning, just as I had experienced in writing the first book. Sometimes I stopped because I was starting to feel a twinge in my wrist. I had been writing so quickly that I didn’t want to develop carpal tunnel repetitive stress injury. At that point I would take a break for an hour, and then would start by doing my alpha ‘warm-ups’, excited to be writing again.
So I was writing much more than in my first book, big deal, eh?
If you’re like me, you are able to do intensive bursts of work to get things done when it really matters. In the past I have stayed up all night finishing a project that my engineering clients needed urgently the next day. I have been used to pushing through, knuckling down, putting my head down and just getting on with it.
But this was not the same.
The difference was how it felt to write in the high alpha state. It felt light, easy and fun. I was excited and enjoying myself. The words flowed easily and very quickly. It wasn’t intense concentration, it was a sense of being carried on a wave of inspiration. There was an effortlessness to writing at the same time as doing it quickly. I was eager to start writing again each time, and even a tiny bit disappointed when I reached the end of my book, as I was having such a good time.
There was also a sense of positive power, because I could switch on this alpha state whenever I chose. I didn’t need to have accountability, competition or support to get it done, I was writing my book quickly just because I felt like it. And there is now a little voice inside saying ‘wow, this is great. I wonder what else I can do?’
This remarkable difference is thrilling. Peak performance is not about what you deliver, that’s almost a by-product. Peak performance is the feeling of effortless excellence and the sheer pleasure of doing it. This was high output work for me, but it didn’t leave me feeling drained or exhausted. It was a joy to do and left me feeling upbeat and energised.
And of course, I was pleased that I’d completed the first draft of my book.
