With rhythm and flow, when is there… is there

There is rhythm when: it is “recurring at regular intervals” and a flow when it is “moving continuously”.

You can be in rhythm without flow. For example when you are continuously repeating an action, but it feels forced or “not right”. Is like one of those days when you feel like working, but nothing gets done. Think of somebody in a karaoke forcing the lyrics, it just doesn’t sound right and sometimes can be painful. Or writing a blog post but it just feels like crap.

Now, as you can have rhythm without flow, you can have flow without rhythm. This is case when you have the ideas flowing, the energy and all the intentions of doing your work, but you get interrupted, again and again. Following the music example above, is like somebody singing at the same time that little kid plays with a drum set, doesn’t matter how good the singer is, the sound (or noise) generated by the kid will win over you trying to sing.

Finally, rhythm and flow is when you have the ideas – and for long periods of time – work on them.  It doesn’t mean you work for a whole day non stop. By long periods I mean that you can work for a couple of hours, stand up, stretch and have some coffee. Then with a small warm up (like reviewing what you have done), you get back to what you where doing.

When in rhythm and flow, it feels natural and things just get done. There is a level of focus that only meditation can surpass.

So how did I got into this topic about rhythm and flow? Well, I wanted to get back to blogging around 8 posts a month. In the past months I been posting less and less, and is not that I don’t have something to say. I just was out of sync.

Although many people see it as a habit, when it is time to create, write or program: I need to “warm up” my mind. Is not enough just to get inspired or get an idea, there is need to a jump start with some energy  for things to roll. Most of the time that “warm up” proceeds a lot of junk and might be a waste of time, but is necessary to get rolling. Think of a steam locomotive starting up, see video bellow. At the beginning there is a lot of noise, it looks forced and slow, however when the locomotive gets rolling, it gets rolling to the point that maybe.. and just maybe superman can stop it.

So, this post is my warm up, don’t how much time it will take for me to get into rhythm and flow. Right now is not about the quality, the important thing is to continue doing it and letting it come to you. That is why when a shooter [in basketball] is in a slump, they shoot, writers just write until they get into it, programmers program, people live and when is there.. is there and only yourself can stop it.

[sorry no superman video stopping a locomotive, however roll back into your childhood, if not then just check the Spider Man 2 Train scene here, just awesome.]