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the wolf is at the door is a new book by Ben Angell that examines the opportunities and threats of living in an AI-powered world. In the following excerpt, the author delves into the challenges of staying focused and entering a flow state amid digital distractions.
Adults spend approximately 2.5 hours per day using social media, unintentionally reducing their ability to concentrate. Social media not only manipulates our dopamine pathways and fuels addiction, but it also has a huge impact on our decision-making abilities, a core skill needed for success in the years to come.
Related: Here are the top 10 threats from artificial intelligence
A Michigan State University study found a link between excessive use of social media and impaired decision-making when taking risks. This is a common characteristic of people with gambling or drug addictions. Other studies have shown that internet use promotes attention switching and multitasking, rather than sustained attention span. According to research, only 2.5% of people can manage multiple tasks at the same time. When our brains continually shift focus between tasks, especially complex tasks that require our full attention, we become less efficient and more prone to errors. This high effort leads to mental and physical fatigue, poor work performance, and reduced concentration, known as the switching cost effect. Psychologist David Meyer suggests that up to 40 percent of your productive time can be lost due to task switching. Other psychologists have drawn parallels between task switching and coordinating dance or controlling air traffic, emphasizing that cognitive overload in these and other activities can have dire consequences.
In the age of AI, we need to protect our most valuable asset, our focus, by giving ourselves the mental space to make informed rather than shallow, fear-based decisions. . To achieve this, we need to take a closer look at the concept of “flow”, understand how to regain control of our focus, and learn how to retain information without becoming overwhelmed by it.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a Hungarian-American pioneer of positive psychology and is known as the “Father of Flow.” His research focused on the scientific exploration of what makes life fulfilling. Although Csikszentmihalyi was not the first to recognize the flow state, he documented it as part of broader psychological research. He coined the term “flow” from interviews with people who described the feeling as being carried effortlessly by the river.
Throughout Csikszentmihalyi’s remarkable career, he has spoken with numerous athletes, musicians, and artists, pinpointing their moments of peak performance and exploring the emotions they felt during those moments of extraordinary clarity. He aimed to identify the factors that stimulate creativity, especially in professional environments, and how they contribute to productivity and problem solving. He concluded that flow is critical to efficient workers and essential to feeling satisfied. Mihaly became interested in the study of happiness because of the difficulties he encountered in his childhood. He was imprisoned during World War II and witnessed the suffering and pain of those around him. This sparked his curiosity about the nature of happiness and fulfillment despite adversity.
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We’ve all had moments where we find ourselves in such a flow state. For me, I remember it happening once while doing research in the majestic Rosemain Reading Room of the New York Public Library. After finding a comfortable spot and sitting at one of the long wooden tables, I experienced what Csikszentmihalyi vividly described in his extensive research. My emotions were in tune and I was completely immersed in my work. I felt personal control and ownership over my work. It felt like time warped and slowed down, allowing me to be creative. To achieve a flow state, there were his three key ingredients that Csikszentmihalyi identified in his research.
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Well-defined goals: I invested over $15,000 to travel to Manhattan to attend the summit and was looking to gain significant media coverage to advance my career. I was determined to make it happen and devoted all of my energy and intellect to this singular goal. I spent weeks working with a former Oprah Winfrey television producer to develop media pitches and make the most of the 60 seconds I spent with each media representative (roughly 100 seconds over three days). I took care of myself.
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I found purpose in my work and helped teach entrepreneurs and individuals how to develop their potential. Contributing to someone’s growth filled me with great satisfaction. Because I had to set an example for them to grow. To do this, I had to put myself in an unfamiliar environment and put myself through challenges.
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I was ready to push my limits. With my life’s savings at stake and a feeling of stagnation beginning to set in in my Australian homeland, I realized it was time for a change. Pushing yourself to the limits of your abilities and evolving your skill set has become essential. I was about to enter the cutthroat arena of American media. It was a challenging battlefield that required me to give my all.
The forgotten skill of patience
In an attention-seeking economy, it’s hard to know what to make of patience. Despite the characteristics of an enlightened person, he does not seem to have enough assertiveness or drive to survive in modern society. However, it is impossible to access the “flow state” without his presence. But impatience rejects the present, considering it flawed. They strive for a perfect future, but resist recognizing and dealing with the present, paradoxically preventing the very change they seek. Denial of this reality leads to repeated setbacks and suffering.
Contrary to popular belief, patience is not about waiting and doing nothing, but identifying alternatives and looking for opportunities. It challenges impulsive and addictive behaviors that keep us tied down 24/7. It allows us to disconnect from the world, allowing flow to occur and laying the groundwork for our brains to make connections and find solutions that have hitherto been avoided. Perhaps that’s why Patience protects the New York Public Library and the Rose Book Reading Room, but more importantly, it’s a “flow state” that visitors can only experience if they allow themselves.
There is no room for patience in the fast-paced technology industry. In a social media-driven world, we don’t have much patience either. A culture of constant hustle pushes us to aim higher, work faster, and earn more money, often at the expense of our mental health. Rapid advances in social media and AI are rewiring our brains to seek instant gratification. If we don’t see results right away, we give up and assume it’s a failure, or worse, we blame others and feel helpless. But as history reveals, we are beginning to see connections between our past (the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression, and most recently the pandemic), our present (social media), and our future (artificial intelligence).
In a world that often demands patience, focus, and flow, we learn through job loss, grief, change, and death that we need to stop, put down our phones, stop what we’re doing and reevaluate. It makes me realize. Calming your thoughts allows you to see what comes up, so you can choose your next steps wisely and act at the right time. Patience is also an example of wisdom. This shows that we recognize and accept change and certain developments that take time to unfold at their own pace.
To help you understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, the wolf is at the door,Now On Sale.