If you have to do as much as he does to get in the flow then you have no idea what flow is nor how to enter it. Much of what is says is a great help to seeing flow however.
To find flow all you have to do is look around you because you are already in it.
Flow is always happening and it is not personal to any one being.
To get in the flow of a river you just have to jump in it. The minute you try to make the "perfect" river to jump in, that is man made flow, and not natural flow.
One can even be in the flow while using social media.
All you have to do is let go.
Anyone looking for flow I would advise they read Zhuang Zhou:
"Horses can with their hoofs tread on the hoarfrost and snow, and with their hair withstand the wind and cold; they feed on the grass and drink water; they prance with their legs and leap:-- this is the true nature of horses. Though there were made for them grand towers and large dormitories, they would prefer not to use them. But when Po-lâo (arose and) said, 'I know well how to manage horses,' (men proceeded) to singe and mark them, to clip their hair, to pare their hoofs, to halter their heads, to bridle them and hobble them, and to confine them in stables and corrals. (When subjected to this treatment), two or three in every ten of them died. (Men proceeded further) to subject them to hunger and thirst, to gallop them and race them, and to make them go together in regular order. In front were the evils of the bit and ornamented breastbands, and behind were the terrors of the whip and switch. (When so treated), more than half of them died."
Maybe there are different ideas about flow. But to me, flow is about eliminating distractions, and being creative without requiring too much pondering.
Our brains are always looking for distractions. Having your phone nearby, or working in an area where distractions are easily accessible prevents flow. Your brain is always looking to be distracted, it's akin to how you are tuned to pay more attention when you hear your name called. Even if you think to yourself: I'm not going to touch my phone while I work, it's always there calling for your brain's attention.
So step 1 to flow is removing distractions. Going to a library helps because you're cut off from many distractions and your brain stops "listening" for a bit.
And then, you must be able to create something from what you already know. Fluent writing, art, programming can then "flow" directly from you into the real world without requiring looking up info, or taking tutorials.
Flow has little to do with the "true nature of things", imo.
This could be valuable advice for someone who is beating themselves up about not being perfect at controlling their focus (if they are ready to hear it).
However it’s also stated in a way that’s disrespectful to the discussion. It’s okay for people to have goals, and to strive and struggle towards them, resisting instinct that could undermine their efforts, and sometimes falling short and being disappointed. This is a natural part of the higher level reasoning we are blessed with.
SAYS Chuang Tsu: Confucius went to the West to deposit his writings in the library of the Imperial House of Chao, and Tsu Lu counseled him, saying:
“I have heard that the officer in charge was one named Lao Tsu, who has resigned his office and lives privately. As you, master, wish to deposit your works, why not go and gain his help? “
Confucius said, “Good”, and went to see Lao Tsu, who refused his assistance, whereupon the other began to give a summary of Spring and Autumn with the view of convincing Lao Tsu. But Lao Tsu interrupted:
“This is all nonsense. What are your fundamentals? “
“Charity”, replied Confucius, and duty to one s neighbor.
Said Lao Tsu: “And do you think charity and righteousness constitute man’s original nature?”
“I do. Without charity the princely man could not be what he is. Without righteousness he would be of no effect. These two belong to the original nature of the superior man.”
Lao Tsu continued:
“Tell me what you mean by charity and righteousness?”
Confucius answered:
“To be in one s inmost heart in sympathy with all things, to love all men without selfishness this is the characteristic of charity and duty to one s neighbor.”
Lao Tsu exclaimed:
“What stuff! Does not universal love contradict itself? Is not your elimination of self a positive manifestation of self?”
Personally I use the hammy package in Emacs with the "Flywheel" timer from the examples to get into a flow, these days it's enough to just start it and unless I get distracted by outside forces I keep hammering away at my task(s) while disregarding the timer. In this way the timer itself serves as more of a Pavlovian trigger rather than an actual device with utility by itself.
To find flow all you have to do is look around you because you are already in it.
Flow is always happening and it is not personal to any one being.
To get in the flow of a river you just have to jump in it. The minute you try to make the "perfect" river to jump in, that is man made flow, and not natural flow.
One can even be in the flow while using social media.
All you have to do is let go.
Anyone looking for flow I would advise they read Zhuang Zhou:
http://nothingistic.org/library/chuangtzu/
"Horses can with their hoofs tread on the hoarfrost and snow, and with their hair withstand the wind and cold; they feed on the grass and drink water; they prance with their legs and leap:-- this is the true nature of horses. Though there were made for them grand towers and large dormitories, they would prefer not to use them. But when Po-lâo (arose and) said, 'I know well how to manage horses,' (men proceeded) to singe and mark them, to clip their hair, to pare their hoofs, to halter their heads, to bridle them and hobble them, and to confine them in stables and corrals. (When subjected to this treatment), two or three in every ten of them died. (Men proceeded further) to subject them to hunger and thirst, to gallop them and race them, and to make them go together in regular order. In front were the evils of the bit and ornamented breastbands, and behind were the terrors of the whip and switch. (When so treated), more than half of them died."