The Dunning-Kruger Effect describes a cognitive bias pertaining to knowledge acquisition. It also helps us understand flow states.
Phase 1: Something peaks our interest. We watch some YouTube videos or maybe read a few articles. Voilà. Excitement takes hold of us. We eagerly attempt to impress our friends, discussing the details about this new subject as if we are an expert. This is called the unconscious incompetence phase. It is epitomized by ignorance. We really don’t know shit.
Phase 2: We continue to learn about this profound and new arena, fueled by unsustainable energy. Doubt begins to creep in. We realize how little we know. Struggle takes hold as we wrestle with the more difficult components of the craft. It is in this phase – conscious incompetence – that we recognize how little we know. The bulk of quitting also occurs here.
Phase 3: Upon continuation, the clouds start to disappear. We begin to understand in greater depth and clarity. Known as the conscious competence phase, learning or acting upon the skill proves challenging but rewarding. The task requires serious concentration, leaving us fatigued and requiring rest. We recognize how much further we still have to go, but we do so with motivation and determination.
Phase 4: That is until grit gives way to effortless effort. The skill becomes us, embodied down to the cell like it is written in our DNA. We view the activity in a holistic light, recognizing there will never be a completion date. We will iterate and improve in perpetuity. This thought is pleasing to us. Nothing gives us more joy than engaging with the task. We approach it with humility and respect, knowing it has taught us as much about ourselves as about it.
The phase above is known as unconscious intelligence. We do not think; we simply are. The skill or act is us. It is our best self. It also is not us at all. It is an unconscious force – one of supreme intelligence. Its guidance is true and free, propelling us along for the ride.
Our conscious awareness is capable of processing around 120 bits of information per second – this equals about 2 conversations – but the unconscious has billions of bits of processing power. As artists, athletes, or performers, more effort is not the answer. Trust and letting go is.
It took me far too long to realize this power. I occasionally approached my craft with anxiety and fear, incapable of relinquishing control over to the force within. Consequently, my performance these days was average at best and certainly less enjoyable. I fought and resisted. Forced what was not meant to be. But when I released control, the output became extraordinary. Free, effortless, and rewarding.
Peak performance is not increased effort. Quite the contrary, it is about letting go. Releasing and being. Allowing the unconscious intelligence within to take control. Trusting in the process and allowing nature to act on our behalf. That is flow.
