How does the state of Flow effect in Performance and Record

As I was researching about Flow in Men's hundred meter, I have noticed that Usain Bolt, who is a world record holder, has not renewing his own world record since August 2009. It has been over four years since he renewed a world record which he has created. And, he has been renewing world record every time he enters a competition since 2008 till then. In one point, he was keep on renewing the world record which he has created in previous competitions.

So, what happened? Why it suddenly stopped?

I have discussed with my colleagues, and we all came down to same conclusion; Burn out.

Us dancers understand what Bolt is going through and how he feels as we are kind of like an athlete too.
Our theory is like this; He became the one and only. And, he has no one to compete with or defeat to, except himself. And that is a very lonely and hard process to go through.
We came down to a conclusion that, if there were another athlete, who is as fast as him, probably he is still renewing his records, as I guess that, having a strong opponent put him in to the state Flow very naturally; having a clear goal or aim. If, he had a strong opponent, he could just focus on beating the time the opponent creates. But, beating the record which he created, that is much harder as even if he does not reach to his previous time, technically he is still the winner. No wonder his motivation went down.

Flow experience happens when "Goals are clear, feedback relevant, and challenges and skills are in balance". Mr M Csikszentmihalyi explains in his book "Finding flow". He also explains that, going through the state of"Anxiety" is necessary to occur  the flow state. Anxiety, I understand as a stress or struggle.
He explain we need to go through these stressful situation to break through our limit, also to occur eureka moment; inspiration. Then, eureka leads us into flow state. After that, only people who experienced the state of flow knows where does this state take you...

When athletes, dancers, artists or business man, get in Flow state, it takes them to higher level.

However, when we lose the feeling and way of how to getting into flow, it does effect on our day to day performance. I think that is what happened to Usain Bolt. Or maybe it was just matter of time, maybe people are already knew that would happen to him since early stage of his success.

The problem is, we do not exactly know how to occur or get in to the state flow. It happens sometimes when I am extremely tired, and I thought it is going to be a worst performance ever, but suddenly it happens and provide the best performance ever. Also opposite happens often too.
I have had discussion with several dancers and read several interview about flow state for dancers. Most of them mentions the state of flow was almost has been moved by God; nothing to do with their own will.

So, the state of flow does have a big effect on our life.

The question is How to control the Flow?

Another Eureka

Another Eurka to share.  As I am interested in difference between education and training, which is a very important topic to me as I believe without defending these  two different activity properly, I cannot reach to the answer I am looking for. So far, I categorise education as an activity with a purpose or reasoning behind, without these, teaching can not be categorise as an education, to me. I categorise them as a training.

And,  I have sadly realised a fact; training is to control people, not to educate people. If there are hierarchy in between students and teacher,I think that is a training; Trainer and trainee. Students do gain skills from it,  but whoever training gain all the advantage as the system has been created to work well for trainers, to make trainers life easier; Activity is not happening from students point of view.

"Education is not learning the fact, but training the mind to think",
This is a quote from Einstein.
I agree with him, and if that is true, training does opposite to us; makes us not to think, just to re-act to commands.

 "A machine is anything that reduces human effort and reduces time" .
This was another quote from a film "3 Idiots", a student explaining the definition of machine.
I fear that nowadays, training and education mixed up, as training turns us into a machine, to be used by trainers. 

This is my inquiry and arguing point. 

This is same as education in school and how the system of Ballet world functions. 

Any ways, my eureka is based on these arguments above.
I have been wondering why some dancers have great physique and talent, but look so boring on stage. They have all the right essence, talents and factors to look great and dance well. So, why is that? And, on the other day, suddenly I understood why. The reasons are the matter of understanding and intelligence. These dancers are moving their body in a right way, dancing the choreography correctly. However, that was it. There are no reason or purpose why they are doing what they, and it shows on stage.

I ever knew what was the difference between a singer and singer who called as an artist.

I ever understood what is the difference between a dancer and dancer who known as an artist.

But, I do now! Eureka moment! Being an artist is to understand the meaning of lyrics or choreography, and some how translate and transmit the meaning through our body to public. That does not come from just a training. Training might provide a solid technique to students. However, without knowing how to use them, what is the point? Without proper education, we are just a machine.
Technique is there to express our senses. However, if the basket is empty, there are nothing to give.

ON the other day, my colleague told me that my movements in my solo were so clear and  looked like movements had a meaning.  It was an interesting comment to me, as my solo was an abstract piece. There were no story behind or no character I had needed to be on stage. But, some how he felt the meaning through my performance.When we dance a story ballet, we try to bring the characters through the choreography. But, it is not easy even  if we perform simple story and clear characters. So, his comment was very interesting to me, as there were no menaning behind when it choreographed as it was an abstract piece. I did not have any clear, strong message for audience when entered on stage. I was just having a good time on stage with audience.

His comment made me smile and also made me think even more about the meaning of performance...

Ms Nottingham's post inspired me to share these rules too!

ms Nottingham posted cunningham's ten rules of work, which was inspiring. I did not agree with all of them, especially last one, keep everything cos we never know when we will need them. I say, learn and drop them. Without dropping the information we have learned, we will never be able to make a new space to learn something new. Read books as many as possible, store them in computer if they are digital format. If not, once you have grasp the essence, it is a bye bye time. Otherwise we have so much stuff and no where to live! Tidy the information and digest them to be part of us, therefore we can withdraw any time we can; we are control of it. If we have not fully understand the meaning and we have to look for the information every time we want to use them, then we have not really learnt about the information.

Einstein says "Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school".

These are quotes from my favourite film, which always inspires me, "3 idiots".

1,  Learning is not memorizing the exact words from the book. Learning is understanding it and being able to explain it in your own words. 

2, Your life, your choice. Don’t let anyone dictate you what you’re going to do with your life. As Rancho said to Farhan, “Make your passion your profession. So it will not be work but play.” 

3,  Pursue excellence, and success will follow

I started to see what I was trying to see...

I am publishing these blogs, because these are I would like to write and use for my 7a, Inquiry process and findings etc... However, comes down to it, I have so much information and so much things I would like to explain and become chaotic! Therefore, I blog them section by section that hope of it will make sense in the end, and I can use hem for my 7a.

I started to look back my journey through my own blog, and I started to see the answer I was looking for.

For example, I have blogged about teaching. I once questioned, teacher or role model, who do students need. My answer to my own question is becoming clearer as my research of Meme progress.

I think I am getting closer to the answer; getting closer to complete the module. I just need to prepare and organised, so people will understand what I am trying to prove. I just have to make sure that I utalise every thing I can do to explain well. If I do not reach people's receptor, I will loose.

Meme in Sports

Until 1968, none of the athletes broken the record of ten second in hundred meter sprint. It use be called as "Ten-second barrier ". Most of the people and critics and even athletes believed that, it would be a dream to break the ten second in hundred meter run or they came down to a conclusion of ten second is the human limit in hundred meter.
However, 20th of July 1968, Jim Hines has renewed the world record as 9.9. But, that was not the main surprise. After he broke the record, same day at the same competition, two more athletes made 9.9 too.
How was that possible? since 1891, every athletes try to defeat the wall of 10 second and none of them suceeded. And, one day, three athletes broke the wall in same day! To me, the answer is Meme.
Meme is the key to break through our limit.

And, my inquiry to use it well in Education!

Meme in Social Net Work.

Another example of Meme. But this time it has spread through internet.

This step has posted on Youtube while ago.

A while after, this guy posted this On youtube.

After few months later, same guy posted this combination on Youtube.

Two days after this was posted, first guy archived in same combination and posted on Youtube.

I have a feeling that, they do not each other or they have ever met before. However, through Youtube, they are inspiring each other. A good example of Meme developing through social media. My question is, is it a part of explicit knowledge? As video is a part of explicit knowledge.

These examples reminds me of something I read before. I have read several books about how world records has been renewed. Which will be continued in next blog...

The source of Meme; the source of Success

Meme has a great potential in world of Arts. However, it can also be spread out in academic world too.

I have realised this when I was researching how human pass on knowledge and critical learning age of human. Dr K Murakami explains something very interesting for my inquiry in his literature "An extraordinary potential of Human DNA". Dr Murakami, himself is a Nobel prize winner. And, as he was researching about the prize, he found an interesting fact; Havard University is producing a way more Nobel Prize winner than rest of Universitys. Dr Murakami thinks this stroke of Genius can be contagious. Therefore, it is only natural that people who aim for Nobel prize want to go to the university which producing most of the prize winner. The selected students in Harvard University they influence each other, and they have an advantage; so many former prize winners to look up to.

Another interesting example. If you see hundred meter runners, the five top athletes, fastest runner in the world. Four of them are from Jamaica. It possibly is because of the culture or genes. However, I believe it is not a coincidence. It is again a game of Meme. Only because if Jamaican were always good in running, they would hold world record since long time ago. However, until 2008, Asafa Powell break the world record, there weren't any Jamaicans. However, since 2008, Jamaica suddenly started to produce world record breaker almost every year. How does it make sense?

When I read Mr Murakami's literature, and when I noticed about the relation about Jamaica, I instantly understood what Meme is, and What Meme can do to us human.