If you’ve ever picked up your phone for “just a second”… and suddenly 45 minutes disappeared — yeah, same.

In this episode of Plan Goal Plan, I’m diving into something that completely stopped me in my tracks: “sh*tty flow.” It feels like focus. It looks like productivity. But it quietly pulls you away from your life instead of building it.

I’m sharing a super real moment (hi, doom scrolling spiral 👋), plus a story about my son’s Read-a-thon that cracked open a bigger conversation about ambition, trade-offs, and what it actually means to choose your life on purpose.

We’re talking about:

• Why you can’t stop scrolling (hint: it’s not a discipline problem)
• What “maladaptive flow” or “sh*tty flow” actually is
• The difference between real flow vs. the kind that drains you
• How high-achieving women get stuck in burnout cycles
• The exact moment you lose agency (and how to notice it )
• Why rituals—not habits—are the key to getting yourself back

And if you’re feeling that pull of “I want more… but I don’t want to lose myself again,” I’ve got something special for you too.

This episode is for you if you’re ambitious, thoughtful, maybe a little tired of the hustle, and ready to feel like yourself again.

Let’s get into it.

Connect with me:

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Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

Mike Csikszentmihalyi discovered flow by asking a simple question: Why do some people bounce back from adversity while others don't? Gary and Deanne Gute work directly in his legacy, and they say there's a specific anatomy to flow that almost nobody talks about. Miss that piece, and no amount of productivity hacking will get you there.

Where Flow Came From: In the late 60s and early 70s, Mike interviewed people about their most engaged moments. They all described it the same way—like being carried away by a current. That's where "flow" came from.

The Real Anatomy: Clear goals. Immediate feedback. Challenge matched to skill. But here's what people miss: freedom from self-consciousness. Social media is basically a self-consciousness machine—you're constantly alert to how you're being judged. That kills flow.

It's Not About the Goal: Deanne ended up in the hospital with COVID pneumonia. Her one job was getting her breath under control or die. One goal, immediate feedback (oxygen machine), matched challenge. Looking back, she found it oddly satisfying because it was pure flow. It wasn't about winning—it was about the experience.

Challenge and Enjoyment Are One: Our culture treats them as opposites. But flow merges them. Kobe Bryant found bliss in 4 AM practice sessions—the squeak of the floor, the whoosh of the basket. Define enjoyment for yourself, not what social media tells you.

Ritual Primes You: Their research on rock climbers shows that pre-climb rituals—breath work, imagery, mindfulness—lead to significantly more flow than just showing up. Flow comes to a prepared mind.

Flow and Resilience: They've studied trauma survivors, combat veterans with PTSD, chronic pain patients. Flow isn't about productivity. It's about flourishing in your worst moments and actually growing from adversity.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow

Connect with Deanne and Gary

• Flow Channel Foundation: TheFlowChannelFoundation.org
• Upcoming Podcast: Cheating Chaos
• Gary's TEDx: Flow for Good (YouTube)
• Facebook: @TheFlowChannelOfficial

Connect with me:

• • Email: support@plangoalplan.com
  • Facebook Group: Join Here
  • Website: PlanGoalPlan.com
  • LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

What if the secret to follow-through isn't discipline, but direction? I'm done with the myth that flow requires a perfect, uninterrupted day. That's not real life, especially if you're managing other people's schedules, making a million decisions, or juggling kids and work. So let's talk about building flow that actually works in messy, high-pressure lives.

For years I tried to follow Cal Newport's advice: block four uninterrupted hours. Then I had toddlers. Suddenly I'm watching them climb on furniture and dive off couches, and I realized I needed a different approach. Flow doesn't require perfect conditions. It requires clarity.

Here's the three-step system:

Step One—Clear Goal: Clear goals equal fewer decisions. When you know what matters, you can ruthlessly remove what doesn't.

• My focus this week is: [blank]
• Done looks like: [blank]
• I'm protecting [blank] while I do this

When I directed plays while working full-time, I made a non-negotiable to do yoga every single day. It sounds backward to add something when you're slammed, but protecting that one thing let me do the work AND show up for my family.

Step Two—Protect Your Lane: You need a container. Find 90-120 minutes this week (can be two blocks). Write your next three actions. Give yourself two buffers for when life breaks the plan. Start each session with a two-minute ramp (open a doc, set a timer, list your first lines).

Step Three—Build Feedback: One signal that proves progress (draft sent, metric moved). One person or mirror (mentor, peer, dashboard). One question: What's the smallest adjustment that keeps this moving?

Feedback isn't judgment. It's how you navigate and maintain momentum.

Your 7-Day Challenge

Write your flow goal. Schedule two flow blocks (90-120 minutes total). Do one feedback check by day seven.

The Boundary: Don't sacrifice yourself. If the only way to win is to become someone you don't like, the plan is wrong.

Mentioned

• Cal Newport – "Deep Work" & "Slow Productivity"

Connect with me:

• • Email: support@plangoalplan.com
  • Facebook Group: Join Here
  • Website: PlanGoalPlan.com
  • LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com