Dear 7Sagers,

Picture a mental zone where time evaporates, distractions fade, and your cognitive powers surge to their zenith—a state of unparalleled focus and excellence.

Flow state, or “being in the zone,” synchronizes your mind seamlessly with the task at hand, creating heightened awareness and concentration. Experts suggest that flow activities typically occur when you’re fully engaged in a challenging task that matches your skills—a lot like the LSAT. Recent studies reveal that in this state, the prefrontal cortex deactivates, reducing self-criticism and doubt. Neurotransmitters like dopamine surge, fueling motivation and focus—an ideal state for peak performance.

Unlocking flow on test day means creating optimal conditions, aligned with positive psychology’s eight key factors:

  • Clear Goals: Define what success looks like for you, whether it’s achieving a target score or mastering specific question types. Having goals will give your prep purpose and direction.
  • Concentration: Create a focused study environment to cultivate unwavering focus during practice and on test day.
  • Immediate Feedback: Review answers promptly, trusting your ability to adapt based on feedback.
  • Challenge-Skills Balance: Balance question difficulty with your skill level. Push your limits just enough to stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Action-Awareness Merging: Be present. Avoid overthinking or overanalyzing; let your intuition guide you, focusing on one question at a time.
  • Loss of Self-Consciousness: Don’t fixate on the fear of making mistakes or the weight of the LSAT’s importance. Instead, immerse yourself in the task, recognizing that mistakes are opportunities for growth.
  • Time Transformation: Embrace time as a tool for improvement. Set limits for practice sections and gradually increase your pace.
  • Autotelic Experience: An autotelic experience is one that you engage in purely for the enjoyment of the activity itself, not for external rewards. Try to find joy in the process of learning, problem-solving, and mastering the art of logical reasoning.

By incorporating these conditions into your LSAT preparation and mindset, you’ll create an environment where flow state can naturally emerge. Embrace the challenge, maintain focus, and let the LSAT become an autotelic experience, propelling you to your best performance on test day. If you’d like help honing your skills and preparing yourself to flow, book a consultation with one of our expert tutors to hear about how we can train you to reach your goals: https://calendly.com/7sage-tutoring/7sage-tutoring-free-consultation

References:

Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, I. (1988). Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness. Cambridge University Press.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). The psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row.

Guo, Z., Xiao, L., Van Toorn, C., Lai, Y., & Seo, C. (2016). Promoting online learners’ continuance intention: An integrated flow framework. Information & Management, 53(2), 279–295.

Nash, Jo Ph.D. “6 Flow Activities & Training: How to Achieve a Flow State.”

PositivePsychology.Com, 14 Sept. 2023, positivepsychology.com/flow-activities/.