Re FLOW

Re the TED TALK on ‘Flow’  (Very good by the way).

I loved the idea of Flow. I think I have always known about it but never crystalised the idea.

The table showing the relationship of Flow to Control, Passion, Boredom and Apathy was great. I wish I’d had this on my office wall. In the early days of our business, we were highly creative and genuinely cared, we didn’t have mission statements or job titles, but our office machines had names and we grew rapidly. We were in full “flow”.  Later, we were everywhere else, we were sometimes passionate and tried to be in control. We dominated the field and got relaxed.

Along with satisfaction, love, material reward and redemption that come through successful creativity, vicious criticism, envy, piracy and paranoia can come too. (As a writer I was never successful enough to attract envy or piracy, but as a Tour Operator, we certainly were).

Copycats and pirates caused us anxiety and having the wrong staff, (Flow! not even a drop of Control or Arousal), as he hit tough economic times caused us Worry, even fear. Parts of what we do ARE mundane and the Boredom got to us in different ways. Getting back to Control, rather than sinking into Apathy or hatred, could be done with effort. Arousal came sometimes too. The business in “Flow”; now that I don’t think we’ve seen for a long time, but the memory of it was strong and was perhaps why I was reluctant to sell.

I am/was the sort of the creative director of our company, (but not the MD/FD). The core idea was mine, the brochures and the itineraries were mostly mine too. My identity is deeply tied up with the project. I am therefore very much at a crossroads. I stumbled into the course by accident, as a gatecrasher. I hadn’t intended to think; in fact I wanted to immerse myself in learning technique in order to forget myself. Friends who have sold their travel businesses they founded and built up speak of personal crisis, almost existential crisis. 

The money will be useful, but for what? 

Buy a flat in Rome? 

Found another business, such as backing a young Georgian traditional winemaker? 

Another attempt at writing a novel or a play?

Something that I haven't thought of yet or something that might come up?

Thank you for welcoming me on the course. I’ll splash some oil paint around another time.

Didymi & George to follow…..