Flow Radio

In this episode of Flow Radio, hosts Steven Kotler and Dr. Michael Mannino sit down with neuroscientist Dr. Richard Huskey to ask a deceptively simple question: what is actually happening in the brain during flow?There's no flow neuron and no flow region. Drawing on their new NeuroImage paper and years of work in Huskey's lab, the three explore why flow isn't one part of the brain lighting up but the whole brain coordinating and breaking apart—the property neuroscientists call metastability—why frustration may be a faster route into flow than boredom, and a finding in their own data none of them can fully explain yet: in flow, the brain's global entropy goes down, not up. A conversation about how much of flow we can now measure, and how much is still a frontier. Guest Bio:Dr. Richard Huskey is an associate professor in the Department of Communication and the Cognitive Science Program at the University of California, Davis, and principal investigator of the Cognitive Communication Science Lab. He is affiliated with the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and the Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine, and serves as an associate editor at the Journal of Communication. His research combines behavioral experiments with fMRI, EEG, and computational modeling to study motivation, attention, and the neuroscience of flow. He is a longtime collaborator of the Flow Research Collective.In This Episode:00:00 The Brain Has No Flow Switch02:59 How Richard Huskey Fell Into Flow Research07:19 Does the Challenge-Skill Balance Really Cause Flow?11:56 What Snowboarding Reveals About Getting Into Flow23:28 Flow Is Not the Same as Peak Performance36:21 Your Brain in Flow Works Like a Band: Metastability Explained42:25 Why Frustration Beats Boredom as a Way Into Flow49:25 The Entropy Finding That Still Doesn't Add Up1:15:14 Getting Flow Research Out of the Lab and Onto the Mountain1:26:21 Why Flow Is for EveryoneEpisode Resources:READ THE RESEARCH: Read Fran Hancock, Richard Huskey, Steven Kotler, Michael Mannino, and colleagues' paper, "A complexity-science framework for studying flow: using media to probe brain-phenomenology dynamics," in NeuroImage (2026).→ Read the paper here.THE TEXTBOOK: PERFORMANCE NEUROSCIENCEPerformance Neuroscience (Springer, 2026) introduces an emerging field that studies human performance at its biological core — how large-scale brain networks, physiology, and behavior interact under pressure, fatigue, and uncertainty. Co-edited by Steven Kotler, Michael Mannino, and Marcelo Bigliassi, the volume spans brain network dynamics, stress and arousal, flow states, and AI-assisted performance. Richard Huskey contributed the chapter on flow and performance. → Order your copy here.STEVEN KOTLER’S NEWSLETTER: Get cutting-edge protocols on peak performance, neuroscience, and flow delivered straight to your inbox: → Subscribe here.Flow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research CollectiveThe Flow Research Collective is an R&D non-profit organization decoding the neurobiology of peak performance to treat mental health and neurological disorders.‍Follow Steven Koter:YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotlerInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠Website: ⁠https://www.stevenkotler.com/‍Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.

In this episode of Flow Research, host Steven Kotler sits down with fellow neuroscientists Dr. Michael Mannino and Glenn Fox to unpack their viral opinion paper, "The Body Does Not Keep the Score."Taking direct aim at popular trauma psychology, the team exposes why Bessel van der Kolk’s belief that trauma is stored in the body gets neuroscience completely wrong. They unpack how the modern "cult of trauma" hijacks genuine recovery, offering instead a ground-breaking path through systems neuroscience. Discover how predictive coding, dynamic flexibility (metastability), and flow states re-wire the brain to override trauma and unlock peak performance. Guest Bios:Michael Mannino, PhDDr. Michael Mannino is a neuroscientist, co-CEO of Syneurgy, and Chief Science Officer at Flow Research Collective. He works at the intersection of applied neuroscience, human performance science, and AI. Michael holds a PhD in neuroscience, has published research on cognition, consciousness, flow, and intuition, and brings a systems-level perspective shaped by work across academia, technology, and research institutions including NASA.Glenn Fox, PhDDr. Glenn Fox is a neuroscientist at USC’s Marshall School of Business, where he directs the Foundwell Initiative studying founder mindset and performance. A former principal investigator at USC’s Smart VR Center and leader at the Performance Science Institute, his research focuses on gratitude, flow, and resilience under pressure alongside military and elite athletic organizations. In This Episode:00:00 The Paper That Shook Neuroscience02:26 78,000 Views: Why "The Body Keeps the Score" Got It Wrong04:37 Evolutionary Models & The Cult of Trauma12:12 Re-evaluating Bessel van der Kolk’s Core Thesis24:43 Inside the Brain: Decision-Making & Somatic Markers35:53 Metastability & The Free Energy Principle Explained44:07 How Flow States Re-Wire Traumatic Memory52:43 Post-Traumatic Growth, Gratitude, and Stress Signals59:36 The 2-to-4 Hour Protocol to Override Burnout01:13:28 AI, Divergent Thinking, and the Missing Somatic Feedback LoopEpisode Resources:READ THE RESEARCH: Read Steven, Glenn, and Michael’s viral paper, "The Body Does Not Keep the Score" in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience.→ Read the viral paper that's challenging trauma psychology.STEVEN’S NEW BOOK: WE ARE AS GODS As discussed in today’s episode, our "Stone Age" brains weren't built for the modern flood of stress and AI. In "We Are as Gods", Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis reveal how to upgrade your cognitive resilience, override victim mindsets, and harness flow states in an age of exponential tech. → Order your copy here.STEVEN KOTLER’S NEWSLETTER: Get cutting-edge protocols on peak performance, neuroscience, and flow delivered straight to your inbox: → Subscribe here.Flow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research CollectiveFlow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research CollectiveThe Flow Research Collective is an R&D non-profit organization decoding the neurobiology of peak performance to treat mental health and neurological disorders.‍Follow Steven Koter:YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotlerInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠Website: ⁠https://www.stevenkotler.com/‍Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.

High-performing teams are said to have chemistry. What's happening is synchrony—measurable patterns in brains, bodies, and behavior. In this episode, Steven Kotler speaks with Dr. Michael Mannino and Erwin Valencia about team synchrony—the biological alignment that underpins trust, psychological safety, and team flow. They explore why teams routinely overestimate their effectiveness, how synchrony predicts performance under pressure, and why remote work makes these signals harder to sense but more critical to measure. The conversation goes beyond theory, examining new tools that reveal the gap between perception and reality and help teams close it through subtle behavior-level shifts—without surveillance, micromanagement, or killing flow. At scale, cooperation is a serious competitive advantage. This episode shows how to build it deliberately.Guest Bios:Michael Mannino, PhDDr. Michael Mannino is a neuroscientist, co-CEO of Syneurgy, and Chief Science Officer at Flow Research Collective. He works at the intersection of applied neuroscience, human performance science, and AI. Michael holds a PhD in neuroscience, has published research on cognition, consciousness, flow, and intuition, and brings a systems-level perspective shaped by work across academia, technology, and research institutions including NASA.Erwin ValenciaErwin Valencia is a behavior designer, executive coach, and co-CEO of Syneurgy. He integrates behavior design, applied neuroscience, flow science, and embodied learning to help teams improve trust, coordination, and performance. Erwin is one of only five hundred Executive and Organizational Coaches worldwide certified by Columbia University and an alum of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab.In This Episode:00:02 From Wall Street to Applied Neuroscience02:39 The Accidental Amazon Security Guard05:42 What Is Team Synchrony?10:20 The Remote Work Crisis14:30 The 75% Delusion21:04 19% Performance Boost in Six Weeks30:26 The Future Is Already Here36:11 What Kills Team Synchrony45:03 Small Changes, Big Results51:04 The One Thing Leaders Can Do TomorrowEpisode Resources:In their new book, We Are as Gods, Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis explore a simple but urgent question: What cognitive skills do we need to survive—and thrive—in an age of abundance?The book is a practical guide to making better decisions, navigating uncertainty, and scaling opportunity in a world moving faster than human intuition evolved to manage.→ Order your copy here.Syneurgy is an AI-powered platform that reveals how teams communicate, align, and perform—turning hidden dynamics into actionable insight. By illuminating patterns of collaboration and interpersonal synchrony, Syneurgy helps teams build deeper connection, stronger alignment, and sustained high performance.→ Explore Syneurgy here.Flow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research CollectiveFlow Research Collective is a leading neuroscience research company. ‍Follow Steven Koter:YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotlerInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠Website: ⁠https://www.stevenkotler.com/‍Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.

Why do the smartest people get stuck the fastest?Recorded live in New York at the closing panel of our Alliance mastermind, this conversation brings together three of the sharpest minds in human performance—Steven Kotler, Dr. Sarah Sarkis, and Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman—to dissect the moment when learning quietly becomes procrastination.They break down why high performers regress to old habits, how emotional load hijacks working memory, and why urgency feels like motivation but burns dirty on the backend. The result is a rare, inside-the-room masterclass on flow, intuition, and the subtle ways brilliant minds delay the work that matters most.Takeaways: Why learning often replaces doing—and how to break the cycle The neuroscience behind procrastination, urgency, and energy management How intuition, emotion, and identity shape performance Practical tools to stay consistent, start sooner, and protect momentumA rare, unscripted conversation straight from the Alliance—now yours.Guest Bios:Dr. Sarah Sarkis is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified executive leadership coach. After 20+ years running her own practice, her focus shifted to working with CEOs, athletes, and executives pursuing moonshot goals in the psychological game of greatness. She provides coaching, keynote speeches, and leads multi-day training workshops. Dr. Sarkis has been featured in The New York Times, Women's Health, Huffington Post, and CNBC. Her approach is science-backed and bullshit-free.Explore Dr. Sarah Sarkis’s work: https://drsarahsarkis.com/Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist, professor, and best-selling author known for redefining how we understand intelligence, creativity, and human potential. One of the most cited psychologists in the world, he teaches at Columbia University, where he directs the Center for Human Potential, and hosts The Psychology Podcast, with over 30 million downloads.His research has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. He's authored 11 books, including Rise Above, which explores how limiting beliefs hold us back.He holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon, Cambridge (as a Gates Scholar), and Yale, where he completed his PhD in cognitive psychology.Explore Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman’s work: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/In This Episode:04:12 The Smallest Viable Dose: The Secret to Consistency09:20 The Hedonistic Hack: How Rewards Drive Momentum12:45 Stop Before You Crash: The Flow-Saving Strategy You're Not Using17:18 Why We Freestyle Our Lives—And How to Break the Pattern22:04 Overcommitment Is Killing Your Flow28:36 Emotional Hijacking: How to Reclaim Your Working Memory34:55 When Learning Becomes Procrastination41:28 Intuition, the Unconscious, and the Brain's Pathfinding System48:30 When Your Best Qualities Become Your Worst51:45 The Flow Productivity Trap: Why Success Makes You OvercommitEpisode Resources:Over 300,000 readers get Steven’s weekly newsletter, translating neuroscience research—like how to build high-speed creative teams—into practical strategies for flow, focus, and performance.→ Subscribe hereThe Alliance is a high-flow think tank disguised as a mastermind—designed specifically for creative leaders, visionary entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. → Head here to apply.Follow Steven Koter:YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotlerInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠Website: ⁠https://www.stevenkotler.com/‍

When I think about the fastest, most creative teams I’ve ever seen, they all share the same blueprint: trust creates safety, safety fuels risk, risk sparks creativity, and flow binds it all together.That’s why I brought two of my favorite creative leaders into this conversation—Ivy Ross, VP of Design at Google, who has reshaped the look and feel of fifty-plus products and won hundreds of awards, and Jody Levy, serial entrepreneur and former CEO of Summit, the legendary community of creators and change agents.What I love about this episode is that Ivy and Jody don’t deal in abstractions. They talk about how they actually build cultures where people move faster, see further, and flow together.Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:Kill fight-or-flight before it kills creativity. Most companies live in survival mode. Ivy and Jody show how trust and psychological safety pull people back into the “green zone,” where creativity thrives.Rehearse the future until it feels inevitable. Strategy isn’t just a plan—it’s a story rehearsed so vividly that people can’t help but believe and move toward it.Intuition is compressed expertise. Our best calls don’t come from spreadsheets. They come from years of pattern recognition surfacing as a hunch you can trust.—StevenP.S. Over 300,000 readers get my weekly newsletter translating neuroscience research—llike how to build high-speed creative teams—into practical strategies for flow, focus, and performance.Join them here: https://www.stevenkotler.com/ytGuest Bios:Ivy Ross is the Vice President of Design for the Hardware organization at Google. Over the past six years, she and her team have launched 50+ products, winning over 240  global design awards. This collection of hardware established a new Google design aesthetic that is tactile, colorful, and bold. A winner of a National Endowment for the Arts grant, Ivy’s innovative metal work in jewelry is in the permanent collections of 12 international museums.  Ivy has held executive positions ranging from head of product design and development to CMO and presidencies of several companies, including Calvin Klein, Swatch, Coach,  Mattel, Bausch & Lomb, and Gap. Ninth on Fast Company’s list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business 2019, Ivy  believes the intersection of arts and science is where the most engaging and creative  ideas are found.  Most recently, Ivy co-authored with Susan Magsamen Your Brain on Art: How the Arts  Transform Us. Jody Levy is an artist, a systems thinker, and a serial entrepreneur who’s built everything from WTRMLN WTR, a category-defining beverage brand, to NeuroPraxis, a platform bridging the gap left by one-size-fits-all approaches to brain and spinal cord injury rehab. She also leads large-scale recovery operations and is the former CEO of Summit—the legendary community of creators, builders, and change agents. Jody’s work lives at the intersection of wellness, innovation, and impact. She has a rare ability to turn bold ideas into real-world systems for healing, creativity, and human optimization. In This Episode:00:00  Unlocking the Blueprint for Team Flow04:30  The Unexpected Partnership That Sparked Big Ideas16:55  Reinvention Strategies from the Trenches19:21  Why Trust Is the Ultimate Speed Hack21:27  Rituals That Turn Safety Into Creativity26:10  Rehearsing the Future to Accelerate the Present30:59  What Navy SEALs Can Teach Us About Flow41:14  The Hidden Costs (and Payoffs) of Collaboration1:00:21  Training Intuition as a Leadership Superpower1:10:13 How Great Leaders Sustain Creative EnergyFollow Steven Koter:YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotlerInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A⁠Website: ⁠https://www.stevenkotler.com/‍Flow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research Collective