The Rise of Superman: As the author of three books on the subject and co-founder and director of research at the Flow Genome Project, Steven Kotler is one of the world’s leading experts on ultimate human performance. In this riveting talk, he provides a stunning tour of current research, primarily focusing on “flow states”—an optimal state of consciousness where we both feel our best and perform our best. Researchers now know that flow sits at the heart of almost every athletic championship; underpins most major scientific breakthroughs; and accounts for significant progress in the arts. So what is this mysterious state? How does it work its magic? And—if this really is the secret to ultimate human performance—how can we get more of it in our personal and professional lives?
Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist and co-founder and director of research for the Flow Genome Project, an international, multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to decoding the state of peak performance known as flow. His books include the non-fiction works “Abundance,” “A Small Furry Prayer” and “West of Jesus” and the novel “The Angle Quickest for Flight.” His articles have appeared in over 60 publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, Wired, Forbes, GQ, National Geographic, Popular Science, Discover and the LA Times. He also writes Far Frontiers, a blog about disruptive technology, guerilla neuroscience and adrenaline sport for Forbes.com.