The Importance of Deliberate Play

My guest today is Steven Kotler, a renowned author and expert in the field of aging and performance. Steven shares his scientific approach to aging, exploring whether it's possible to teach an old dog new tricks. He talks about his personal experiment of learning new and dangerous skiing tricks at the age of 53 and how he combined a methodical approach with the seemingly impossible to achieve a surprising and inspiring outcome. You can find it all in his new book "Gnar Country."

Steven also discusses how the choices we make when we are younger can set us up for success in aging, and what we can do as we age to protect our brains and enjoy life to the fullest. With his extensive work with the Flow Research Collective, Steven is well-equipped to explain how to achieve flow, set up the optimal environment for it, and avoid anything that can kill it.

Stephen is challenging the narrative around aging and pushing himself and others to continue to learn new physical and creative endeavors. Tune in to hear more about Steven's latest book, Gnar Country, as well as his other best-selling works, including The Art of Impossible, The Rise of Superman, Abundance, Stealing Fire, The Future Is Faster Than You Think, and Bold. Plus, check out the Flow Research Collective website and follow Steven on Instagram for more insights and inspiration. I for one came away from this conversation more motivated than ever to not allow the narrative around aging to convince me to limit myself from trying new things, or believing that I can continue to thrive and learn new physical and creative endeavors forever. Enjoy

Timecodes:

• On Being Introverted and Writing [00:04:03]
• Peak Performance Aging [00:07:50]
• Play-Oriented Approach [00:15:47]
• In the Flow [00:21:56]
• Getting Over Self-Consciousness [00:24:35]
• Incorporating Novelty [00:26:29]
• The Relationship Between Flow and Punk Rock [00:29:15]
• The Mindset [00:33:53]
• Wisdom [00:38:04]
• Flow Experience [00:49:32]
• Movement and Training [00:56:13]
• Challenging, Creative and Social Activity [01:01:33]
• The Peak Performance Aging Experiment Video [01:05:25]
• Team Geezer [01:09:07]

Steven's Books:

Gnar Country

The Art of Impossible

The Rise of Superman

Abundance

Website: www.flowresearchcollective.com

Instagram: @stevenkotler

Connect with Gabby @gabbyreece | Linktree

For the full show notes visit gabriellereece.com

The Gabby Reece Show talks to top experts with the goal of extracting the best information you will need to navigate the universe of health, fitness, relationships, parenting, and business. Gabby keeps it simple but gets to the heart of the conversation with the hopes of providing you with realistic takeaways.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices