How to Find and Enter the Flow State: The State of Self-Perfection Is Real
It's the ultimate gift for all of us, and your highest human potential
Clear Sky and Cloud, image by author
Imagine ending the struggle within you. See yourself being okay, simply being the objective observer living in a blissful state of flow, no matter what goes on around you.
Instead of arguing with reality, learn to accept it. I know that may seem silly, but I’m the guy who tried to control the uncontrollable for decades. As a recovered control freak who got sick of the constant struggle, I studied the masters like Namkai Norbu, the author and teacher in the book Dzogchen, The Self-Perfected State.
In fact, I’m rereading the book, and every time I do, I’m reminded of the genius that lies in the simple approach to finding inner peace. That’s what this article is about.
The Self-Perfected State is living in flow by letting go
There is a state of being where everything flows as if a magical river of bliss. Stress dissolves, resistance drops away, and you feel as if life itself is carrying you. Athletes call it flow. In Dzogchen, the Great Perfection of Tibetan wisdom, it’s called the self-perfected state.
You don’t have to be a monk in a mountain retreat to access it. You can experience it everywhere you go, in the middle of your busy life, when you learn to quiet the striving mind and return to what is already whole within you.
Having a process is where the Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™ comes in. It’s a framework I developed to help myself, and for the last year or so, I’ve been sharing it with my coaching and mentoring clients with phenomenal results.
It’s about finding your flow state amidst the many harsh blows of being human. After all, being human is hard. However, when you discover your flow state and learn to sustain it, being human becomes a lot easier.
Why the flow state seems elusive
Most of us are caught in the “sickness of effort.” We push, strive, and grind, hoping that more doing will lead to peace, purpose, and freedom. Yet the harder we try, the more disconnected we feel.
Flow is not the result of effort. Flow reveals itself when effort relaxes. You don’t chase it, you uncover it. This is why Dzogchen says, “Everything has already been accomplished.” The truth is, you already have the capacity for flow. What you need is a way to access it intentionally.
It’s also essential to acquire knowledge and dedicate yourself to finding a teacher who can help you practice. For me, the biggest shift came from learning to let go of my former attachments, such as the Five Passions described in Dzogchen: attachment, anger, ignorance, pride, and envy.
The way to do this is by finding a teacher, committing to practice, and acquiring wisdom that transforms you and your way of being into a veritable flow state.
Shift using these five steps
The Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™ shows you how to step into this self-perfected state. To be clear, this is the method I developed for myself and clients. I am not a teacher of Dzogchen.
Nevertheless, there are similarities if you’re willing to learn. Here are the five steps of The Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™.
1. Self-Awareness — Notice the present moment
The present, the now, is the greatest gift. Pause right now. Take a breath. Notice what is happening in your body, your emotions, your thoughts. Observe and accept what is within you.
Flow begins when you are present to what is, rather than lost in what was or what might be. Awareness clears the noise so clarity can emerge.
Practice: Set a timer for three moments in your day to pause, breathe, and simply notice.
2. Higher Understanding — See the bigger picture
Flow comes when you zoom out from the narrow tunnel of stress and reconnect with a higher perspective. In Dzogchen terms, this is recognizing awareness itself, the vast space in which thoughts and feelings come and go.
Shift your understanding, change yourself.
Practice: When you feel caught in effort, ask: “What’s the larger story here? What truly matters in this moment?”
3. Introspection — Release the judgment
Most resistance comes from unexamined patterns, fear, self-doubt, or the need for control. We judge. Flow requires letting go of these internal contractions.
The more you let go of judgment, the more unrestricted the natural flow of life can move through you. It’s the natural state of being that all of us forget while growing up.
Practice: Journal one limiting belief you carry. Then ask, “What if I didn’t need to hold this belief? Who would I be without it?”
4. Focused Intention — Align with what matters
Flow is not drifting aimlessly. It is an effortless action in alignment with a clear purpose. When your attention is focused and uncluttered, you can move forward with ease.
The power of intention lies in focusing on the intention behind your intention. Intend to live in your flow state, and you will find it.
Practice: Each morning, set one clear intention for your day. Not a to-do list, but a guiding principle, “listen deeply,” “move with calm,” or “create with joy.”
5. Transformation — Live in the self-perfected state
When you integrate awareness, perspective, introspection, and intention, transformation happens. You begin to trust the natural flow of life. Work feels lighter.
Creativity opens. Relationships deepen. Stress loses its grip. It’s as if you go through life floating on a cloud with a gentle tailwind.
Practice: At the end of your day, reflect: “Where did I feel flow today? How can I invite more of it tomorrow?”
Living effortlessly; finding your flow state
Flow is not something you achieve once and then lose. It is the natural rhythm of life when you stop interfering. Birds sing without effort. Rivers flow without striving.
Flowers bloom without forcing. You, too, are designed to live this way.
The Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™ is not about adding more techniques to your overloaded schedule. It’s about stripping away what blocks you from your natural state of clarity, purpose, and presence.
When you stop fighting life, you discover that life is already carrying you. And in that discovery, you don’t just perform better.
You become better.
When you stop arguing with reality and seeking to control
If you’ve been grinding, striving, or pushing without peace, consider this your invitation to step into a different way of being. Flow isn’t reserved for the elite or the enlightened. It’s available to you right now, in this breath, in this moment.
The next time you feel yourself tightening, remember the shift path: Become more self-aware and present. Expand, rise, and shift your perspective to higher ground. Let go of the resistance and arguing with reality, which is futile. Focus your intention on what gives you joy. And therein you will notice your transformation.
Your ultimate transformation is being able to sustain the self-perfected state. Flow is the perfected, natural state for humans. And it’s yours to live if you’re willing to learn and practice.
I’m an author, mentor, and facilitator. Ask me how The Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™ empowers leaders to build trust, enhance communication, and drive organizational alignment. Learn more at www.CliffordJones.com.