Stealing Fire: Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work

Wanna get high?

As someone experienced and having written about flow, I was really excited to read this book.

The first half was riveting. People from all walks of life experiencing the flow state, going beyond it, and managing to raise the level of their heights on a more regular and even easily repeatable basis.

But I got a little bogged down in searching for the how to actually make this happen. I just finished the book, but here’s what I can recall:

Take psychedelics: find drugs, maybe even legal, to get you to the high flow state.
Become a Navy SEAL (not exactly as easy as #1).
Pal around with the Silicon Valley elite.
Strap on some wearable biofeedback devices. Pretty sure you can’t get these on Amazon.
Meditate.
Go to Burning Man.
Figure out how to get invited to The Summit.
Study neurobiology.
Hang out on Necker Island.
Read the book again.

Here’s my current game plan:

Do more of #5, enjoy some #8, maybe experiment with #1 and … keep writing fiction–because that’s what gets me into flow.

I’m probably not getting this across as well as I’d like, but I truly enjoyed the book. It was inspirational and fun. Seriously, I love this “fun” stuff that people are doing and experimenting with and taking to new heights.

I just missed a bit more of what we mere mortals can do to take their “shortcuts” to the flow state. Until then, I’ll continue on my pleasant (and inspiration and fun!) slow road to enlightenment. Which is going rather well, thanks.

I’ll keep my eyes open for a follow-up or companion books for the masses so we too can enjoy the elixirs of the gods.