How to instantly enter flow state

Michael Jordan's secret wasn't his vertical leap. It was his eyes.

When he stepped to the free-throw line, something invisible happened that separated him from everyone else. It's the same thing that makes Roger Federer different. And top surgeons. And elite military snipers.

It's called the Quiet Eye. And it only takes 3 seconds to learn.

Look at something nearby. Anything.

Focus on it for 2 seconds.

That's the "quiet eye." And it might change everything about how you perform under pressure.

Vision is the most dominant human sense, hence, the eye is the gateway to the brain. If you train your eyes’ focus, then when others would panic, you can enter Flow State using the Quiet Eye.

I've taught it to friends who used it to overcome performance anxiety that had plagued them for years.

And I've watched my decision-making transform in ways that made zero sense... until I understood what was happening in my brain.

This isn't just another "mindfulness hack." It's the difference between choking and thriving - in sports, high-pressure situations, and every moment that matters.

The difference? 972 milliseconds.

That's how much longer elite basketball players stare at the rim before shooting compared to average players. Less than one second of focused attention is what separates making the shot from missing it when everything's on the line.

(Really? Alright bet. Let me stare at something for an extra second and suddenly perform like Roger Federer)

Talent is both inherent and trainable. Some skills you can’t learn, but the Quiet Eye you can.

The science is undeniable. And the applications go way beyond sports.

Surgeons who use the Quiet Eye technique make 62% fewer errors in high-pressure situations. Public speakers using it report 83% less anxiety during presentations. And I used it to eliminate my tendency to choke in critical moments. 

Yeah kid, today we learn the clutch gene.

What Is The Quiet Eye?

In 1992, Dr. Joan Vickers discovered something that should have made front-page news everywhere. Elite athletes weren't looking FASTER than everyone else. They were looking LONGER at exactly the right spot.

When she strapped eye-tracking equipment to golfers' heads, the pros locked onto the ball for 1,442 milliseconds before putting. Amateurs? Just 926 milliseconds.

This final fixation - this moment of perfect attention right before action - is the Quiet Eye. And it works for everything that requires precision under pressure.

Notice the difference in Quiet Eye focus/movement during a free throw in Experts (a) vs intermediate (b) vs beginners (c):

They’re looking longer at their target, but they’re also dialed in. The experts’ eyes aren't darting all over like a rookie. They're locked in, focused on the money spot.

Birdgestone is creating a golf ball that trains the Quiet Eye: 

Your Brain on Quiet Eye

What's Michael Jordan thinking about when shooting free throws? Nothing.

When you activate the Quiet Eye, four instant changes happen in your brain:

1. Focus Narrows - Visual cortex cuts out distractions like they don't exist

2. Memory Expands - Anxiety normally shrinks working memory by 33% - this reverses it

3. Movement Flows - Motor cortex sends cleaner, more precise signals to your muscles

4. Time Slows Down - Your perception of time changes, giving you more control

As Dr. Vickers puts it: "When your eyes provide the data, your motor system just knows what to do."

Think how fast this happens: A baseball reaches home plate in 400 milliseconds. You have 150 milliseconds to swing. The Quiet Eye makes that tiny window count.

The Gap Where Brilliance Lives

Between stimulus and response, there's a gap. In that gap lives your brilliance.

A few people have asked me how to use the Quiet Eye:

1. Pick one high-pressure moment coming up

2. Right before it, lock your eyes on what matters for 3 seconds

3. Notice what changes

Three seconds. That's all.

I discovered the Quiet Eye when I was playing soccer and kept pulling my shots to the left. My eyes were darting around, I was completely incapacitated by performance anxiety in the critical moment. 

I saw this video on YouTube about the Quiet Eye and trained my eyes to lock onto the spot where I wanted to hit the ball, even after striking it.

The next game: I bagged 2 goals - top bins. Same skills, different focus.

Elite performance isn't some magical talent you're born with or without. It's these micro-moments of perfect focus that anyone can learn.

Your eyes are the gateway to your brain. Control your eyes, and you control everything that follows.

Neuroscientist Mark Churchland points out that even Larry Bird (71 straight free throws once) eventually missed. We're not built for robot-like perfection.

"We're good at making motor plans on the fly," says Churchland, "but we can't hit the same way every time."

That's the real power here. Not making you mechanical – giving your brain clarity to adapt perfectly to each moment.

Steve Jobs said it best: "Simple can be harder than complex."

- Jacob