EP 1488
1448. How to Trigger Flow States From The 5 Brain Chemicals You Need with Steven Kotler
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Steven Kotler, bestselling author and founder of the Flow Research Collective, to explore the neuroscience of flow states, altered states of consciousness, peak performance, psychedelics, and how to train your brain to operate at its highest level. Steven explains the five neurochemicals associated with flow, why caffeine may make people more susceptible to entering flow states, and how elite athletes and Special Forces operators train to access peak performance without relying on drugs or technology. Dave and Steven examine the potential dangers of flow training, including its relationship with mania, addiction, and the importance of recovery. They also discuss ketamine-assisted therapy, how early childhood experiences shape the brain’s predictive patterns, and why unresolved trauma can influence our emotional responses decades later. Steven explores predictive coding, embodied cognition, and how the brain constructs our experience of reality rather than simply recording the world around us. They also investigate the relationship between flow, intuition, synchronicity, consciousness, and emerging research into the neurological mechanisms behind these experiences. Finally, Steven shares his latest work on artificial intelligence, cognitive performance, and making flow training accessible to more people. Essential listening for anyone interested in flow states, neuroscience, dopamine, psychedelics, ketamine therapy, trauma, consciousness, cognitive performance, peak performance, longevity, and biohacking.
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In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Steven Kotler, New York Times bestselling author and leading researcher in the neuroscience of flow, to explore how altered states of consciousness influence peak performance, mental health, creativity, intuition, and our perception of reality.
Steven Kotler is a bestselling author of 17 books, including The Art of Impossible and We Are as Gods, and the founder of the Flow Research Collective. For decades, he has studied the neurobiology of peak performance, working with elite athletes, military personnel, and high-performing professionals to understand how people can reliably access flow states.
Dave and Steven begin by exploring the neuroscience of flow and why it may be one of the most powerful altered states available without drugs. Steven explains how dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, anandamide, and endorphins contribute to the flow experience, why his research suggests caffeine can increase flow susceptibility, and how chasing the neurochemical high of peak performance can become dangerous.
They discuss the darker side of flow training, including its potential risks for people prone to mania, the importance of recovery, and why attempting to remain in a flow state indefinitely can undermine performance. Steven shares how his training programs approach sleep, attention, and behavioral changes to help people access flow more consistently.
The conversation then moves into psychedelics, ketamine-assisted therapy, and the neuroscience of trauma. Steven introduces emerging research suggesting that unresolved emotional patterns may involve the brain’s predictive processing systems. Dave shares a personal experience involving Joe Rogan and how revisiting an early childhood memory changed his emotional response to public criticism.
Dave and Steven also explore how the brain constructs reality, including the neuroscience of perception, sensory processing, and the flexible boundary between ourselves and our environment. They discuss how flow alters our sense of self, why the brain predicts what we experience before we consciously perceive it, and how these mechanisms may help explain certain spiritual and out-of-body experiences.
Finally, Steven reveals new research investigating the neurological connections between flow, intuition, synchronicity, and purpose. He discusses emerging theories of consciousness, the role of information processing in subjective experience, and how artificial intelligence may change the future of human performance.
You’ll Learn:
- How flow states influence dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, anandamide, and endorphins, and why Steven’s research suggests caffeine may help make the brain more susceptible to flow.
- Why chasing the neurochemical high of flow can become dangerous, how flow training may affect people prone to mania, and why sleep and recovery are essential for sustained peak performance.
- How ketamine-assisted therapy may help uncover forgotten emotional experiences and why Steven believes the brain’s predictive processing systems play an important role in trauma.
- How the brain constructs our perception of reality, why sensory information reaches consciousness at different speeds, and what happens to our sense of self during altered states.
- Why flow may enhance intuition and how emerging neuroscience research is investigating connections between synchronicity, purpose, and the brain’s information-processing systems.
- How Steven is using neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and years of flow training data to develop more accessible methods for improving focus, learning, and performance.
Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.
New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
Keywords:
Steven Kotler, Dave Asprey, flow state, neuroscience of flow, peak performance, Flow Research Collective, dopamine, caffeine and flow, altered states, consciousness, psychedelics, ketamine therapy, trauma, predictive processing, neuroplasticity, intuition, synchronicity, brain science, mental performance, cognitive enhancement, flow triggers, serotonin, anandamide, meditation, human optimization, artificial intelligence, We Are as Gods, The Art of Impossible
New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
Resources:
• Explore Steven Kotler’s books, research, and flow training programs at https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey’s Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/disco
“We don't live in reality. We live in the brain's prediction of what's about to happen.”
Steven Kotler
00:00 — Trailer
Steven Kotler reveals how caffeine influences flow states, the powerful neurochemical cocktail behind peak performance, and why flow training can sometimes become dangerous.
01:12 — Intro
Dave introduces Steven Kotler and explores why flow is his favorite altered state of consciousness, along with its potential applications for performance and mental health.
05:08 — Psychedelics and Peak Performance
Steven discusses the therapeutic and recreational uses of psychedelics, why he prefers training flow without substances, and how his research identified caffeine as a potential flow enhancer.
11:10 — Trance, Voices, and Shamanism
Dave and Steven explore research on trance mediums, auditory experiences, schizophrenia, and whether ancient shamanic practices can be understood through modern neuroscience.
18:00 — Dangers of Flow Training
Steven explains how flow training can affect people prone to mania, why athletes sometimes chase the dopamine high with drugs, and why recovery is essential for sustained performance.
24:00 — Ketamine and Innate Intelligence
Steven shares how ketamine-assisted therapy can bring forgotten childhood experiences into awareness and discusses emerging research into the brain’s ability to identify unresolved emotional patterns.
30:00 — The Prediction Problem
Dave and Steven discuss how early experiences shape the brain’s predictions, why emotional triggers can persist for decades, and how changing those patterns may help resolve trauma.
35:25 — Embodied Cognition
Steven explains how the brain interprets objects as opportunities for action, why flow can alter our sense of self, and how perception emerges from interactions between the brain, body, and environment.
46:30 — Consciousness and Synchronicity
Steven introduces new research investigating whether flow, intuition, synchronicity, and purpose share underlying neurological mechanisms, along with emerging theories about consciousness.
50:20 — New Books and Research
Steven discusses We Are as Gods, his work on AI and cognitive performance, and the development of performance neuroscience as a scientific field.
53:00 — Flow for the Many
Steven introduces his new flow training program, designed to make the benefits of flow more accessible to people with demanding schedules, limited resources, and changing career demands.
Thank you to our sponsors!
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