Dr Sue Jackson

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Dr Sue Jackson

Sue is an experienced psychologist and expert in flow and high performance.

Sue Jackson is a performance psychologist with a passion for Flow—the optimal psychological state popularly known as being in the zone. Sue has a background of researching the flow concept for over 25 years, and the combination of her research, writing, and applied work with high-level performers from many different domains has helped to make the flow state both understandable and accessible to all, from weekend warriors to Olympic champions. You can find links to her first book on flow, Flow in Sports, co-authored with the founder of flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and to her recently released book, Experiencing Flow: Life Beyond Boredom and Anxiety, at her website, www.bodyandmindflow.com.au

If you want to develop your ability to be totally present in your work and life, contact Sue regarding her performance psychology consulting, mindfulness workshops and classes, all tailored to meet your individual or corporate goals.

16/01/2026

Most people won’t “drop into” flow easily, but everyone can get better at focusing on the present moment. That’s why mindfulness matters, on its own and as a pathway into flow.

Not as a buzzword. Not as “you should meditate.”
But as a grounded, practical skill you can actually use.

This is a theme I explore in my new book, "Experiencing Flow". The book is available on Amazon, and the audiobook is on all major platforms.

🎙️ It's Not the Car podcast

14/01/2026

I enjoyed speaking with football coach Jan van Loon on his Five Words With… podcast about facilitating flow in sport environments — and what “flow” looks like in practice when performance matters.

Three ideas we explored:
• Flow isn’t luck — it’s a set of conditions you can design for
• The performance environment matters as much as the individual
• Simple shifts in challenge/clarity/feedback can change everything

🎧 Listen on Spotify

12/01/2026

Flow isn’t something you can stay in all the time.

It feels effortless, but it’s not low-energy. By definition, flow only happens when the challenge slightly exceeds your current skill. That balance is what creates it.

Too easy and you disengage.
Too hard and anxiety takes over.

Flow isn’t found by chasing ease. It’s created by carefully increasing the challenge, relative to your skill, in that moment.

This conversation came from my discussion on the INTC podcast It's Not the Car , with Sam Smith and Ross Bentley. Full episode is now live on YouTube at https://youtu.be/7Yln7z-UOtI?si=HIm6sHe2VJIeLPfJ

07/01/2026

One of my favourite quotes from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a reminder I return to often.

“Life unfolds as a chain of subjective experiences… the quality of those experiences determines whether, and to what extent, life was worth living.”

Flow matters because it shapes how life feels as it is being lived, not just how it looks in hindsight.

You can listen/watch the full conversation on the VRSS Fight Gear channels on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.

02/01/2026

What kills flow the fastest?

Anxiety is one of the biggest disruptors of flow, not because it exists, but because of how we interpret it. When anxiety is read as danger or self-doubt, it quickly unsettles the balance between challenge and skill. Learning a different way of being with anxiety can dramatically change it’s impact.

30/12/2025

If we only value achievement, we risk missing our lives while building — and living — them. Flow centers us back in experience.

While making any New Year’s resolutions, consider widening focus from what you’d like to achieve to the quality of experience you’d like to cultivate.

22/12/2025

Two common misconceptions about flow can get in the way of performance.

Flow isn’t luck, and it isn’t effortless. It’s a psychological state that emerges from preparation, attention, and work that often extends beyond the physical.

Here’s why monitoring flow actually disrupts focus, and how the conditions for flow are built well before the moment itself.

15/10/2025

The fastest, science-backed relaxation method isn’t meditation or journaling – although both of these are effective methods to manage stress.

A long exhale signals to the heart to lower heart rate – and this helps bring immediate calm to body and mind.
One technique, dating back to the 1930’s, and in recent years, brought to mainstream attention by the excellent work of Andrew Huberman & colleagues, is the physiological sigh. The process is simple: Take a double inhale through the nose (long inhale followed by another short breath in) followed by a long exhale through the mouth.

• A simple, and effective, stress management exercise.
• Try it before your next meeting, race, or presentation.
• You’ll feel your body settle before your mind catches up.

🧠 Balban et al., Cell Reports Medicine (2023)

30/09/2025

How do you know you’re in flow?

I’ve spent decades studying flow – and still find these signs powerful reminders of what it feels like to be fully alive in what you’re doing. And, like others who have found flow in what they do, I have appreciated these defining features of flow through experiencing them in my life.

In my work, I help others to understand and find these flow factors in their chosen performance domains.
🌊 Read my latest blog here:
https://drsuejackson.com/finding-flow-why-our-experiences-matter-more-than-our-achievements/

26/09/2025

What if the best parts of life aren’t the big wins, but the moments we’re fully absorbed in what we’re doing?

As a sports enthusiast, I have been enjoying the opportunity to watch some excellent sports events recently, including the World Athletics Championships. And here in Australia, a big weekend of professional sport awaits, and the media is in full gear speculating about who is going to win. But what if the richest parts of life aren't the trophies, but the moments we’re challenging ourselves and fully alive in what we’re doing?

At the recent International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) World Congress, I spoke about flow – the optimal state of deep focus, calm control, and joy in the moment.

In my latest blog, I share why those experiences stay with us, and how we can create more of them – at work, in sport, and in life.
🌀 Read the full post at DrSueJackson.com/blog

20/09/2025

It was great to hear leading neuroscientist, Dr Christof Koch, mention flow states while discussing consciousness with Andrew Huberman on a recent podcast.

At one point Christof said, “You can’t cancel consciousness”, countering the arguments from some in science that consciousness doesn’t exist. Referring to how some worry about how consciousness fits into the scientific world, Koch points out that we find ourselves in a universe where we are conscious.

I thought, similarly, you can’t cancel flow; it’s a real and relevant experience. Just because it’s complex to investigate with our present scientific toolkit doesn’t mean flow is not relevant, and important to continue to investigate. Flow is inherently challenging to experience, and no surprise, it’s challenging to research.

Yet, quality of experience matters. I’ve yet to have a conversation with someone about flow and hear them say flow experiences they’ve had don’t matter. Instead, these experiences become among the most treasured experiences in their life.

So why focus on flow? Because flow experiences exist, and when they do, they lift the quality of experience from ordinary to optimal.

11/09/2025

Enjoyed speaking with Liana from about flow in sport and in life. It’s always good to talk about flow state with people from different walks of life and to find that thread of curiosity plus challenge that lifts ordinary experience to optimal.

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Brisbane, QLD

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http://www.drsuejackson.com/

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