Intellectual Highs: Experiencing the Feeling of Motivation to Study

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The discussion centers on the phenomenon of experiencing intense intellectual highs, often referred to as being "in the zone" or "in the flow," where individuals feel a heightened ability to understand and engage with their studies. Participants share their experiences of these states, noting that they often occur during late hours or in specific conditions, such as dark or rainy weather, and can lead to extended periods of focus on learning. A common theme is the challenge of maintaining motivation, with some expressing that after intense study periods, they struggle to focus on weekends, suggesting a natural balance between study and rest. The conversation also touches on the importance of interest in the material for achieving these states and warns against the risk of burnout from prolonged high-intensity study. Overall, the thread highlights the complexities of motivation, focus, and the conditions that foster deep intellectual engagement.
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I'm wondering how many of you have, or are able to have intellectural/mental highs where your mind/brain feels like it's just running through the work and understanding it quicker...where you know the work a lot easier and you just have a deep feeling where you can't stop studying and reading...does anyone get what I'm saying?

I'm wondering how some of you go about to get into those 'state of mind' mode? I use to get them a lot, but i think because I've lost a bit of motivation to study, i haven't experienced one in some time.
 
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i get sleep before I work, and work in the early morning. No TV, no fatigue, just me and the material
 
i think its called being "in the zone"
 
AFG34 said:
i think its called being "in the zone"

Or "the flow".

Am, usually try and avoid fatigue, tv etc, but the thing that annoys me most is that it occurs mainly at night when it's dark or rainy and never really when its bright/sunny...[Hence I thrive in the winter, usually Jan] guess I'm just not motivated enough.
 
Random insights and just plain motivation is usually what gets me into the "zone."

I mean, it's no mystery if you can't get in the zone from not wanting to work. You have to have some sort of interest to even think about what you're trying to do, whether the reason for the interest is bad or good.
 
This high or zoning-in is the same thing (or similar) as what happens with productive physical exercise like jogging or weight-training, especially when you are progressing well or performing well, even if slowly.
 
Yeah that's it 'in the zone'. Like someone said, when you're performing well, you just really get into it. Especially with sports...i use to run a lot and i know i'd just really get into it sometimes and not notice anything else around me.

What about sudden moments of 'realising' something where suddenly it all makes sense...like once i was out with friends at a cafe, we were laughing about something and suddenly i had this 'in the zone' type feeling where i was imagining all these different shapes relating them to maths and having a sense of complete understanding...but shortly after it 'went away' does anyone know what I'm talking about?
 
Typical transitions...
 
@ malty

I too am only in the "zone" at night and not during the day or in the morning.
 
  • #10
hey man, what was the question? ... do intellectuals get high?
 
  • #11
Sometimes I get into the mode for a week or so, where I'm just focused on learning, and manage to sock in 16-hour days every weekday. Going into school at 7:30-8, and leaving at 11:30-12 at night.

The strange thing about it is that when you work so hard all week, you lose all focus on the weekends, and have no interest in studying. Maybe it's a human's natural way setting aside certain time for study, certain time for rest.
 
  • #12
mathwonk said:
hey man, what was the question? ... do intellectuals get high?
No;) not that type of high; high on study! :)

carstensentyl said:
Sometimes I get into the mode for a week or so, where I'm just focused on learning, and manage to sock in 16-hour days every weekday. Going into school at 7:30-8, and leaving at 11:30-12 at night.

The strange thing about it is that when you work so hard all week, you lose all focus on the weekends, and have no interest in studying. Maybe it's a human's natural way setting aside certain time for study, certain time for rest.
It sounds like it!
 
  • #13
maks4 said:
I'm wondering how many of you have, or are able to have intellectural/mental highs where your mind/brain feels like it's just running through the work and understanding it quicker...where you know the work a lot easier and you just have a deep feeling where you can't stop studying and reading...does anyone get what I'm saying?

I'm wondering how some of you go about to get into those 'state of mind' mode? I use to get them a lot, but i think because I've lost a bit of motivation to study, i haven't experienced one in some time.

That's called being in the zone. It happens sometimes, it's natural but don't do too much, or you'll end up with the tennis elbow of the nerd world, too much working at high speed leads to burn out.
 
  • #14
Schrodinger's Dog said:
That's called being in the zone. It happens sometimes, it's natural but don't do too much, or you'll end up with the tennis elbow of the nerd world, too much working at high speed leads to burn out.
Good point there. Good thing for me i guess it doesn't happen as often.
 
  • #15
I usually get that feeling late at night. Right before I go to bed. It's annoying as hell, because I'm just most productive at night, but I have to get a full night's sleep. The Suck.
 
  • #16
Yeah, sometimes thinking about things I've never been taught, and Ill suddenly connect it to something I have been taught. Thermodynamics or little maths errors people make is the typical.
 
  • #17
mathwonk said:
hey man, what was the question? ... do intellectuals get high?

like Carl Sagan or what? ;)
 

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