13:26 I wanna point out that this is something the Sonic Franchise itself understands well. Sonic and his friends aren't tree dwellers who never interact with technology and industry, hell sonic pilots a plane, tails builds mechs, Amy's a city girl, and Shadow works with the government to defend earth. Furthermore, in Sonic CD, the Good Future versions of zones aren't completely stripped of any technology or infrastructure, but rather a healthy and mutually beneficial blend of the two, while the bad futures are entirely, oppressively industrialized, leaving no room for nature.
you see this a lot in how the pokemon world is depicted also! the ideal isn't a society where nature overtakes human development, it's where both of those things exist in harmony with respect and consideration for one another. if a developmental project harms nature, it stops. when they depict things like an animal height drinking fountain beside a human height one, that speaks to something. nature always has its place alongside the technology. this outlook is a big part of why I really love both series.
Impulsively clicked on this video thinking it was about Sonic’s flow state from a game design perspective. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised to see the video’s actual topic.
Yeah realizing he's talking to me about flow state and ADHD AND playing friggin sonic 3!🤣 Gold. Only 5 minutes in and you make me feel better about how I usually have something going on. Undiagnosed but we all have been pretty sure I'm ADHD lol. But it's how I roll it's fine.
25:49 "Just because you're spinning in place doesn't mean you don't have the potential to take off and get going" and then Sonic does exactly what you said in the game, that was satisfying af🤣
I’m 26, and I know I have undiagnosed adhd, when I was a child I always did terrible in school when one day my family promised me a game console if I did well, I got honor roll in middle school and my family basically said “we actually didn’t think you would achieve this sooo… we’re not buying it for you regardless “ and from that point my mentality for middle school and high school was “there’s no point to any of this” eventually I got moved to another high school as a second chance to get my diploma and thanks to my wife(girlfriend at the time) she motivated me to get it.
I'm also sorry your family was being a pile of sh*t and they shaped your mentality that way by being absolute liars and I would go even as far as to say they failed you by being fine with breaking your trust like that. Imagine not being parents that follows through on your word to your kid. Your wife is a real one for helping you out bc adhd is a mfer and she probably realized that better than your parents
@@janelle57759 there are more incidents as well that made me dislike and disassociate and go no contact with them. And I’m not calling myself a saint either since Ik I’ve done a lot of things as well that made them dislike and disapprove of me. I have made an effort to have a heart to heart but to no avail since they chalk up they’re actions as justified or in my sisters case “she had it worse than me” despite being the golden child
Similar thing with me for three things, I was doing shit in school. Had a really hands on project for a science class and we actually got to dissect a pigs heart. I locked in so fucking hard, even my teacher who knows I'm not great at tests or hw asked if I actually meant to try on this test and I truthfully said yes. He believed me and let me pass when I got one question wrong by getting the tubes mixed up, another was for school when I did shit, new school new class options and saw an option for photography class. I picked up my slack and assumed I didn't make it until I checked my schedule and got in!... moved away because of neighbors and my mother... after school I got hyperfocused into building a gaming pc, needed money grinded a week or 2 for 1k budget build and boom ez pz. Now I'm getting my drivers license soon and hopefully more.
13:00 There is something called the social model of disability, where the theory is that the primary difficulty with having a disability is not the physical impairment itself, but the fact that our society is not structured to best serve those with disabilities. While this model is usually used to talk about physical disabilities, I think it is especially true when looked at through the lens of mental illness. Many people who otherwise would have thrived in society have been put at a disadvantage because of the way our society developed, not because of something naturally or inherently wrong or bad about themselves. Thinking about it this way helped me understand that ADHD is an important part of my identity. It's not something I need to get rid of, but something I just need to find different ways to deal with (like flow) because society is not optimally structured for me (especially college courses lol). Great vid
While it might suck to say, I really think there is no type of society in which people who struggle with their executive functions flourish more than those who don't. Some forms of organization are more accommodating to us, but that's about it. You always have to remember that, firstly, there is a reason that specialization developed, and secondly, that those who are worse at specialization aren't automatically better at being generalists or innovators. Of course, I still think society needs some restructuring and put a greater emphasis on mental health, but it's important not to downplay these issues as a mere coincidental mismatch between mind and society.
I love that you can read from a script, hold this topic for the enture video, and play Sonic 3 well enough to fool people into thinking it was pre-recorded footage speaks volumes
This needs to be highlighted, put on a frame or something, because this quote: "It's better to focus on not whether you meet your goals but whether you find meaning in the pursuit itself" is one of the best advice in this lifetime we need to learn to be happier and stronger individuals in my opinion 27:04
Absolutely love your weird sonic + self-help content niche. It's so unique and scratches an odd itch in my brain, lol. There's something super cozy about someone unwinding with a fun video game and just rambling about a topic off the top of their head. Keep up the good stuff and I hope the channel gets more attention soon cause you deserve it!
Probably the weirdest way I’ve figure out how to enter a flow state is probably Instagram gym motivation videos. Y’know, the ones with anime character speeches set to motivational music and some guy working out. I have no idea why it works, I’m not a gym bro or anything, but it gets me back up and back to work. Crazy stuff.
Motivational speaking/content is a real thing! When our brains refuse to cooperate, hacking them intentionally to do what we need them to is sometimes necessary.
the constant cuts in the background footage perfectly describe how I feel when replaying Sonic 3, I just completely forget what happens in these few parts
Lol that's a consequence of me playing live while recording, or else I wouldn't be cutting around so often and abruptly. But I think your experience indicates that you play this game to relax and let your thoughts wander off, rather than to engage your brain!
"Negative emotions can be powerful motivators, but the long term goal should be to break out of being beholden to your base level motivations, so you can have the true freedom to make decisions for yourself." ...WOW. I'm remembering that.
"Flow is the state of being, which is achieved when a level of skill and capability in performing a certain task matches the difficulty and effort requirement for that task to be performed flawlessly, start to finish." this is, I believe the official definition of the flow state.
I think that describes one instance in which the flow state occurs, but also fails to define what the experience actually is It'd be like defining sleep as: "the state of being, which is achieved when a tired body and mind lay still in a low-stimulation environment for an extended period"--that definition tells us nothing about the wonder and terror of dreaming!
Oh my gosh everything just clicked. Sonic is the embodiment of ADHD Super Sonic is when you channel your ADHD to hyperfocus on a topic youre genuinely interested in Ultra Sonic is sonic on meds
I zoned out and had to rewatch sections like 5 times throughout this video. Yeesh. This really brings to light for me how even with certain "stimulations", they sometimes just aren't right and will yank your thoughts away. I'll put on a video essay while trying to draw and find that 2 hours later I haven't done anything. I wish it were so much easier to find that special point of focus.
You hit the nail on the head here. Focus is so hard to achieve these days and takes so much energy and effort out of me to try to achieve something I may not sustain. Flow on the other hand seems to come more naturally and I find I'm far more productive as a result of it. Great stuff Neat!
Listen man, I was only watching TH-cam at 1.75x after finishing my third coffee 😅 I cranked the speed down for this BANGER though. So much hit home for me, man. I appreciate it
Words cannot express how accurate this video is, and how helpful it feels. I'm at a point in my life where everything feels like it's building up and is about to crush me, and I've felt so frustrated with my own brain and the way it works. This feels like it helps explain stuff for me, and gives me a light at the end of this damn tunnel. Even just having someone else describe exactly what I experience. Thankyou ❤
Okay so I heard everything you said in this video... But only about 5 words total actually sank in. Now I'm gonna have to watch it all over again so I can properly understand it.
For most of my life the possibility of being adhd never even crossed my mind, so i was totally stumped why i suddenly stopped being able to function when i hit college. But the more i see about it the more everything starts to make sense. I just recently got diagnosed and was surprised when i took the test how many of the questions were spot on.
Since moving to the Netherlands to study, I've found myself traveling all over to any friends I knew spread across the country. People in my life pointed out how I was always in a different city every day and I myself likened it to side quests I did to keep myself moving. This video really resonated with me in that regard and so many others (including Sonic), so thank you so much for providing a voice of direction and encouragement! (Extra points for the spinning in place and taking off thing... Sonic really strangely fits all of this so well, makes sense why I gravitate to the franchise so much)
If anyone is interested, the concept of flow was first coined by psychologist and researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book "Flow". While many psychology-professors and researchers focused on "why are we sad? What makes us so depressed?" Mihaly wanted to know what makes us feel good and how to put emphasis on that. And in his and his teams research when they talked to people the word "Flow" kept popping up to when people felt best. And it was in tasks as different as mountain climbing, meditation, basketball, playing instruments or creating art etc. etc. So they started to look for the common denominators and found things that are talked about in this video. Like clear goals, good feedback, just the right amount of challenge etc. The book is simply called Flow and I highly recommend it. It's one of those books I feel comfortable to recommend to any- and everyone. Since it's themes are very interesting and truly universal. Lastly, thansk for a great video. Will check out your other stuff now :)
I can't absorb anything audible if I'm doing something else. I like to watch videos at 1.5x but sometimes I want to be quiet so I read my videos, and I can't do that at 1.5x, so I'm a bit torn.
@@AKcess_Dnied To be fair most bigger YTers have started talking slowly, to the point 1.5x feels like normal speech rate. Have you tried 0.8/0.5x or normal speed witb CC enabled? (i know they aren't the best but you can kind of get 80-85% of all of the conversations)
I just play at normal speed, this video was too long to read so I'll come back when I can listen to it. I'm put off by anything longer than 10 minutes, I'm never sure I want to commit that much time to something I might not like anyway.
Idk why but after watching a few minutes of this video, I became motivated on doing my mountain homework that was piling up everyday (I also have ADHD & you knew what you were doing with the thumbnail)
Bro, this video could not have been recommended to me enough. I’ve been struggling a bit with online college courses and this video talking about flow over focus hit home, especially since I have been getting better at entering flow states more recently. I especially love the allegories with video games and historical context. These type of subjects are universal, so allegories make it much easier to think about. I really hope this video blows up, not just because you deserve so much recognition for your amazing work, but also because so many more need to hear this.
Dude, flow state being hijacked by the grind is so wack and so true. For me, Sonic is also one of my role models, but it's his duality between being an energetic, busy-body hero and his desire and willingness to just relax and chill between big adventures that endears me to him. And I think that duality is what flow state is. Flowing is all about turning "if" into "when," and just doing something when it feels right and effortless. Stopping Eggman is going to happen, it's just a matter of when. Relaxing afterwards is going to happen, it's just a matter of when. The idea is to let life and your intention to do something tug you into when it's most convenient and possible. Like choosing what day to go bike riding on. You can force yourself to ride in the rain, but that's going to be a DRASTICALLY less enjoyable experience than a few days after the storm, when it's all dried up and there's a bunch of clouds mixed into the blue sky. It's not about being consciously optimal, it's about being unconsciously effortless. Allowing, not forcing. This comment was made by the ADHD gang (I'm also diagnosed :P)
7:27 "Sonic played basketball one time and somebody told him to be the ball. And he took that literally. And he made that his whole personality." I never looked at it this way. I will now see a basketball every time I see the Spin Dash 🏀
Tutor in Mental Wellbeing here, and someone with BPD. This is a fantastic video, you've done well to understand yourself over the years, and do a great job of that conveying that info 😊
This is exactly how I advised my team to play splatoon during league rush... when I kept harping on about having fun and making silly decisions even in serious matches, we dominated. They were deep in their own heads, second guessing everything, so I encouraged them to just do stuff. Things like ambush the enemy charger with a clash blaster, or start spinning in circles in the middle of a firefight, or squidbag in enemy ink so that sneaking past 1 block tall walls is possible. Take the risk when it pops up, it'll be awesome.
The fact I'm watching this 2x speed, left a comment, and replied to several comments i read while listening, also while checking notifications and adding more videos to my watch later/sorting the list 😅
Wow, I was shocked to see such an interesting format of a more scripted video while also playing a game DURING the recording of it; I wholeheartedly agree with your point about how it makes it more genuine. Great video!
I geniuenely love this because I've never heard of Flow State before! (ALSO because THE GOAT Sonic 3 and Knuckles is on display, ESPECIALLY because it's Sonic 3 A.I.R)
You know, I respect you for playing the game while reading the script. I don't know how to describe it, but it makes sense and gives a sense of personality for the video itself
as someone with adhd i think this might be one of my favorite videos ever. the execution is great (listening to a guy yap about things that are very personal to me while watching gameplay of my favorite sonic game ever) and the subjects covered are not only incredibly relatable but also very meaningful and helpful to those struggling with adhd. excellent video, absolutely can't wait for the next one with knuckles' campaign
I'm always skeptical of youtube videos about ADHD because I feel like we're an easy population to manipulate and that attracts a lot of grifters, but I really appreciated this video. It was nice to hear your perspective, and I got emotional around the halfway point because I related a lot to your idea of "in the past I would've just been doing quests." Trying to fit myself into the lifestyle that works for most neurotypicals has always been difficult for me, and as a result I've had a lot of periods where I crashed out and just wandered, doing random jobs instead. Those 'breaks' from everyday life, where there is no correct path and we *have* to live in the present and explore, have always felt the easiest and happiest for me. Anyway, thanks for making this video. I felt seen.
This helped me a lot on figuring out why I couldn't pay attention in some classes and just conked asleep, but MAN is the test bubble thing relatable, the best way i could ever get through it was pretending they were racing to have the most filled in, which led to me changing my answers to make my favorite letter win lol
dude, im not even exaggerating when i say the outline advice might be life changing advice for me. idk if its common sense to do that or not but i get overwhelmed so easily and never thought to do that. thankies so much dawg, i think im gonna get a lot more work done 💙💙💙
I clicked this video thinking it would be sonic related but this has really making me wanna learn more about the flow state and use it to improve my overall health :33
I remember for the longest time having struggles with my college academics since trying to force myself into working on assignments had been weighing me down (Turns out I didn't realize I had inattentive ADHD 'til I talked with family about it, alongside my already acknowledged autism), But just watching this video gave me that sort of clarity, and those insights into getting into that flowstate without having to focus... And seeing that I've been able to achieve a better mindframe, AND learn to handle the flow for both personal AND work better!
at around 23:00 this was me with fucking essays in school, i would stare at a blank page and always feel like i couldnt put anything down, i one time spent an entire class period looking at a blank paper with my mind racing and also self doubt making my experience even worse and whats even worse is i didnt know adhd was the cause so i just was told i was lazy or no one could understand i was seriously having trouble 😭
As someone with ADHD myself, I've still struggled with focusing with I was younger. But over time, I had taught myself to stay more and more focused 90% of the time allowing me to get things done. Something I really want to know about myself is if I achieve the flow state, what is possible for me as a whole? Once I ever manage to get that answer, I'll be able to do whatever I want.
What really hit me was your mention of "going out and doing quests". I've felt that so much recently, the need to just go on contained little adventures instead of sitting in one spot every day. They need to make a job of just helping out all other jobs a little bit. I want to warioware my career
I may or may not have listened to this while playing a game... while sitting in bed... while waiting for the deadline stress based motivation to kick in...
As an athlete, it's hilarious to hear "flow state" become a pop culture term. All it is, is a state of which when you're in intense focus, just not actively. Basically you're subconscious thought takes over the main processes, so you can think almost 100x faster without the feeling of thinking at all. Also, thanks for shouting out people who watch video essays at 2x 😂 I literally cant stand how slow people talk normally
As someone with adhd this completely described me within the first 2 minutes. I genuinely felt seen and inspired watching this as im someone who kind of supresses my adhd and interests out of a fear of judgement from other people. Im really glad there are people who understand ADHD and especially in a way that revolves around sonic the hedgehog. Thanks for making this.
as a sonic fan with adhd and autism that loves watching video essays, there could not have been a more perfect video for me on this entire platform. I love all the jokes and references you include while talking and how you progress in the game as we progress in the video I dont know how to end this comment so ill just say that this video is awesome and you should do more stuff like this
Thanks! I will definitely be doing more--in the meantime you'll also like the other vids in the playlist I mention at the end of the video (they're the same format, except it's with Sonic 1, 2, and CD 😄 )
You know I noticed half way through that you MUST have been reading the script while playing the game, but the way you put it together in words at around 24:00 minutes in honestly just makes it all that much more IMPRESSIVE. Seriously, you've got some talent man.
a few mins into the video, and i really relate to your experience lol. no matter what its always genuinely hard for me to focus, and even studying the subjects i like, i always think about something like DB, or Sonic, or just day dreaming in general. even studying at home WHEN IMPORTANT COLLEGE-DEFINING EXAMS ARE ON THE LINE I GET DISTRACTED SO EASILY. ive been looking into ADHD/ADD for a while and this actually gave me clarity on it.
Hey! 16 year old here who most likely has undiagnosed adhd, I've been struggling with school currently because all the work given feels so overwhelming to do- it takes me out of it. But seeing this video did help me understand more about the flow state and I could use this to help me in the future so thank you :)) Also yes I clicked on this video for the sole purpose of watching Sonic and was pretty surprised at what I got instead, but I love it. 🤣
Currently trying to overcome the fear of getting a diagnose, because I'm already aware how I behave and how I struggle in modern life. This video was so good, thank you for sharing your journey and thoughts ❤
Try to remember that a diagnosis does not condemn you with something for life--it empowers you with the freedom to understand yourself fully, and can give you the tools necessary for you to receive the accommodations you need to be successful! It can be a scary process, but it is so worth it.
Me with ADHD watching this video instead of studying for my test in two days so I can enter the flow state to study harder: *_"Ok. Now, this is epic."_*
I like how I wasn't even paying attention half of the time and just somewhat listening because of my adhd and I really struggle alot now especially then because of it
Flow state is always something I’ve wanted to tap into but can never do intentionally. I’m only ever able to get in flow when I am under a ton of immediate pressure. In high school I would wait till the last week of school and plow through it all no problem. But now. That I’m in college, procrastinating is something that doesn’t benefit me anymore. I’m too stressed to work and yet the stress isn’t helping me to sit down and blaze through it all. In any case, sorry for vomiting my problems in the comments section. Great video! Stay strong my ADHD brethren!
5 minutes into the video and I feel relatable, I used to fall asleep to a cassette with rainforest sounds and Sonic 3 was one of the first games I got hooked on the genesis.
I always think about what I would be 1000 years ago, worried that I might be relying too much on technology of the modern day. I’m a delivery driver and a writer, which seem very different from each other, but actually work out well together (while I’m driving, I am completely alone with my thoughts and music, and use my noise canceling headset to record my voice through text to speech. I used it to write this sentence lol) I was watching Aladdin and realized I would be the quirky traveling storyteller at the beginning of the movie, going on long journeys gathering goods and stories, and coming up with mystical tales. In fact, the history of writing is inextricably, tied to trade and travel, because our ancestors needed a writing system to do accounting and sell goods to other tribes, and early stories and myth were ways for humans from different cultures to relate to one another. So I am proud to be strangely part of that tradition as old as humanity itself.
I have ADHD too and I never really though of it as in-depth as you described in this video and as an adult that has way more responsibilities and obligations now, I’m starting to see how ADHD may be affecting my life more than I previously thought, this was an amazing video like always man, your work and insight is heavily appreciated 🤞🏾💯🔥
SPINNNNNNNN (Thank you for mentioning that i could put the video on 2x speed, i love these sorts of videos and they help me a lot but some times they're so long that it's hard to actually sit through them while doing something else, great video, new sub!)
listening to this at work hits a bit different. my work flow is JUST repetition, and I am really good at doing the same thing for 8 and a half hours. Thank you Rhythm games, teaching me about perfecting the retry button.
This explains a lot. How I feel about what "I want to do" (regarding my place in society: exploring, hunting, etc., as well as the kinds of games I gravitate towards/activities I want to engage in on a given day). How I feel when listening to "motivating" music. How I feel when I drink the occasional energy drink. ------------ I love playing games while talking about life. Thanks for doing that with us.
I feel so great when I achieve this flow state. I didn't gave it a name exactly, but it always felt like I was doing stuff like Sonic would, just going fast without running top speed, hitting every single obstacle and task smoothly with perfection. Of course there are a few bumps in the road, but nothing that shaking off and continue at it can't fix. I could be doing homework or my lunch, but it doesn't matter, I feel alive and complete, even if I fail at my goals I feel great. I'll try to hit flow state more, I need it Also thanks for the dirty fuel part, I needed someone else to point it out to properly see it, I wanna be a better person. Thanks for the video
As someone with ADHD, this flow state was definitely introduced to me through Sonic 1 back when it first came out as a 5 year old. I'm 37 now. This is helping me with game design as a pass time when I'm not working my day job at a factory. All while struggling to make rent. This struggle can be fun if you make that way.
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
Oh yeah, this is a certified Watch Later classic
Watch later... yeahhhhhh
Don't call me out like that
How did you know that…..?
I have never resonated with something more in my life than this comment.
Same here
You knew what you were doing by putting Sonic in the thumbnail of an ADHD video
YES SIR I DID hahahahaha
Idk why it took me until your comment to realize that Sonic is the hedgehog embodiment of ADHD
I was about to roll my eyes, but then I realized that's why I clicked...
Just to be clear, he puts Sonic in most of his video thumbnails. I guess he's a versatile lil bastard.
Ong
13:26 I wanna point out that this is something the Sonic Franchise itself understands well. Sonic and his friends aren't tree dwellers who never interact with technology and industry, hell sonic pilots a plane, tails builds mechs, Amy's a city girl, and Shadow works with the government to defend earth. Furthermore, in Sonic CD, the Good Future versions of zones aren't completely stripped of any technology or infrastructure, but rather a healthy and mutually beneficial blend of the two, while the bad futures are entirely, oppressively industrialized, leaving no room for nature.
Someone else mentioned the Good Futures too and it's a brilliant thought, I can't believe I didn't think of it for the video!
you see this a lot in how the pokemon world is depicted also! the ideal isn't a society where nature overtakes human development, it's where both of those things exist in harmony with respect and consideration for one another. if a developmental project harms nature, it stops. when they depict things like an animal height drinking fountain beside a human height one, that speaks to something. nature always has its place alongside the technology. this outlook is a big part of why I really love both series.
What America needs to be vs what the corporate lobbyists and billionares want it to be
Damn it, you got me with Sonic in thumbnail, then kept me with a call out to my own ADHD bad habits/habits.
That was the plan! Mwahahaha
me too and i don’t even like sonic 😂
@@JayFrii420and i do i don’t mean to be rude but its kinda funny how things work ya know?
I also fell for it but adhd talk peaked my interest
@@NeatOnTheRockslmao I do also have adhd so this also got me
Impulsively clicked on this video thinking it was about Sonic’s flow state from a game design perspective. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised to see the video’s actual topic.
Truly an ADHD-fuelled script
Thanks for sticking around!
4:34 this made me laugh I thought I was watching a pre recorded sonic 3 footage until u said this 😭
Hahaha I always make sure to put a sincere reaction in the first few minutes to make sure people know that it's live!
Yeah realizing he's talking to me about flow state and ADHD AND playing friggin sonic 3!🤣 Gold. Only 5 minutes in and you make me feel better about how I usually have something going on. Undiagnosed but we all have been pretty sure I'm ADHD lol. But it's how I roll it's fine.
exact same thought process but I had the gift of reading this comment at the same time
“Insomnia is to sleep what adhd is to flow state” that’s a great point that I never thought about
honestly, i kind of struggled to concentrate on the topic itself too due to the quick sonic gameplay in the background. lol
realizing that this was recorded while he was playing was genuinely so real
25:49 "Just because you're spinning in place doesn't mean you don't have the potential to take off and get going" and then Sonic does exactly what you said in the game, that was satisfying af🤣
That had me laughing for a good while lmao
I’m 26, and I know I have undiagnosed adhd, when I was a child I always did terrible in school when one day my family promised me a game console if I did well, I got honor roll in middle school and my family basically said “we actually didn’t think you would achieve this sooo… we’re not buying it for you regardless “ and from that point my mentality for middle school and high school was “there’s no point to any of this” eventually I got moved to another high school as a second chance to get my diploma and thanks to my wife(girlfriend at the time) she motivated me to get it.
That's awesome, thanks for sharing :)
I'm also sorry your family was being a pile of sh*t and they shaped your mentality that way by being absolute liars and I would go even as far as to say they failed you by being fine with breaking your trust like that. Imagine not being parents that follows through on your word to your kid.
Your wife is a real one for helping you out bc adhd is a mfer and she probably realized that better than your parents
@@janelle57759 there are more incidents as well that made me dislike and disassociate and go no contact with them.
And I’m not calling myself a saint either since Ik I’ve done a lot of things as well that made them dislike and disapprove of me. I have made an effort to have a heart to heart but to no avail since they chalk up they’re actions as justified or in my sisters case “she had it worse than me” despite being the golden child
Similar thing with me for three things, I was doing shit in school. Had a really hands on project for a science class and we actually got to dissect a pigs heart. I locked in so fucking hard, even my teacher who knows I'm not great at tests or hw asked if I actually meant to try on this test and I truthfully said yes. He believed me and let me pass when I got one question wrong by getting the tubes mixed up, another was for school when I did shit, new school new class options and saw an option for photography class. I picked up my slack and assumed I didn't make it until I checked my schedule and got in!... moved away because of neighbors and my mother... after school I got hyperfocused into building a gaming pc, needed money grinded a week or 2 for 1k budget build and boom ez pz. Now I'm getting my drivers license soon and hopefully more.
@@thedukeconiosantiago9180 thank u for sharing bro and I’m glad your teacher took your side instead of using previous knowledge to doubt you
1:18 Was accidental timing for sure, but the way the game transitioned with your words, "Building that relationship..." WAS SO COOOOL
Hahaha this format leads to lots of happy accidents!!
13:00 There is something called the social model of disability, where the theory is that the primary difficulty with having a disability is not the physical impairment itself, but the fact that our society is not structured to best serve those with disabilities. While this model is usually used to talk about physical disabilities, I think it is especially true when looked at through the lens of mental illness. Many people who otherwise would have thrived in society have been put at a disadvantage because of the way our society developed, not because of something naturally or inherently wrong or bad about themselves. Thinking about it this way helped me understand that ADHD is an important part of my identity. It's not something I need to get rid of, but something I just need to find different ways to deal with (like flow) because society is not optimally structured for me (especially college courses lol). Great vid
Well said!
While it might suck to say, I really think there is no type of society in which people who struggle with their executive functions flourish more than those who don't. Some forms of organization are more accommodating to us, but that's about it. You always have to remember that, firstly, there is a reason that specialization developed, and secondly, that those who are worse at specialization aren't automatically better at being generalists or innovators.
Of course, I still think society needs some restructuring and put a greater emphasis on mental health, but it's important not to downplay these issues as a mere coincidental mismatch between mind and society.
I love that you can read from a script, hold this topic for the enture video, and play Sonic 3 well enough to fool people into thinking it was pre-recorded footage speaks volumes
This needs to be highlighted, put on a frame or something, because this quote:
"It's better to focus on not whether you meet your goals but whether you find meaning in the pursuit itself"
is one of the best advice in this lifetime we need to learn to be happier and stronger individuals in my opinion
27:04
I went from Watch Later to Watch Now because I want that flow state
I watched the whole video and didn't get into flow.
@@first___lastwell not everything work for everyone (:
Absolutely love your weird sonic + self-help content niche. It's so unique and scratches an odd itch in my brain, lol. There's something super cozy about someone unwinding with a fun video game and just rambling about a topic off the top of their head. Keep up the good stuff and I hope the channel gets more attention soon cause you deserve it!
Thanks!!
If you like this kind of video and also like Megaman I can recommend a channel called Manus Zero who does the same thin with mostly Megaman Zero vids
Probably the weirdest way I’ve figure out how to enter a flow state is probably Instagram gym motivation videos. Y’know, the ones with anime character speeches set to motivational music and some guy working out. I have no idea why it works, I’m not a gym bro or anything, but it gets me back up and back to work. Crazy stuff.
Motivational speaking/content is a real thing! When our brains refuse to cooperate, hacking them intentionally to do what we need them to is sometimes necessary.
@@NeatOnTheRocks Hey man if Vegeta says I gotta go super or something I might as well take his word for it.
@@Mystic-Aidan this made me crack up lol
Watching this while not listening and reading the comments instead really shows the actual purpose of the video
as a 15 year old who had the same problem of daydreaming when im not engaged, it feels good when i can see an adult who has felt the same way.
Genuinely relatable asf dude
the constant cuts in the background footage perfectly describe how I feel when replaying Sonic 3, I just completely forget what happens in these few parts
Lol that's a consequence of me playing live while recording, or else I wouldn't be cutting around so often and abruptly. But I think your experience indicates that you play this game to relax and let your thoughts wander off, rather than to engage your brain!
This is the most adhd video ever. With the script and video in the background. You can TELL that a person with ADD/ADHD did this video.
I love it
😄 I feel so seen
"Negative emotions can be powerful motivators, but the long term goal should be to break out of being beholden to your base level motivations, so you can have the true freedom to make decisions for yourself."
...WOW. I'm remembering that.
"Flow is the state of being, which is achieved when a level of skill and capability in performing a certain task matches the difficulty and effort requirement for that task to be performed flawlessly, start to finish." this is, I believe the official definition of the flow state.
I think that describes one instance in which the flow state occurs, but also fails to define what the experience actually is
It'd be like defining sleep as: "the state of being, which is achieved when a tired body and mind lay still in a low-stimulation environment for an extended period"--that definition tells us nothing about the wonder and terror of dreaming!
that was the most informative sonic 3&k playthrough of my life
I'm so used to prerecorded footage that the reveal of it being live gameplay held the same weight as an unexpected plot twist
Oh my gosh everything just clicked.
Sonic is the embodiment of ADHD
Super Sonic is when you channel your ADHD to hyperfocus on a topic youre genuinely interested in
Ultra Sonic is sonic on meds
Thank you I'm currently doing home work and repeatedly got distracted by it but what you said kept bringing me back
As someone with ADHD, I’m watching this after getting distracted from a drawing I was working on 😭💀
I zoned out and had to rewatch sections like 5 times throughout this video. Yeesh.
This really brings to light for me how even with certain "stimulations", they sometimes just aren't right and will yank your thoughts away. I'll put on a video essay while trying to draw and find that 2 hours later I haven't done anything. I wish it were so much easier to find that special point of focus.
You hit the nail on the head here. Focus is so hard to achieve these days and takes so much energy and effort out of me to try to achieve something I may not sustain. Flow on the other hand seems to come more naturally and I find I'm far more productive as a result of it. Great stuff Neat!
Listen man, I was only watching TH-cam at 1.75x after finishing my third coffee 😅 I cranked the speed down for this BANGER though. So much hit home for me, man. I appreciate it
Appreciate you 😁
Words cannot express how accurate this video is, and how helpful it feels. I'm at a point in my life where everything feels like it's building up and is about to crush me, and I've felt so frustrated with my own brain and the way it works. This feels like it helps explain stuff for me, and gives me a light at the end of this damn tunnel. Even just having someone else describe exactly what I experience.
Thankyou ❤
Okay so I heard everything you said in this video...
But only about 5 words total actually sank in. Now I'm gonna have to watch it all over again so I can properly understand it.
For most of my life the possibility of being adhd never even crossed my mind, so i was totally stumped why i suddenly stopped being able to function when i hit college. But the more i see about it the more everything starts to make sense. I just recently got diagnosed and was surprised when i took the test how many of the questions were spot on.
Since moving to the Netherlands to study, I've found myself traveling all over to any friends I knew spread across the country.
People in my life pointed out how I was always in a different city every day and I myself likened it to side quests I did to keep myself moving.
This video really resonated with me in that regard and so many others (including Sonic), so thank you so much for providing a voice of direction and encouragement!
(Extra points for the spinning in place and taking off thing... Sonic really strangely fits all of this so well, makes sense why I gravitate to the franchise so much)
If anyone is interested, the concept of flow was first coined by psychologist and researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book "Flow".
While many psychology-professors and researchers focused on "why are we sad? What makes us so depressed?" Mihaly wanted to know what makes us feel good and how to put emphasis on that.
And in his and his teams research when they talked to people the word "Flow" kept popping up to when people felt best.
And it was in tasks as different as mountain climbing, meditation, basketball, playing instruments or creating art etc. etc. So they started to look for the common denominators and found things that are talked about in this video.
Like clear goals, good feedback, just the right amount of challenge etc.
The book is simply called Flow and I highly recommend it. It's one of those books I feel comfortable to recommend to any- and everyone. Since it's themes are very interesting and truly universal.
Lastly, thansk for a great video. Will check out your other stuff now :)
I feel called out - washing dishes with the video playing at 1.5x speed in the background through my headphones 😅
I can't absorb anything audible if I'm doing something else. I like to watch videos at 1.5x but sometimes I want to be quiet so I read my videos, and I can't do that at 1.5x, so I'm a bit torn.
@@AKcess_Dnied To be fair most bigger YTers have started talking slowly, to the point 1.5x feels like normal speech rate. Have you tried 0.8/0.5x or normal speed witb CC enabled? (i know they aren't the best but you can kind of get 80-85% of all of the conversations)
I just play at normal speed, this video was too long to read so I'll come back when I can listen to it.
I'm put off by anything longer than 10 minutes, I'm never sure I want to commit that much time to something I might not like anyway.
Idk why but after watching a few minutes of this video, I became motivated on doing my mountain homework that was piling up everyday (I also have ADHD & you knew what you were doing with the thumbnail)
Oh the irony of watching this while needing to get work done
Bro, this video could not have been recommended to me enough. I’ve been struggling a bit with online college courses and this video talking about flow over focus hit home, especially since I have been getting better at entering flow states more recently. I especially love the allegories with video games and historical context. These type of subjects are universal, so allegories make it much easier to think about. I really hope this video blows up, not just because you deserve so much recognition for your amazing work, but also because so many more need to hear this.
Dude, flow state being hijacked by the grind is so wack and so true. For me, Sonic is also one of my role models, but it's his duality between being an energetic, busy-body hero and his desire and willingness to just relax and chill between big adventures that endears me to him. And I think that duality is what flow state is.
Flowing is all about turning "if" into "when," and just doing something when it feels right and effortless. Stopping Eggman is going to happen, it's just a matter of when. Relaxing afterwards is going to happen, it's just a matter of when. The idea is to let life and your intention to do something tug you into when it's most convenient and possible. Like choosing what day to go bike riding on. You can force yourself to ride in the rain, but that's going to be a DRASTICALLY less enjoyable experience than a few days after the storm, when it's all dried up and there's a bunch of clouds mixed into the blue sky.
It's not about being consciously optimal, it's about being unconsciously effortless. Allowing, not forcing.
This comment was made by the ADHD gang (I'm also diagnosed :P)
the flow of this post was crazy relatable lol. hope all is well dude.
7:27 "Sonic played basketball one time and somebody told him to be the ball. And he took that literally. And he made that his whole personality."
I never looked at it this way. I will now see a basketball every time I see the Spin Dash 🏀
Tutor in Mental Wellbeing here, and someone with BPD. This is a fantastic video, you've done well to understand yourself over the years, and do a great job of that conveying that info 😊
Thank you!
Unrelated but for the nature vs modernization, sonic cd encapsulates how if balanced, machines can actually help nature and both can co exist
This is exactly how I advised my team to play splatoon during league rush... when I kept harping on about having fun and making silly decisions even in serious matches, we dominated. They were deep in their own heads, second guessing everything, so I encouraged them to just do stuff. Things like ambush the enemy charger with a clash blaster, or start spinning in circles in the middle of a firefight, or squidbag in enemy ink so that sneaking past 1 block tall walls is possible. Take the risk when it pops up, it'll be awesome.
Nah the "watching at 2 times speed" really got me and made me feel so called out 😭
The fact I'm watching this 2x speed, left a comment, and replied to several comments i read while listening, also while checking notifications and adding more videos to my watch later/sorting the list 😅
Wow, I was shocked to see such an interesting format of a more scripted video while also playing a game DURING the recording of it; I wholeheartedly agree with your point about how it makes it more genuine. Great video!
Thank you!
Oh, I didn't expect to see you here! And I agree, playing the game during the recording of it makes it so much more genuine!
1:48 “or are watching at two times speed”
I feel so called out right now
I geniuenely love this because I've never heard of Flow State before! (ALSO because THE GOAT Sonic 3 and Knuckles is on display, ESPECIALLY because it's Sonic 3 A.I.R)
You know, I respect you for playing the game while reading the script. I don't know how to describe it, but it makes sense and gives a sense of personality for the video itself
I've thought about almost all of this for the past few years i am undiagnosed and you gave me some courage to check myself out
0:40 the irony...
Sonic ganeplay hits home pretty hard
watching this to procrastinate on an assignment that I havent been able to lock into for hours lmao
as someone with adhd i think this might be one of my favorite videos ever. the execution is great (listening to a guy yap about things that are very personal to me while watching gameplay of my favorite sonic game ever) and the subjects covered are not only incredibly relatable but also very meaningful and helpful to those struggling with adhd. excellent video, absolutely can't wait for the next one with knuckles' campaign
I'm always skeptical of youtube videos about ADHD because I feel like we're an easy population to manipulate and that attracts a lot of grifters, but I really appreciated this video. It was nice to hear your perspective, and I got emotional around the halfway point because I related a lot to your idea of "in the past I would've just been doing quests." Trying to fit myself into the lifestyle that works for most neurotypicals has always been difficult for me, and as a result I've had a lot of periods where I crashed out and just wandered, doing random jobs instead. Those 'breaks' from everyday life, where there is no correct path and we *have* to live in the present and explore, have always felt the easiest and happiest for me. Anyway, thanks for making this video. I felt seen.
This helped me a lot on figuring out why I couldn't pay attention in some classes and just conked asleep, but MAN is the test bubble thing relatable, the best way i could ever get through it was pretending they were racing to have the most filled in, which led to me changing my answers to make my favorite letter win lol
Crazy to think I watched this whole video and am still gonna put off my writing assignments
dude, im not even exaggerating when i say the outline advice might be life changing advice for me. idk if its common sense to do that or not but i get overwhelmed so easily and never thought to do that. thankies so much dawg, i think im gonna get a lot more work done 💙💙💙
I clicked this video thinking it would be sonic related but this has really making me wanna learn more about the flow state and use it to improve my overall health :33
27:10 you are calling me out here
Spite and fear are the best motivators in my life
This is helping me come to terms with my adhd and how it’s been affecting my work
You know as a person with HEAVY ADHD I really appreciate this video. Seriously I agree with 70% of this video easily. So thx for making it man.
watched this while i was supposed to be doing a rough draft for English 101. 10/10
We be saving to “watch later”, scroll through comments or using P.I.P. while looking for other videos with this one 🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥
New Comfort/Helptuber just dropped, 10/10 love everything about how this dude talks and represents things, not just that he's relatable :)
I remember for the longest time having struggles with my college academics since trying to force myself into working on assignments had been weighing me down (Turns out I didn't realize I had inattentive ADHD 'til I talked with family about it, alongside my already acknowledged autism), But just watching this video gave me that sort of clarity, and those insights into getting into that flowstate without having to focus... And seeing that I've been able to achieve a better mindframe, AND learn to handle the flow for both personal AND work better!
at around 23:00 this was me with fucking essays in school, i would stare at a blank page and always feel like i couldnt put anything down, i one time spent an entire class period looking at a blank paper with my mind racing and also self doubt making my experience even worse and whats even worse is i didnt know adhd was the cause so i just was told i was lazy or no one could understand i was seriously having trouble 😭
As someone with ADHD myself, I've still struggled with focusing with I was younger. But over time, I had taught myself to stay more and more focused 90% of the time allowing me to get things done. Something I really want to know about myself is if I achieve the flow state, what is possible for me as a whole? Once I ever manage to get that answer, I'll be able to do whatever I want.
Good luck, I believe you can do it!
I decided to be meta and turn on a video about flow state to help me get in a flow state. It worked. Thanks Neat!
What really hit me was your mention of "going out and doing quests". I've felt that so much recently, the need to just go on contained little adventures instead of sitting in one spot every day. They need to make a job of just helping out all other jobs a little bit. I want to warioware my career
I may or may not have listened to this while playing a game... while sitting in bed... while waiting for the deadline stress based motivation to kick in...
As an athlete, it's hilarious to hear "flow state" become a pop culture term.
All it is, is a state of which when you're in intense focus, just not actively. Basically you're subconscious thought takes over the main processes, so you can think almost 100x faster without the feeling of thinking at all.
Also, thanks for shouting out people who watch video essays at 2x 😂 I literally cant stand how slow people talk normally
I gotta say, thank you for making this video, i finally have a way to explain my disorder.
Not even half way and this dude summed up my plight.
As someone with adhd this completely described me within the first 2 minutes. I genuinely felt seen and inspired watching this as im someone who kind of supresses my adhd and interests out of a fear of judgement from other people. Im really glad there are people who understand ADHD and especially in a way that revolves around sonic the hedgehog. Thanks for making this.
Thanks for the superchat homie 💖
Existentialism and Sonic are an oddly good combo.
Sonic and Existentialism basically sum up my whole personality, so I'm glad you think so!
as a sonic fan with adhd and autism that loves watching video essays, there could not have been a more perfect video for me on this entire platform. I love all the jokes and references you include while talking and how you progress in the game as we progress in the video
I dont know how to end this comment so ill just say that this video is awesome and you should do more stuff like this
Thanks! I will definitely be doing more--in the meantime you'll also like the other vids in the playlist I mention at the end of the video (they're the same format, except it's with Sonic 1, 2, and CD 😄 )
@@NeatOnTheRocks i will definitely be watching those!
You know I noticed half way through that you MUST have been reading the script while playing the game, but the way you put it together in words at around 24:00 minutes in honestly just makes it all that much more IMPRESSIVE. Seriously, you've got some talent man.
Thank you 🥰
1:40
2x speed watcher here. Its nothing personal. Great vid!
a few mins into the video, and i really relate to your experience lol. no matter what its always genuinely hard for me to focus, and even studying the subjects i like, i always think about something like DB, or Sonic, or just day dreaming in general. even studying at home WHEN IMPORTANT COLLEGE-DEFINING EXAMS ARE ON THE LINE I GET DISTRACTED SO EASILY. ive been looking into ADHD/ADD for a while and this actually gave me clarity on it.
not even 1/3rd through the video and i think this is a masterclass in synthesization
Hey! 16 year old here who most likely has undiagnosed adhd, I've been struggling with school currently because all the work given feels so overwhelming to do- it takes me out of it.
But seeing this video did help me understand more about the flow state and I could use this to help me in the future so thank you :))
Also yes I clicked on this video for the sole purpose of watching Sonic and was pretty surprised at what I got instead, but I love it. 🤣
Currently trying to overcome the fear of getting a diagnose, because I'm already aware how I behave and how I struggle in modern life. This video was so good, thank you for sharing your journey and thoughts ❤
Try to remember that a diagnosis does not condemn you with something for life--it empowers you with the freedom to understand yourself fully, and can give you the tools necessary for you to receive the accommodations you need to be successful! It can be a scary process, but it is so worth it.
@@NeatOnTheRocks You're so right, thank you so much for your words!
Me with ADHD watching this video instead of studying for my test in two days so I can enter the flow state to study harder: *_"Ok. Now, this is epic."_*
I like how I wasn't even paying attention half of the time and just somewhat listening because of my adhd and I really struggle alot now especially then because of it
Flow state is always something I’ve wanted to tap into but can never do intentionally. I’m only ever able to get in flow when I am under a ton of immediate pressure. In high school I would wait till the last week of school and plow through it all no problem. But now. That I’m in college, procrastinating is something that doesn’t benefit me anymore. I’m too stressed to work and yet the stress isn’t helping me to sit down and blaze through it all. In any case, sorry for vomiting my problems in the comments section. Great video! Stay strong my ADHD brethren!
5 minutes into the video and I feel relatable, I used to fall asleep to a cassette with rainforest sounds and Sonic 3 was one of the first games I got hooked on the genesis.
I always think about what I would be 1000 years ago, worried that I might be relying too much on technology of the modern day. I’m a delivery driver and a writer, which seem very different from each other, but actually work out well together (while I’m driving, I am completely alone with my thoughts and music, and use my noise canceling headset to record my voice through text to speech. I used it to write this sentence lol)
I was watching Aladdin and realized I would be the quirky traveling storyteller at the beginning of the movie, going on long journeys gathering goods and stories, and coming up with mystical tales.
In fact, the history of writing is inextricably, tied to trade and travel, because our ancestors needed a writing system to do accounting and sell goods to other tribes, and early stories and myth were ways for humans from different cultures to relate to one another.
So I am proud to be strangely part of that tradition as old as humanity itself.
I honestly didn't realise that you were playing Sonic live while talking about this. Well done for multitasking.
I have ADHD too and I never really though of it as in-depth as you described in this video and as an adult that has way more responsibilities and obligations now, I’m starting to see how ADHD may be affecting my life more than I previously thought, this was an amazing video like always man, your work and insight is heavily appreciated 🤞🏾💯🔥
That's great to hear!
Dude, you made the only 15+ minute video I didn't actually continue later lmfao
(Thanks man this helps a lot also)
SPINNNNNNNN (Thank you for mentioning that i could put the video on 2x speed, i love these sorts of videos and they help me a lot but some times they're so long that it's hard to actually sit through them while doing something else, great video, new sub!)
listening to this at work hits a bit different. my work flow is JUST repetition, and I am really good at doing the same thing for 8 and a half hours. Thank you Rhythm games, teaching me about perfecting the retry button.
This explains a lot.
How I feel about what "I want to do" (regarding my place in society: exploring, hunting, etc., as well as the kinds of games I gravitate towards/activities I want to engage in on a given day).
How I feel when listening to "motivating" music.
How I feel when I drink the occasional energy drink.
------------
I love playing games while talking about life. Thanks for doing that with us.
24:12 i absolutely agree i dont know what it is but it just feels more authentic
I felt so called out when you said “to those of you listening to this while playing games” considering I was doing exactly that😭
I feel so great when I achieve this flow state. I didn't gave it a name exactly, but it always felt like I was doing stuff like Sonic would, just going fast without running top speed, hitting every single obstacle and task smoothly with perfection. Of course there are a few bumps in the road, but nothing that shaking off and continue at it can't fix. I could be doing homework or my lunch, but it doesn't matter, I feel alive and complete, even if I fail at my goals I feel great. I'll try to hit flow state more, I need it
Also thanks for the dirty fuel part, I needed someone else to point it out to properly see it, I wanna be a better person. Thanks for the video
As someone with ADHD, this flow state was definitely introduced to me through Sonic 1 back when it first came out as a 5 year old. I'm 37 now. This is helping me with game design as a pass time when I'm not working my day job at a factory. All while struggling to make rent.
This struggle can be fun if you make that way.
The fact I was just playing this game earlier today. I had to listen to this.