In soccer (football), flow state may be achieved in a player when they play well and continue doing so throughout the game. Clutch state may be initiated during a comeback.

Flow State vs. Clutch State — Examples

While the two states have much in common, Clutch State is accompanied by intense critical thoughts, anxiety, effortful concentration, and heightened awareness of the situation's direness. Flow State, on the contrary, is characterized by a feeling of naturalness.

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A state of confidence, absorption, perceptions of control, enhanced motivation, enjoyment, and altered sensory perceptions accompanied by intense critical thoughts.  In clutch state, some report feeling anxiety, effortful concentration, and heightened awareness of the situation's direness.

Clutch State

A state of confidence, absorption, perceptions of control, enhanced motivation, enjoyment, and altered sensory perceptions free of critical thoughts. Actions committed in flow state feel effortless.

Flow State

Christian Swann, Lee Crust, Patricia Jackman, Stewart A. Vella, Mark S. Allen & Richard Keegan (2017) Psychological States Underlying Excellent Performance in Sport: Toward an Integrated Model of Flow and Clutch States, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 29:4, 375-401, DOI: 10.1080/10413200.2016.1272650

Psychological States Underlying Excellent Performance in Sport: Toward an Integrated Model of Flow and Clutch States

Flow State vs. Clutch State

Set goals that are specific, measurable, and objective. Plant reminders to keep one aware of the direness of the situation, and allow participant to keep those stressors in mind and channel them into their performance.

Clutch State: Inducing and Maintaining

Set goals that are specific, measurable, and objective. Flow state has been described to occur as a part of a positive feedback loop. Flow state encourages peak performance, in achieving multiple successive short-term goals, flow is achieved, which in turn allows one to achieve more of their short-term goals, until eventually, the overarching task is complete.

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