Customer Reviews

Flow

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Besides having more vowels in his name than any other researcher in the field of positive psychology, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi is probably best known for his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. So what exactlty is flow and what does it have to do with finding happiness?

There are short and long ways to define the concept of flow. The short way is to tell you that flow is roughly the equivalent to what most people refer to as being "in the zone" or "in the groove". More elaborate definitions might be that it is "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people do it even at great cost, for the sheer state of doing it."

Being such a desirable state, flow is naturally linked to happiness. The book feels that the path to happiness is a circuitous one that begins with one achieving control over the "contents of our consciousness". I'm taking that to mean that if I learn to find flow experiences, it will lead to greater happiness.

Know from the get-go that "Flow" is NOT a step-by-step book that gives you tips on how to be happy. Instead, the book summarizes years of research, so what you get when all is said and done, are general principles along with examples of how people have used them to transform their lives. The hope, then, is that you will have enough information in the book to make the transition from principles and theory, to actual practice.

In a nutshell, Flow is a unique and interesting book that examines the process of achieving happiness through the control of one's inner life. I didn't find it as easy to read as some books written by academic individuals, such as David Myer's The Pursuit of Happiness: Discovering the Pathway to Fulfillment, Well-Being, and Enduring Personal Joy, but it's definitely a "digestable" read for the general audience.

I'll tell you, though, after reading a lot of positive psychology books, you start to see some common threads. In "Flow", one of the conditions that makes flow occur is that you have a clear goal. And in the book Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World, it reveals that one proven way to increase long-term happiness (according to controlled trials cited in the book) is to set intrinsic/self-concordant goals. With much happiness research coming to similar conclusions, perhaps an important take-home message is this: the kinds of things we choose to spend our time on can have a HUGE impact on how happy we are. Happy trails!

Flow (optimal experience) is something we all strive for and this book provides many chapters designed to help us recognize it. The key to this excellent self-help book is that it helps us understand our inner self first prior to providing cheesy solutions. Just like the 12 step AA program you first have to admit something and recognize it, only then are you ready for change. After reading this book, it was easy to admit that I am not in an optimal state all the time, when perhaps I could have been.

"Hello, my name is Loopy and I'm not experiencing life in an optimal manner"

Ok, let's get serious. In this time of hostilities it is more important than ever to recognize why humans try so hard to conquer the outer world. Mihaly concentrates entirely on how to achieve flow, therefore prescribing proven techniqes to control your state of mind (inner world) and improving the quality of your life.

Flow is simply immersing yourself in an activity to the point of losing sense of time. That activity can't be too hard or too easy, just enough so that you instinctively know that you are learning and expanding. Learning to effortlessly drive a golf ball, play guitar, converse, dance and work can all provide the state of Flow.

Mihaly starts the book off with an interesting general visit to the happiness subject and asks all the right questions. He presents a strong argument focusing on how humans throughout history have focused on how health, beauty, money and power will be our shining knights, yet we only have to look inside ourselves and stretch ourselves to experience precious moments. That perfect golf swing. Writing a great review. Cooking a great meal. It's just too easy in our society to flick channels and grab a greasy burger. You have to create optimal moments.

In the chapter discussing consciousness he tackles a tricky subject by first admitting it is a complex subject, but offers some interesting explanations. Consciousness can be "intentionally ordered information". Our conscious actively shapes events for us providing a sum of all we have heard, seen, felt, hope and suffered. He is one of the only authors that I stuck with, on this complex subject. I have a clearer understanding as to why I do things. This is an important step to changing my ways.

Mihaly also looks at optimal experiences in our culture, thus looking at the bigger picture. His insight in how the industrial Revolution actually shortened some lifespans and put children at work very early is a great example how our behavior evolved innocently until it was too late. Even today we are working longer hours with modern technology. Is our present culture in the optimal state? I don't think so.

The book also looks at developing Flow through the body (yoga) and senses, with examples of the joy of seeing and hearing (music).

The subject of Flow and work is well presented as he provides examples of how people have found optimal experiences in mundane jobs.

The family is also discussed and it is easy to understand how we become dull with our family, neglecting to input energy and time.

Mihaly is one of those authors that truly cares for the human race and makes an effort to solve some very complex questions with a common sense approach. Now I want get out there and seize the day.

The publications and blather out there are endless! The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Personal Power, First Things First (duh!) are great feel good books, but what does one really get out of them? Well, after reading them, one supposedly knows what successful people do, what to do first, or maybe have an increased sense of personal power. Somehow, I don't think so.

Enter Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and the idea of Flow. Flow is about finding meaning in a particular activity, profession or if one is really fortunate in life. The bottom line is that to achieve maximum happiness, enjoyment, or even "success" a person will often have "flow" experiences. It's when worries slip away, when a person or a team is engaged in an activity, and is so focused that it seems effortless.

Covey, Robbins, and the rest of em', will present you with a square peg which you may be able to smash into a round hole if you keep hitting it hard enough. Understanding, yourself and what brings you satisfaction in life must come before following any prescribed method for improvement or success. If you love what you do, and do what you love, you don't need some guru to give you the steps to success.

Flow can help you find and understand that. You've got to start with the basics, and this book can provide insight on what flow is, what conditions facilitate it, how to achieve it, and where to start. Highly recommended!

This seems to be the kind of book that either you love or you hate. I loved it. This is why:

It made sense to me. It helped me understand things about myself that I didn't realize, and it made a difference. Why do I sit and watch TV when I hate TV and there are a thousand better things to do? Why do I choose an activity knowing at the time I will regret it later (such as reading a not-great book I've already read, instead of going for a walk or reading one of the great, challenging books on my shelf I haven't read)? Why do I have so much trouble starting a project I'm really excited about? Why when I'm doing a routine task like laundry do I start obsessing about past conversations and what I should have said? I thought it was a character issue - I just don't have enough willpower.

What I understood from this book, the mind needs structure for keeping pyschic order (This is the interepretation that made a difference to me - it may not be a scientifically rigorous representation of his work). There are two kinds of structure - low level, meaning low challenge and low use of skills. It doesn't take any psychic energy to get there, but it doesn't provide much growth either. Examples are watching TV, reading predictable, unchallenging books, redundant social chatter, etc. Higher level structure means higher challenges and higher use of skills. Examples playing tennis, brain surgery, model building, drag racing, challenging, thinking conversations or books, basketball, pretty much any work or hobby you enjoy. It takes some energy or effort to get started, but you get so much more out of it, and generally feel better afterward. With no structure, the mind tends to wander and get caught by problems or concerns.

In moments throughout the day, having this distinction had made a difference. Knowing that the pull to do something mindless and easy is not a character issue, but the mind's need for order, I find myself choosing more challenging activities sometimes. I'm not sure I've experienced what he calls flow, but I know I feel better if I put forth the energy to do a jigsaw puzzle rather than watch TV, or take a walk rather than eat a pint of ice cream, or work on my writing instead of reading a book.

I found the follow-up book, "Finding Flow", less satisfying because it was less dense and more chatty, and it was mostly a repeat of "Flow". If you are interested in the ideas but want something less scientific and easier to read, you might start with that.

Cziskszentmihalyi introduces an experiential concept that he calls "Flow". He suggests that this experiential state is intricately related to our happiness and explores the central factors that are associated with the phenomena. By comparing various examples of moments of "Flow" and others not of "Flow", the author provides an in depth investigation into this subjective state of mind. Some of the author's scientific research on this topic is also discussed. It is clear that the author is onto something very interesting and important just from the fact that this concept has crept into many books on Psychology in the past few years. The writing is not too technical and is understandable for people who are not experts in the field. Highly recommended!

I also purchased "The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book" because it was endorsed by the Dalai Lama and enjoyed this as well. It has some fascinating research with 500,000 people and an online EQ test.

I read Evolving Self and thought that was a wonderful book. Flow is even better. Great books, especially Flow. Highly recommended.

Judging by the 1 star reviews, it is painfully obvious that:

1) Those 1 star reviewers have never read the book
2) They have no earthly clue what this book is all about.

HINT: Flow is a state of consiousness. A state of being. This book has helped me with my golf game, my performance on the job and in relationships with my spouse and family.

Great book. 1 star reviewers, try reading the book and then come back and place your review.

The concept of Flow is subtle. It may seem simple on a surface read, but the author certainly knows what he is talking about regarding artistic creation.

I had to laugh reading the reviews that call this "bad psychology"! Prof C has been one of the leading psychologists in the world for decades, and he continues to be a major voice in the field.

If you have not read this book yet, BUY it and READ it carefully. You will be glad you did.

Tant qu'à lire sur ce sujet, autant lire le livre du "père" du concept de Flow. J'ai eu la chance d'entendre une conférence de Mihaly et j'ai été soufflé.

Si vous trouvez que votre vie pourrait être plus satisfaisante, lisez Flow (ou Vivre en français)et prenez conscience de l'importance de choisir vos activités quotidiennes en fonction de ce que vous êtes vraiment.

Flow is a wonderful book to help you get to wherever it is that you want to go. I also recomend The Evolving Self, a newer book by the author.

Great book. Thanks, we needed this!