- Paperback: 303 pages
- Publisher: Harper Perennial (1 July 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0061339202
- ISBN-13: 978-0061339202
- Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 15.5 x 2.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 12,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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!
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!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found some of the ideas quite complex and it took me several attempts to finally get into the book. As a teacher, I found the ideas about flow activities very interesting and the constant need to increase complexity to avoid boredom and sustain interest.
Some concepts were illuminating and inspiring but I might have to read the book several times to remember them all. It was a good read but a challenging one too.
Some concepts were illuminating and inspiring but I might have to read the book several times to remember them all. It was a good read but a challenging one too.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a superb book... well-written and extremely thought-provoking.
I am a university lecturer teaching theatre Arts but with a strong interest in evolutionary psychology
and this book contains extremely useful and persuasive ideas about how to maximize engagement in
projects... and shows why genetic programming and social pressures are not always on our side when it
comes to achieving contentment, or self-respect. Not really a step by step self-help book - the material interprets a mass
of evidence undertaken by this highly respected academic... A potentially life-changing book, with wide-ranging
applications.
I am a university lecturer teaching theatre Arts but with a strong interest in evolutionary psychology
and this book contains extremely useful and persuasive ideas about how to maximize engagement in
projects... and shows why genetic programming and social pressures are not always on our side when it
comes to achieving contentment, or self-respect. Not really a step by step self-help book - the material interprets a mass
of evidence undertaken by this highly respected academic... A potentially life-changing book, with wide-ranging
applications.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Inportant information
Flow activity, that you immerse yourself in to the exclusion of all worries and everything else, are what it's all about - maybe you'll find some new ideas here.
Published 5 months ago by scouserunner
a secret weapon for endurance sports
I decieded to get this book, after I saw the name as refferences in many different books for ultra running, marathon training and long distance run articles on the net. Read more
Published on 9 April 2010 by Ilgaz Kuruyazici
Full insight into your optimal experience
The finding described in this book is very fascinating, but the explanation is quite lengthly.
Published on 16 Feb 2010 by C. Wacharamanotham
optimal experience
ok so its not the easiest read and some of the ideas are now dated but an excellent read by an author with a most excellent name!
Published on 13 Oct 2009 by P. R. Saye
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