Flow: The Classic Work on How to Achieve Happiness

"I want this book. I am going to by it, because I have heard a lot positive about it. But I would also like to read what the people who didn't like it have to say.

Why isn't the one and two star reviews for this item available?

Is it just a coindidence? "
~ Written on 2008-07-20

"Reading this book itself has been a 'flow' experience, which is a testament to Mr Csikszentmihalyi's (if that is not a mouthful, what is!) writing and his choice of the topic itself.

The book celebrates the cardinal importance of the quality of experience over conventional success metrics/ outcome norms that people pursue.

My key takeaways from the book are:
1) The 'flow zone' definition on the skills-challenges 2x2
2) The role of complexity and the modeling of 'dissipative structures' in creating order out of chaos (read psychic entropy)
3) The principle of the 'autotelic' self, and mindful challenge as the ultimate source of contentment

Written in a easy paced, intuitive style, this is a highly effective read.

PS: The 4 pronged classification of all the world's 'games': agon, alea, ilinx and mimicry is quite novel"
~ Written on 2008-04-02

"Csikszentmihalyi IS the authority on this subject and as a keen rower I have always had an interest in The Flow or Zone as its known in sport. This book is also a vital resource for anyone with an interest in their sport and how to achieve a peak performance. I have always found it curious as to why when I'm in The Flow whilst rowing I feel euphoric and so complete. This book goes along way to explaining why. Roy Palmer's Zone Mind, Zone Body is an excellent companion to this book with its practical techniques to get into The Flow."
~ Written on 2007-02-09

"I read Flow partically as a self-improvement book, and partially because several people involved in game design (particularly "Theory of Fun") recommended it.

It's really interesting. Solidly researched stuff by a proper psychologist looking into what makes people happier. And it's the same thing as makes a big difference to me at the end of a day by myself - if I've set myself clear goals of what to do, and I know whether or not I've met them, I feel a lot happier with myself than if I just potter around, even if I accomplish exactly the same thing.

Csikszentmihalyi (Chick-sent-mi-hal-yi)'s theory is that what makes people happy isn't simple pleasure, but the "flow" state they attain if:

• You're doing something they might succeed at
  
• You can concentrate on it
  
• You've got clear goals
  
• You know immediately whether you've won or lost
  

This state might not be immensely pleasurable at the time, but it makes you forget all your worries, and gives you a great sense of control.

And somehow, this managed to cover a 300-page paperback book saying this, and yet very little of it was wasted. It goes into great detail about how many different activities might produce this feeling (not least games, which are designed specifically to produce it). A real insight - and it explains why most of us want jobs which challenge and stretch us.

He only really goes off the boil at the end, when he suggests that in order to give life meaning (as a materialist, he does not believe it has one already) you choose something which gives you meaningful goals with clear feedback for your entire life. But preferably without choosing the goal of racial purity (or something similarly destructive). The worrying point is that it's just as possible to achieve flow doing something harmful as it is doing something good. He tries to follow Viktor Frankl ("There is no single meaning of life. The meaning of life is found moment by moment") but ends up with "There's only one way of life, and that's your own"."
~ Written on 2006-06-04

"This book points out something which should be obvious - that in order tohave a happy, fulfilling life you must live your life to have as many"flow" experiences as possible. That is, you must do things that havegoals that you are fully committed to achieving, and that you are highlymotivated to achieve. The human brain has evolved to solve challenges suchas hunting, finding new territory and surviving in inhospitable climates.Having motivating challenges results in a happy and fulfilling life, whilea lack of such factors can lead to depression, fatigue and ill health.
A number of years ago after suffering from suicidal depression, anxietyand chronic illness (CFS/ME), I eventually came to a point where I wasforced to change my lifestyle. Partly by sheer luck, and partly thoughobserving how my lifestyle affected my mental and physical health, Ieventually came to the realisation that having positive goals andmotivation were crucial to maintaining my health, and that a lack of thesefactors lead back down the path of physical and mental deterioration.
In the past few years I have lived my entire life as one long "flow"experience - everything I do is now part of an overall plan for my life,and every day I am working towards short- and long-term goals that I amhighly motivated in. Over the last few years I have completely recoveredfrom CFS/ME and have not suffered from depression, and this is purely downto my change in lifestyle and mental attitude - what Csikszentmihalyidescribes as "flow".
After coming across Csikszentmihalyi's work a few weeks ago, I realisedthat his "flow" concept is exactly the same as the mental attitude andlifestyle factors that have helped me go from chronic ill health anddepression to perfect physical and mental health and living a happy andfulfilling life. If I had read this book 5 years ago, it would have savedme a lot of trouble!
The only minor criticism of the book is it doesn't have any index, butthis doesn't detract much from a very important book that deserves a lotmore recognition."
~ Written on 2004-04-28