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Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

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Understanding flow and everyday experience

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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

Understanding flow and everyday experience

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s book examines “flow,” a state of deep involvement that he associates with enjoyment and creativity. It connects this idea to how people direct attention and make sense of experience, then considers ways to bring flow into ordinary activities. Topics include the difference between pleasure and enjoyment, the organization of work, and finding meaning in the process of an activity rather than only in its rewards. The book presents flow as a subject of psychological investigation and as a framework for thinking about consciousness, purpose, and the quality of daily life.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Adults interested in psychology and the study of consciousness
  • Readers exploring how attention and involvement relate to enjoyment
  • Those interested in applying the concept of flow to work and daily activities

Themes

Flow and optimal experienceConsciousness and attentionEnjoyment and quality of lifeWork and intrinsic purpose

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"Csikszentmihalyi arrives at an insight that many of us can intuitively grasp, despite our insistent (and culturally supported) denial of this truth. That is, it is not what happens to us that determines our happiness, but the manner in which we make sense of that reality. . . . The manner in which Csikszentmihalyi integrates research on consciousness, personal psychology and spirituality is illuminating." --Los Angeles Times Book Review

The bestselling classic that holds the key to unlocking meaning, creativity, peak performance, and true happiness.

Legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. In this new edition of his groundbreaking classic work on personal growth, Csikszentmihalyi ("the leading researcher into 'flow states'" --Newsweek) demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience teaches how, by ordering the information that enters our consciousness, we can discover true happiness, learn to control consciousness, unlock our potential, and greatly improve the quality of our lives.

In this landmark work on the psychology of optimal experience, you will learn how to transform your life:

  • A State of Consciousness Called Flow: Discover flow, the state of total involvement where you experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and lose track of time.
  • Enjoyment and the Quality of Life: Learn how to go beyond simple pleasure to find true enjoyment by ordering the information that enters your consciousness.
  • Work as Flow: Transform your daily work into a more rewarding and enjoyable activity by structuring it to produce optimal experiences.
  • The Autotelic Experience: Find purpose and meaning not in external rewards, but in the process of living itself, turning any activity into an end in itself.
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