Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

by Mihaly CsikszenthmihalylThis book first came out in 1990 by Psychologist Mihaly; viewed as one of the founding fathers of the positive psychology movement, he is also the former head of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago and is the Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management at Claremont Graduate University. According to Mihaly, "flow" is the way people describe their state of mind when consciousness is harmoniously ordered, and they want to pursue whatever they are doing for its own sake. It is about achieving happiness through control over one's inner life and this book takes you on a voyage of exploring how to achieve that. He believes some of the most enjoyable times in people's lives come from when they are so focused on the task at hand that they momentarily forget everything else.  This is something I have experienced many times as an athlete, a facilitator, and a coach; and, I wish I could feel this way more often.  I can still remember a tennis match from over 30 years ago I won, in a hard-fought three-set battle because I  didn't worry about winning or losing.  If you are looking to enjoy your work, hobbies, or life in general, this book will teach you how to free yourself to reap the rewards of being present in each moment for the ideal experience.