Flow - (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"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.

From the Back Cover

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, Csikszentmihalyi 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 and greatly improve the quality of our lives.

Review Quotes

"An intriguing look at the age-old problem of human happiness." - Library Journal

"Documents a set of scientific discoveries about human nature that actually illuminates the life experiences of all persons." - Howard Gardner, author of Frames of Mind

"Rethinks what motivates people." - Newsweek

"Flow is important....The way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful challenge." - New York Times Book Review

"[A] passionate and eloquent defense...[of] intellectual as well as emotional commitment to pleasure, for society's sake as well as our own." - Booklist

"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. . . . a deep cultural critique . . . the manner in which Csikszentmihalyi integrates research on consciousness, personal psychology and spirituality is illuminating." - Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Explore[s] a happy state of mind called flow, the feeling of complete engagement in a creative or playful activity" - Time magazine

"The insightful analyst Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi argues that the key to gratification is completely absorbing work--he calls it 'flow.'" - Salon.com