Download (Download PDF) Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience PDF
2018
Title | (Download PDF) Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience |
---|---|
Authors | Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi |
Genres | Psychology Books Self, Ego, Identity, Personality Assertiveness, Motivation & Self-esteem |
Publisher | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |
ISBN | 9781717428516 |
More than anything else, this book is an exploration of happiness. What makes us happy? How can we live a fulfilling life? These are no simple questions to ask, but author Csikszentmihalyi makes a compelling and clear argument as to how happiness can be obtained (in passing, he even gives simple explanations for consciousness and the meaning of life!).In doing so, the author touches on a lot of principles from ancient philosophies and religions, such as Stoicism and Buddhism. Yet the approach for a happy life set out in Flow is based upon scientific research, as opposed to rules and guidelines obtained from ancient wisdom. Not that there's anything wrong with ancient wisdom, but it's all the more impressive to see modern guidelines to happiness based on scientific research.So what does it come down to? On the one hand, happiness is not a destination where you arrive, but a condition that needs to be cultivated. It's affected by the information we let into our thoughts and the way we seek happiness. Csikszentmihalyi makes a clear distinction between pleasure seeking and enjoyment, where pleasure is externally focused and hence a temporary fix for happiness, while true enjoyment comes from within and is sustainable.On the other hand, it depends on how we engage in activities, and this is where flow enters the scene: the research shows surprisingly few moments of happiness occur when we're idle. While engaged in work, in creating something, in pursuit of some kind of goal, stretching our abilities to their limits, those are the moments when most of us experience true happiness. This is when we're in a state of flow.Paradoxically, this means we often feel happier when working than when engaged in what most people consider leisure time: watching TV, getting drunk, lying on a beach for a week. Flow provides a solution: when the principles are understood, many activities can be turned into rewarding experiences that contribute to our happiness, and who would say no to that?
More Books You May Like
Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #6)
It is Winter Carnival in Quebec City, bitterly cold and surpassingly beautiful. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache has come ...
Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
In the fifth of his bestselling series Ben Aaronovitch takes Peter Grant out of whatever comfort zone he might have foun...
Party of Two (The Wedding Date #5)
A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking in this New York Time...
Grant by Ron Chernow
The #1 New York Times bestseller and New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 2017“Eminently readable but thick w...
The Quick Roasting Tin
Perfect for busy lives. One of my best investments - thank you Rukmini! -- Judy Murray [With] their simple approach and ...