Let’s Talk About Flow

Published On: March 1, 2024

Genuine, lasting happiness is an internal state of being. Finding it outside oneself is a fool’s errand (and, unfortunately, what a majority of humans practice).

This was the verdict of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, whose observations of people’s struggles during and after World War II led him to a lifelong study of what, exactly, happiness is and how people can find it.

Why, he wondered, did so many post-war Europeans fail to recover from the loss of family, work, and possessions, while a smaller number not only recovered but thrived?

A psychologist by trade, Csikszentmihalyi would become one of the early architects of the positive psychology movement which, among other things, maintains that as an internal state of being, happiness comes through determined personal effort.

“Happiness is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

In other words, nobody – not your employer, government, doctor, family, friend or even spiritual mentor – is going to deliver happiness to your doorstep. You must arrive at that state on your own. And when you do, said Csikszentmihalyi, you’ll likely find yourself in a state of flow that can forever change your life.

Discovering Flow

Picture a child. From the start she is programmed to expect all of her sources of happiness to originate outside herself. From sustenance, toys, and academic grades as a child to paychecks, promotions, and even life’s meaning as an adult, we are groomed to look outside ourselves for life’s good stuff.

To the discerning mind, it becomes obvious that these external rewards are temporary at best. We struggle to secure the toy, the job, the companionship. Or, we lose them. Or, they grow stale and we set out to replace them.

In other words, these sources of happiness become sources of unhappiness. This was one of Csikszentmihalyi’s critical post-war observations.

So where does a more lasting happiness originate?

“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times…. The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Csikszentmihalyi’s research led him to creative types who, despite little to no assurance of material compensation, fame, or success, nevertheless found immense pleasure and meaning in their work.

The more he studied artists, musicians, and others fully immersed in their efforts, the more he realized something remarkable was taking place: a genuine sense of happiness was arising from within these individuals.

Because so many of these individuals described their efforts as essentially flowing out of them, Csikszentmihalyi characterized this inner state as one of flow.

Flow, he wrote, is “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”

How to Find Your Flow

In recent years, neuroscientists have discovered that the flow state releases hormones that appear to shut down the prefrontal cortex (where the sense of self and time exist) while stimulating the neocortex (learning center). This helps to explain why people in a state of flow lose awareness of themselves and time, but seem to explode in creativity and productivity.

It should be noted that while Csikszentmihalyi’s early studies focused on creative types, flow can be found in any number of interruption-free modes of concentration. Reading a good book, being engrossed in a hobby, or engaging in meditation are examples of flow-state activities.

“Flow helps to integrate the self because in that state of deep concentration consciousness is unusually well ordered. Thoughts, intentions, feelings, and all the senses are focused on the same goal. Experience is in harmony.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

So how does someone find a state of flow? Csikszentmihalyi said there are three key ingredients.

First, we must eliminate any sources of potential interruption, a very tall order in this day of multiple communication devices.

Second, choose a challenge or goal appropriate to your skills. If the goal is too big, we risk making the effort a source of anxiety and stress. Too simple, however, and boredom kicks in (and we go looking for the smartphone we silenced at the start of the effort).

Third, we need some form of immediate feedback to help us ascertain whether we are making progress on our goal. Even in meditation, for example, there may be a growing sense of peace or calm, clarity or focus.

The bottom line: ANY brain, including yours, is fully capable of experiencing flow. And what you’ll discover, as others have, is that not only does flow become addictive, your life will improve with it in terms of focus, clarity, peace, creativity, productivity and more. Much more.

May the flow be with you!

 

Subscribe
SUBMIT

Share this article

Let’s Talk About Flow

Published On: March 1, 2024

Genuine, lasting happiness is an internal state of being. Finding it outside oneself is a fool’s errand (and, unfortunately, what a majority of humans practice).

This was the verdict of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, whose observations of people’s struggles during and after World War II led him to a lifelong study of what, exactly, happiness is and how people can find it.

Why, he wondered, did so many post-war Europeans fail to recover from the loss of family, work, and possessions, while a smaller number not only recovered but thrived?

A psychologist by trade, Csikszentmihalyi would become one of the early architects of the positive psychology movement which, among other things, maintains that as an internal state of being, happiness comes through determined personal effort.

“Happiness is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

In other words, nobody – not your employer, government, doctor, family, friend or even spiritual mentor – is going to deliver happiness to your doorstep. You must arrive at that state on your own. And when you do, said Csikszentmihalyi, you’ll likely find yourself in a state of flow that can forever change your life.

Discovering Flow

Picture a child. From the start she is programmed to expect all of her sources of happiness to originate outside herself. From sustenance, toys, and academic grades as a child to paychecks, promotions, and even life’s meaning as an adult, we are groomed to look outside ourselves for life’s good stuff.

To the discerning mind, it becomes obvious that these external rewards are temporary at best. We struggle to secure the toy, the job, the companionship. Or, we lose them. Or, they grow stale and we set out to replace them.

In other words, these sources of happiness become sources of unhappiness. This was one of Csikszentmihalyi’s critical post-war observations.

So where does a more lasting happiness originate?

“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times…. The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Csikszentmihalyi’s research led him to creative types who, despite little to no assurance of material compensation, fame, or success, nevertheless found immense pleasure and meaning in their work.

The more he studied artists, musicians, and others fully immersed in their efforts, the more he realized something remarkable was taking place: a genuine sense of happiness was arising from within these individuals.

Because so many of these individuals described their efforts as essentially flowing out of them, Csikszentmihalyi characterized this inner state as one of flow.

Flow, he wrote, is “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”

How to Find Your Flow

In recent years, neuroscientists have discovered that the flow state releases hormones that appear to shut down the prefrontal cortex (where the sense of self and time exist) while stimulating the neocortex (learning center). This helps to explain why people in a state of flow lose awareness of themselves and time, but seem to explode in creativity and productivity.

It should be noted that while Csikszentmihalyi’s early studies focused on creative types, flow can be found in any number of interruption-free modes of concentration. Reading a good book, being engrossed in a hobby, or engaging in meditation are examples of flow-state activities.

“Flow helps to integrate the self because in that state of deep concentration consciousness is unusually well ordered. Thoughts, intentions, feelings, and all the senses are focused on the same goal. Experience is in harmony.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

So how does someone find a state of flow? Csikszentmihalyi said there are three key ingredients.

First, we must eliminate any sources of potential interruption, a very tall order in this day of multiple communication devices.

Second, choose a challenge or goal appropriate to your skills. If the goal is too big, we risk making the effort a source of anxiety and stress. Too simple, however, and boredom kicks in (and we go looking for the smartphone we silenced at the start of the effort).

Third, we need some form of immediate feedback to help us ascertain whether we are making progress on our goal. Even in meditation, for example, there may be a growing sense of peace or calm, clarity or focus.

The bottom line: ANY brain, including yours, is fully capable of experiencing flow. And what you’ll discover, as others have, is that not only does flow become addictive, your life will improve with it in terms of focus, clarity, peace, creativity, productivity and more. Much more.

May the flow be with you!