Flow The Psychology Of Optimal Experience Summary

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a text that persuades the readers that the “control of mind” is the best way to achieve happiness. Csikszentmihalyi created the psychological concept of flow. Csikszentmihalyi uses his book to best explain his concept to the common people and the best way to achieve it. He uses many examples and explains how to achieve flow and why it is the key to happiness. Csikszentmihalyi states that the concept of flow is useful in professions like sociologist, psychologist and even anthropologist, but it isn’t just an academic concept. Csikszentmihalyi makes a powerful argument that people are the happiest in the state of flow and that control of it is possible. On pages 5-7 the author explains how each chapter is important to understand flow. Csikszentmihalyi says that chapter 2 is how consciousness works, and how managing flow is practical. Chapter 3 is order of consciousness, chapter 4 is the conditions of the flow
5) The Paradox of Control- The idea that the person doesn’t ever feel like they are going to lose control of what they are doing.
6) The Loss of Self Consciousness- Person temporarily forget who they are in the moment. “loss of consciousness of the self (pg64).
7) The Transformation of Time- Person doesn’t notice the change in time because of the complete involvement that the state of “flow”
When the author finishes explaining these steps it becomes clear that the next chapters will connect to this. The author then explains the only way these elements of flow will work is if the challenge and the skills meet at a specific point. He uses a graph to explain if one thing is higher than the other, than flow will not be achievable. He explains that as the challenge seems to increase in difficulty than the skills level should increase to ensure the stat of