FLOW by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Harper Collins, 1991)
This is not a self-help book but readers should gain some modicum of enlightenment from a study of the psychology of optimal experience.
In layman’s terms the Hungarian psychologist (who works in California) sets out to discover what makes humans feel happy and fulfilled. A definite plus from his findings is that this a life skill that can be enjoyed by anyone since “money, power, status and possessions do not, by themselves, necessarily add one iota to the quality of life”.
Anecdotal evidence to substantiate this is provided by surgeons, musicians or chess players but the theory is deemed to be equally applicable to all walks of life including plumbers or mechanics. More than once I was reminded of Pirsig’s Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which covers similar territory in more poetic terms. Continue reading
