Flow: Quotes
The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Book by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi
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Summary
Flow reveals the secrets of optimal experience and shows how to transform even the most mundane moments into a source of enjoyment, creativity and meaning by learning to control consciousness itself.
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These are the best quotes from Flow by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. If you want to read a full summary of this book for free, click here.
Learn To Control What Happens In Consciousness Moment By Moment
"The function of consciousness is to represent information about what is happening outside and inside the organism in such a way that it can be evaluated and acted upon by the body. In this sense, it functions as a clearinghouse for sensations, perceptions, feelings, and ideas, establishing priorities among all the diverse information. Without consciousness we would still "know" what is going on, but we would have to react to it in a reflexive, instinctive way. With consciousness, we can deliberately weigh what the senses tell us, and respond accordingly."
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
The Autotelic Experience
"What makes an activity conducive to flow is that it is an end in itself. Even if initially undertaken for other reasons, the activity that consumes us becomes intrinsically rewarding. Surgeons speak of their work: "It is so enjoyable that I would do it even if I didn't have to." Sailors say: "I am spending a lot of money and time on this boat, but it is worth it—nothing quite compares with the feeling I get when I am out sailing.""
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Control What Happens in Consciousness
"Unless one learns to control what happens in consciousness, one is at the mercy of the environment. A person who never gets to be alone, who is not comfortable spending even an hour in solitary reflection, tends to become dependent on the presence of others and feels at a loss when left alone with nothing specific to do. After a while, if one cannot tolerate even a few minutes without some external input, one becomes a slave to the stimuli of the environment. At that point, one is no longer in control of the mind—in fact, by identifying attention with what happens to be in the environment, one assumes the environment's random shape."
Section: 1, Chapter: 8
The Meaning Of Life Is Meaning
"People who find their lives meaningful usually have a goal that is challenging enough to take up all their energies, a goal that can give significance to their lives. We may refer to this process as achieving purpose...Devoting oneself to a cause greater than oneself is among the most noble traits of a life well-lived."
Section: 1, Chapter: 10
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