Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life

MIHALY

C S I I( S ZEN T M I HAL Y I AULhor of FLOW and CREATIVITY

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HOW do we spend our days? \Vhal gives us pICHStll'C? Ilow do we feel when we cat, watch

TV,

h avc sex,

wO I'k, drive, socialize with fl'iends? !lased on a f:lr-I'e3ching s tudy of thousands of' indi­ viduals, j;i"llding FloB" contends Ihal we of'lcn walk through OUT clays unawal'C and out of'touch wit.h 01.11' emo t.iona l livcs. As a result of this constantly b ouncing bct-..\'cCIl two exll'clncs: clul'illg much of tlrc day we live inulldated by It,e anxiety and p,'esslII'Cs of' OUI' work and obligations, ments, we tend to live in passive bOI'Cclom. ParI psychological sludy alld pali. sel f - help book, Finding Flow is a pre scri p

­

tive gui de that hel ps us reclaim ownc l 'Sh j p of our lives. l'he key, aco l'ding

10 Csi� ......entmi ­

halyi, is to c haJl eng c oUl'selves wilh tnsks that 1'C(luire a high deg ree or skiU alld eonunit­ ment. Ins t ead of watching televisioll, play the

pial l o; lrallsfonn a roulillc task with a

diflc/,clll. approach, In shorl., le/een the symbols on which they are operating in their minds-watts and ohms, notes and beats, the buying and selling prices of stocks. By now it is probably apparent that emotions, intentions, and thoughts do not pass through consciousness as separate strands of experience, but that they are constantly intercon­ nected, and modify each other as they go along. A young man falls in love with a girl, and experiences all the typical emotions that love implies. He intends to win her heart, and begins to think of how to reach this goal. He figures that get­ ting himself a snazzy new car will win the girl's attention. So now the goal of earning money to buy a new car becomes embedded in the goal of wooing-but having to work more may interfere with going fishing and produce negative emo­ tions, which generate new thoughts, which in hlrn may bring the boy's goals in line with his emotions . . . the stream of ex­ perience always carries many such bits of information con­ currently. To pursue mental operations to any depth, a person has to learn to concentrate attention. \Vithout focus, consciousness is in a state of chaos. 'rhe normal condition of the mind is one of informational disorder: random thoughts· chase one another instead of lining up ill logical causal sequences. Un­ less one learns to concentrate, and is able to invest the effort, thoughts will scaner without reaching any conclusion. Even

THI CONTI NT 0' IXPlallNU

27

daydreaming-that is, the linking together of pleasant im­ ages to create some sort of mental motion picrure-requires the ability to concentrate, and apparently many children never learn to comrol their attention sufficiently to be able to daydream. Concentration requires more effort when it goes against the grain of emotions and motivations. A student who hates math will have a hard time focusing attention on a calculus textbook long enough to absorb the information it contains, and it will take strong incentives (sllch as wanting to pass the course) for him to do so. Usually the more difficult a mental task, the harder it is to concentrate on it. But when a person likes what he does and is motivated to do it, focusing the mind becomes effortless even when the objective difficulties are great. Generally, when the issue of thinking comes up, most peo­ ple assume it must h,we to do with intelligence. They are in­ terested in individual differences in thinking, such as: "VYhat's my IQ?" or: "He is a genius at math." Intelligence refers to a variety of mental processes; for instance, how eas­ ily one can represent and manipulate quantities in the mind, or how sensitive one is to infonnation indexed in words. But as Howard Gardner has shown, it is possible to extend the concept of intelligence to include the ability to differentiate and to use all kinds of information, including muscle sensa­ tions, sounds, feelings, and visual shapes. Some children are horn with an above-average sensiti\riry to sound. They can discriminate tones and pitches better than others, and as they grow up they learn to recognize notes and produce har­ monies more easily than their peers. Similarly small advan­ tages at the beginning of life can develop into large differences in visual, athletic, or mathematical abilities. But innate talents cannot develop into a Illature intelli­ gence unless a person learns to control attention. Only through extensive investments of psychic energy can a child with musical gifts turn into a musician, or a mathematically

28

'HI CONnN' OF IXnAllNCI

FINDING FLOW

29

gifted child into an engineer or physicist. It takes much ef­

shrouded trees running by. There is no room in your aware­

fort to absorb the knowledge and the skills that are needed

ness for conflicts or contradictions; you know that a distract­

to do the mental operations an adult professional is sup­

ing thought or emotion might get you buried facedown in

posed ro perform. Mozart was a prodigy and a genius, bur if

the snow. And who want."

his father hadn't forced him to practice as soon as he was out

perfect that all you want is for it to last forever, to immerse

of diapers, it is doubtful his talent would h;we blossomed as

yourself completely in the experience.

it did. By learning to concentrate, a person acquires control

to

get distracted? The run is so

If skiing does not mean much to you, substitute your fa­

over psychic energy, the basic fuel upon which all thinking

vorite activity for this vignette. It could be singing in a choir,

depends.

programming a computer, dancing, playing bridge, reading a good book. Or if you lovt: your job, as many pt:oplt: do, it

In everyday life, it is rare for the different contents of experi­

could be wht:n you arc gt:tting immersed in a complicated

ence

surgical operation or a close business deal. Or this complete

to

be in synchrony with each other. At work my anen­

cion might be focused, because the boss gave me a job

to

do

immcrsion in the activity may occur in a social interaction, as

that requires intense thinking. But this particular job is not

when good friends talk with each other, or when a mother

one I ordinarily would want to do, so 1 am not very moti­

plays with her baby. \\'hat is common

vated intrinsically. At the same time, I am d.istracted by fcel­

that consciousness is full of experiences, and these experi­

ings of anxiety about my teenage son's erratic behavior. So

ences are in harmony with each other. Contrary to what hap­

while pan of my mind is concentrated on the t.lsk, J am not

pens all too often in everyday life, in moments such as these

completely involved iJl it. Tt is not that my Illind is in total

what we feel, what we wish, and what we think are in har­

chaos, but there is quite a bit of enrropy in my conscious­

mony.

ness-thoughts, emotions, and intentions come into fOCllS and

then

disappear,

producing

contrary

impulses,

and

pulling my attention in different directions. Or, to consider another example, but

1

1

may enjoy a drink with friends aftcr work,

feci b'lJilty about not going home to clle family and mad

at myself for wasting time and money.

to

such moments is

These exceptional moments arc what 1 have called

]lenv ex­

periences. The metaphor of "flow" is one that many people have used

to

describe the sense of effortless action they feel

in moments that stand out as the best in their lives. Athletes refer to it as "being in the zone," religious mystics as being in "ecstasy," artists and musicians as aesthetic rapture. Acll!ctes,

Neither of thesc scenarios is particularly unusual. Every­

mystics, and artists do very different things when they reach

day life is full of cllcm: rarely do we fcd the serenity that

now, yet their descriptions of the experience arc remarkably

comes when heart, will, :md mind are on the same page.

similar.

intentions, and thoughts jostle each

Flow tends to occur when a person faces a clear set of

other in consciousness, and we are helpless to keep cllcm in

goals that require appropriate responses. It is easy to enter

line.

flow in games such as chess, tcnnis, or poker, because cllCY

Conflicting desires,

But now let LIS consider some alternatives. Imagine, for in­

havc goals and rules for action that make it possible for the

stance, that you ,l re skiing down a slope and your full atten­

player to act without questioning what should be done, and

tion is focused on the movements of the body, the position of

how. For the duration of the game the player livt:s in

the skis, the air whistling past your face, and thc snow-

contained universe wherc everything is black and white. The

�

self­

30

fiNDING 'LOW

THI CONTI NT 0' IX'IIIINCI

same clarity of goals is present if you perform a religiolls rit­ ual, play a musical piece, wcave a rug, write a computer pro­ gram, climb a mountain, or perfonn surgery. Activities that induce flow could be called "flow activities" because they make it morc likely for the experience to occur. In contrast to nonnal life, flow activities allow a person to focus on goals

31

Figure 1 The quality of experience as a function of the relatiollshill between challenges and skills. 0lltimal experience, or flow, occurs when both variables are high,

I ligh

that 3rc dear and compatible. Another characteristic of flow activities is that they pro­ vide immediate feedback. They make it clear how well you

Anxiety

are doing. After each IllQ\'C of a game you can tell whether you have improved your position or not. With each step, the climber knows that he has inched higher. After each bar of a

Worry

song you can hear whether the notes you sang matched the

Control

score. The weaver can se� whether the last !'Ow of stitches fits the pattern of the tapestry as it should. The surgeon can see as she cuts whether the knife has avoided cutting any arteries,

Apathy

or whether there is sudden bleeding. On the job or at home

Relaxation

we might go for long periods without a clue as to how we stand, while in flow we can usually tell. Flow tl!nds

to

occur when a person's skills arc fuUy in­

volved in overcoming a challenge that is just about manage­ able. Optimal experiences usually involve a fine balance

Low

SKILLS

betwel!n one's ability to act, and the available oppornlllities for action (see figure . ) . If challenges are too high on� gets frustrated, then worried, and evemually anxious. If chal­ lenges are toO low relative to one's skills one gets relaxed, then bored. I f both challenges and skills are perceived

to

be

low, one gets to fecI apathetic. But when high challenges :ll'e matched with high skills, then the deep involvement that sets flow apart from ordinary life is likely to occur. 'fhe climber will feel it when the mount,lin dCIll:lnds all his strength, the singer when the song demands the full range of her vocal ability, the weaver whell the design of the tapestlY is more complex than anything attempted before, and the surgeon when the operation involves new procedures or requires an unexpected variation. A typical day is full of anxiety and

boredom. Flow experiences provide the flashes of intense liv­ ing against this dull background. "''hen goals are clear, feedback relevant, and challenges ilnd skills arc in balance, attention becomes ordered and fldly in­ vcsted. Because of the total dcmand on psychic energy, a per­ son in flow is completely focused. There is no space in consciousness for distracting thoughts, irrelevant feelings. Self-consciousness disappears, yet one feels stronger than usual. The sense of time is distorted: hours seem

to

pass by in

minutes. ""hen a person's entire being is stretched in the full

32

fiNDING 'LOW

TMI CONTlNT 0' IXPIIIINCI

33

functioning of body and mind, whatever one docs becomes

portant Stines for learning. The othcr conditions are less fa­

worth doing for its own sake; living becomes its own justifi­

vorable. \¥hen a person is am:.ious or worried, for example,

cation. In the harmoniolls focusing of physical and psychic

the step to flow often seems too fur, and one retreatS to a less

energy. life finally comes into its own.

challenging simation instead of trying to cope.

It is the full involvclllCIll of flow, rather than happiness,

Thus the flow experience acts as a magnet for learning­

that makes for excellence in life. \I\'hen we are in flow, we are

th:tt is, for developing new levels of challenges and skills. In

nOt happy, because to experience happiness we must focus on

an ideal simation, a person would be constantly growing

our inner states, and that would takc away attention from the

while enjoying whatever he or she did. Alas, we know this is

task at hand. If a rock climber takes time out

feel happy

not the case. Usually we feel roo hored and apathetic to move

while negotiating a difficult move, he might fall to the bot­

into the flow zone, so we prefer to fill our mind with ready­

to

tom of the mountain. The surgeon can't afford to feel happy

made, prepackaged stimulation off the video shelf or some

during a demanding operation, or a musician while playing a

other kind of professional entertainmcnt. Or we feel too

challenging score. Only after the task is completed do wt:

overwhelmed

to

imagine we could dcvelop the appropriate

have the leisure to look back on what has happened, and then

skills, so we prefer (Q descend into the apathy engendered hy

we are flooded with gnltirude for the excellence of that expe­

artificial relaxants like drugs or alcohol. It takes energy to

rience-then, in retrospect, we are happy. But one can be

achieve optimal experiences, and all too often wc arc unable,

happy without experiencing flow. We can be happy experi­

or unwilling, to put out the initial effort.

encing the passive pleasure of a rested body, a warm sun­

How often do people experience flow? That depends on

shine, the contentlnent of a serene relationship. These are

whether we are willing to count even mild approximations of

also moments to treasure, bm this kind of happiness is very

the ideal condition as instances of flow. For example, i f one

vulnerable and dependent on favorable external circum­

asks a sample of typical Americans: " D o you ever get in­

stances. The happiness that follows flow is of our own mak­

volved in something so deeply that nothing else seems to

ing, and it leads

matter, :lIld you lose track of time?" roughly one in five will

to

increasing complexity and growth in

consciousness.

say that yes, this happens to thcm often, as much as several

The graph in figure I can also he read to indicate why flow leads to personal growth. Suppose a person is in the area marked "Arousal" on the graph. This is not a had condition

times a day; whereas about 1 5 percent will say that no, this never happens to them. These frequencies seem to be quite stable and universal. For instance, in a recent survey of a rep­

to he in; in arousal a person feels mentally focused, active,

resentative sample of 6,469 Germans the same question was

and involved-bur not very strong, cheerful, or i n control.

answered in the following way: Often, 2 3 percent; Some­

How can one return

to

the more enjoyable flow state? The

answer is obvious: by learning new skills. Or let us look at the

times, 40 percent; Rarely, 2 5 percent; Never or Don't Know, 1 2 pcrccnt. Of course if onc werc to coum only

the most in­

area bbclt:d "Control. " This is also a positive state of experi­

tense and exalted flow c.\:periences, then their frequency

ence, wherc one feels happy, strong, satisfied. But one tends

would be mueh more r;lre.

to lack concentration, involvement, and a feeling that what

Flow is generally reported when a person is doing his or

one does is important. So how does'one get back to flow? By

her fa\'orite activity-gardening, lislening to Illusic, howling,

increasing challenges. Thus arousal and control are very im-

cooking a good meal. It also occurs when driving, when talk-

34

fiNDING FLOW

friends, and surprisingly often at work. Very rarely do people report flow in passive leisure activities, such as watch­ n ing television or relaxing. But hecause almost any activity . t, It IS produce flow provided the relevant elements are presen that possihle [0 improve the quality of life by making sure op­ dear goals, immediate feedback, skills balanced to action ing

to

�

-:::: T H R E E

are as portunities, and the remaining conditions of flow much as possible a conStant part of everyday life.

How We Feel When Doing Different Things

The quality of Ijfe depends on what we do in the seventy or so years we are allotted, and on what passes in consciousness during that time. Different activities typically affect the quality of experience in rather predictable ways. If all through life we only do depressing things, it is unlikely that we will end up having lived a very happy life. Usually each activity has both positive and negative qualities. \\fhen we cat, for instance, we tend to feci more positive affect than usual; a graph of a person's level of happiness during the day resembles the profile of the Golden Gate Bridge across San Francisco Bay, with the high points corresponding to meal­ times. At the same time, mental concentration tends to be rather low when a person eats, and one rarely experiences flow. The psycholo

gical

effects of activities are nOt linear, hut

depend on their systemic relation to everything else we do.

36

FINDING flOW

For inst:mce, even though food is " source of good moods, we cannot achieve happiness by eating around the clock. Meals raise the level of h:tppiness, but only when we spend around 5 percent of our waking time eating; i f we spent 1 00 percent o f the day eating, food would quickly cease to be re­

"

o

�

+

1

0

0

+

t

+

+

0

,

warding. "rhe same is true of Illost of the other good things III life: sex, relaxation, television warching, in small doses, tend to improve the quali ty of daily life considerably, hur the effects arc not additive; a point of diminishing returns

IS

quickly re:lchcd. A vcry condensed vicw of how people typically experience the various components of their daily life is presented table

2.

111

As we see, when adult0

J 45

Architect Other

J

Source: Ad�ptcd from Bidlenter is an exam­

ple of the kind of creative readjustment that some people arc

20 '0 o

-t--'--Grandp3rcnts

Parents

Children

Soun:;e: Ad3jlU:d from Delle fllIe lind ,\iassimini 1988.

C

\Vork

•

L'�,,,c 1-_

74

fiNDING 'LOW

THI IISKS AND OPPOITUNITIIS 0' LlISURI

The oldest generation reported the most frequent flow expe­

riences, and the majority of them involved work: cutting hay in the meadows, fixing the bam, baking bread, milking cows,

tence? Or is it possible to reinvent

a

75

li festy le th:lt combines

these traits within continuing evolution.l ry change? To make the best use of free time, one needs

to

devote as

worki ng in the garden. The middle generation-which in­

much ingenuity and attention to it as one would to one's job.

cluded those between forty and sixty years old-reported equal

Active leisure that helps a person grow does nor come easy.

am ounts of flow from work and from leisure activities, such as

In the past l eisure was j ustified b�cause it gave people an op­

watching movies, going on vacations, reading books, or skiing.

portunity to experiment and to develop skills. tn fact, before

The grandchildren in the youngest generation showed a pat­

sc.ience and the arts became prof essional ized, a great deal of

tern opposite to that of their grandparents: they reported the

scientific research, poetry, painting, and musica l composition

fewest occurrences of (Jow, and most of it came from leisure.

was carried out in a perso n's free time.

Gregory

Mendel did

Dancing, motOrcycle racing, and watching TV were some of

his famous genetic experiments as a hobby;

the most frequent avenues of enjoyment. (Figure

does not

Franklin was led by interest, not a job description , to grind

show how much flow each group reported; it only shows the

lenses and experiment with lightn i ng rods; Emily Dickinson

percentage of flow that was reported in either work or lei sure.)

wrote her superb poetry to create order in her own l i fe.

Nor all of the generational differences in Pom Trentaz are

Nowadays on ly experts arc supposed to be interested in such

due to soci al change. Some of it is a feature of nonnal devel­

issues; amateurs arc derided for venwring into fields resenred

opmental patterns that every generation passes through:

for the specialist. But amateurs-those who do som ething

young people arc always more depen dent f or en joyment on

because they love to do it-add en joyme nt an d interest

artificial risk and stimulation. But it is almost certain that

their own life, and to everybody else 's.

these normal differences are magnified in communities un ­ dergoi ng social and economic transition. I.n such cases the

It is not just extraordi nary individuals who arc able to make creative use of leisure_ AJI folk art-the songs, the fab­

older generations still find a meaningful chal lengc in tradi­

rics, the pottery and carvings that give each culture its partic­

tional productive tasks, whereas their children and grandchil­

ular identity and renown-is the result of cOlllmon people

dren, increasingly bored by what they see as irrelevant chores,

striving to express their best skill in the time left free from

1

Benjamin

to

to entertainment as a way of avoiding psychi c entropy.

work and maintenance chores. I t is difficult to imagine how

In the United States, traditional communities like the

dull the world would be if our ancestors had used free time

keep work and

simply for passivc entertainment, instead of findi ng in it an

rum

Amish and the Mennonites have been able

to

flow from getti ng sepaTllted . hI the everyday routines of their

opportunity ro explore beauty an d knowl edge.

farmi ng life, it is difficult to know when work stops and

Currently about 7 percent of all the nonrenewable energy

leisure btgins. Most "frtc time" activities, such as weaving,

we use-e lectrici ty, gasoline , paper, an d metal products-is

carpentry, singing, or reading are useful and productive ei­

bein g used primarily for lei su re. Con structi ng and watering

ther in a Ill'lterial, social, or spiritual

golf courses, pri nti ng ll1