In his autobiography, Bill Gates recalls experiences of complete immersion and focus in coding, which aligns with psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's flow concept. Csikszentmihalyi's interest in psychology began from witnessing the aftermath of World War II, leading him to explore activities that offer intrinsic rewards. He defined flow as an optimal state where one is fully engaged, creating joy irrespective of external factors. Initially termed 'autotelic,' the concept evolved as subjects described their fulfilling states as flow, highlighting the need for deeper understanding of human happiness and contentment outside traditional rewards.
"Unconstrained by cost or time, I'd fall into a zone of total focus," Bill Gates reminisces in his autobiography, capturing the essence of flow.
Csikszentmihalyi described flow as 'an optimal experience' where immersion in activity renders everything else insignificant, revealing profound insights into happiness.
Csikszentmihalyi's reflections on war's impact as a child led to his focus on intrinsic rewards in psychology, paving the way to understanding flow.
Initially called autotelic, the term flow emerged as Csikszentmihalyi noticed subjects describing their joyful, purpose-driven states, emphasizing satisfaction beyond external rewards.
Collection
[
|
...
]