Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Finding Flow the Psycho

7/28/2019 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Finding Flow the Psycho

1/97

MIHALY

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2/97

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HOW do we spndu

days? \Vhalgivs s pICHSt'C? Iow o w f w a, wah TV avc sx,wk, , ind? !asd ona f:lr-I'3ching sudy o toud o id-va j;i"dng FloB cd ha wo

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pass Co.ParI psyhologial sdy d .fhe ok, ow i a restve gud t s s lam owncj oour ' k aoig 10 nth, t a JegoUes wh tnsks ha1(lui

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3/97

Te MeMd ee:

Ths concs a accssbl book snt uting-edgedas ladg hnkrs n a hgh l aable rma eachtl a crtallizaon of a fm's wor and hog

Oe book e MeMd ee ude:

A God T Fur f igin b DO

d Minby HOWAR GARNE

Mc1 Bu: Enc and H f Cptnb DAVI GELRNTE

Fuue ouo de:

SUR BA

[[ MAXOHN SERLSRRY KE

e o BBoo See e ee:

"hs is good ublising PS hart out.K Riws

md at bsy nonmathmaca radr i cs srsvics sold qualy contro and bgns under hgh Voaausps

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is stadard i mtaind th Scc Mastrs srs ooks st

l ajor rol in th rosb ouarzato of scics.N Scis

FINDING LOW PYY

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MIHALY

CSKSZENTMIHALY


4/97

pight 1997 by May Csemh.

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5/97

CONENS

Akoledets IX

1 he Suce of Eveydy Lfe

The Cotent of xpeene 17

Ho We Feel hen Doi Dieent hn j

4 The Pdox of Wok 49

5 e Rk nd Oppoes of ese 64

6 Relonhp d the Qlty of fe 78

Chn the en of Life 97

8 The Atotli esoly 6

9 he ove of Fe

Note '49

efeene '9

Index 69


6/97

-:ACKNOWLEDGMENS

The eslt cue n th boo a ae on reeach uppoted by he Spencer oundaon th Alfre P. Sloanoundation A rat b o collea and tuent havevn invaluabl hlp n invation of ow I wolie to than ecay Kvn Rathune at he ivry ofUth Samu \haln at Nothweten Univeit Kyoh

As< t ShkokGaku nives i apan FautoMaiini an Antonla De Fave a Unverty of :-lan, Italy; Paolo nghi at e Univriy of Pga, Ialy;and at own Univeri of Chcago Vy AlaalJol Htnr Jeann Nkamua John atton, nd enfrSchdt

O e an coleae wo frenip a been ch annvaluable uppot I wa gve pcial thank to ChaleBdwll, llm Dmo owad Gadne, Geoey Go-be} Elizabeth olleNua1, Mar unco, and BarbaraSchneie


7/97

The Structures of

Everyday Life

-:ONE

Ifwe really wat liv, w'd btt strt at once t

fw t oet mtt, bu w bttr tt e. Au

h i by A pouc bv mpr pciwh hi book i bou h hoc impl w ow h iibl f r , w h ith liv or o i Biolol lf uomic poc, os w tk c f t o h b B to liv i h t s i by o ohi h wll y sl. In ft hi copi t i if wd k of icio U lif will b ctllb h oui o sv h ppo f o oh i-oloicl po ic wil rpl h

ic mi w ary h ul wil k h w i[ popt t iti; oh p

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8/97

2 FNDNG fLOW

pic w r o tak a muh of our nerg pob [0 hr hr own gnda-l o h wthou gard how nyo hs w f u. \V nno xp nyone hp uv; w ms dovr how o do y rslvs.

So wh d "o v mn n h ox? Ovuly, don' ref smply o olog urvv I mus ma olv n fuln, hou wt of m and pon, prng on nquen, y patpang nmaly n th C11-

pt o th omo Th boo w po way of lvngn th mannr, ring a mh a pob on ndng nontmpor phoogy and my own rrh w oh wdom of h pa n whvr form w ordd

I wl reop h quon of \N gd f ver mods fshon sd of delg n proph andmyr 1 w r o ay o o rsone evdn po fosng on th mndan the vdy ven thtw pay ne hoghout a normal da}

A concre xampl may iura b wht I mn by

leadng a good lie. Yes ago my sudents nd I sdied a

facto where rrod crs were ssemed The ma work-

pla w hug, dr hngr whr ould hrdy h

wrd cu of con os. Mo ofh wder whworked there hed her jobs ad were cosny wtchng

h ock n anipon of qutng m oon hy

wer ot h FJcto t}1 hredto h neighborhood a-

oons, or k dve css he stae lne for moe livey

aonEp for of hem h pon wJ a ary

r mn n h rly sx, who d rnd hm o ndrsand nd o fx v p f qupmn n he fy,fro rns o ompur moor H lovd o k o mhnry th dd work g ou wh wa wong wh and t ght agan At hom, h and h f lt gerk rdn on to mp o x he hou and n

h u m founs hat mad w-v a nght hndd or o wldr who wokd t m pn r-

THI srRUCURIS Of IVIRYD.Y Lin 3

pd Joe, v though hy oudn qut make hm the) aked h hp whnvr thr w any pbm anylmd ha whou o th fao mgh us s wl o

hroughu h yr I hv mt mny of mjompae, pwr pl nd svrl doz lPrwnnrmn pop who ny wy d n v, bt non tht wa er hn J ha mk a h rn ueul nd woth vng h h

ton h ook wl addre hr man aumptonndr my pprah he r ta pph poet, andphloopher hv gend mporan th n th patruh ha r nl for or onnud rvl But hehv n xpreed n h np voul of herm, t uul, hr manng hs o e redovrd nd rentprd vr gnron. h ard okof Judm, hnty, m Buddhsm nd h da arth rpoto of th da ha maerd mot o ouranor and to gnore thm n t of ldh ont.u quy nve to bv ha whavr wa wrndown n h p on n olut uh h t forvr

h nd pk o whh th ok ul ha ur

rnly en provde h mo vl nfo to humnknd t o prd n rms o hwordvw of h tm nd rfr w hng d mgh dded n h . h poby s muh uprtton nd mndrandng mbddd n modrn na thr wa n t od mh b we ar oo o n m oU h dn rhp vnuly S nd pual nr wl ld u o mmdt h whou h nd forhrs ad lorrs horu r dgrou we dlde rlv h our kowldg rher alonghn uly s For r or o wor a m tl h mo ruworhy mrro o ralt and w gort only a our pe

h thd ampton ha w wsh o nderandwha ral lvng ntal, w hod s o th vo of th


9/97

FNDNG FOW

past ad itegrate ir messags wih the owledge hascenc s sowl accumulang. Ideolgical gsuressch asRussau's prect f reg to naure, whch was a pr-curs h Frdia faithar jst epy psturig hone has da ha huma natur s h is n hop ithe pas her is solution t be fund n the prs Nri w b b f by jumpig ahad o a imagia utue he nly pa t nding ot hat if is abut is a pa-ten slo attempt t make snse of the ealitis o h pastand t possibltis h fute as th an be undesdn e present

Accdig} i ths b life" wil man wha we eer-nce m mg o ight seven days a wek, fr absveny years if e a lck o evn logr if ae vefruna. hs mgh sm a narr prspeci he cmpaed to the mch mr exatd vis o le that mts adreigis hav made us famiia wit B r Pascals wa-gr it head i sms tha, hen i db the bst st- s t assme ha these seve so ars ar our nhance t expiece the CO0 and we shuld mak hflest us of it if e dont w might los evthig;

wheas if w ar wg ad thee l bod the gavwe ls noing\at this lfe \\ am is i part determined b the

chmcal procsss i ur bod, by the biological ieracioamng rgans b he tn elecrc! curt mping benhe ynapss f the bran and by rgni7i ifoa-to that he cultue imposes n ur mind u the atal qua-i lfwha we do ad h e fee abt iil detenid b u thughts and emtios b the inteprta-tios w gv t chmica biologica ad socil prcessesStdng he stram coscioss passng hough hemind is th pc of phmenolcl philosph Mwk n he past eas has conssed delpig a s-

tati phenomenoloat maks s the tols of the so-ca sciecspmay ps)hoogy and scoogyin ord

H SRUUR VRD F

to anser th questi: hat is i k? nd moe pra-cal estion: Ho a each perso crate an excelln li

Th rst step i aswrng sch usts ivves gettiga god gasp of th forcs that shape wha we { expcrience.Vthe w ie i r n ach o us s cnsrained by lmion hat can do ad fe gnor these imt leads todeial ad vnualy ailure achive excllec wcmus s undesand th eal he veyday w al tsdemands ad potial frustatins ma of he acientmhs, a psn h atd nd happiss ve a le had rs trave through e herwrd Beforebeig allwd t cntempa h spldos f havn Dantehad adr thrugh he hros f h so he cd udr-stad wha kept s m etring th peary gats. h sameis u o mre sa us w ae ab beg

Babs wh iv n the ica pais sped at ohid r l sepig and when aake thy divide ter mebetwn travlig ndng and eatig fod and fre eisumehch basicay cosiss n itracg gmgeach thrs fur t pick ut lice It is nt a ve xcig life

yet not much has chaged n the mln yas snc humansevolvd cmmon smia ancss Th reqremtsfif sti dcate ha spnd r me i a way that s ntha dernhrs, most pople sep nhid of th da, and us theremaider wrk avel ad es i me or ss e sameprprins as the baboons do Ad as the hstoria Emmaul Le y arie has show, i threeh cnuyrech vageshch re among th mst advac intl wrld a the imthe mos cmmn leisur prsu wassl hat pcng ic u f ah s hair w cus, e have telvisi

Th c1es of rs pduco, csmpi ad tac-

tion re as much a par o how we exprinc life as senssvisin haing and s forhare. Bcas he ner


10/97

NDI NG LOW

vos sym is so osted tht it c ony procss smalmo o inoation :y vn mome t o wht wean peiene mus b peecd sealy, oe thng erth othr t is on sid o a rich and wl ma that "Likth st of us, he must pll his trousrs on n lg at; im cn swallow only on bite, har ony on sng rad opper, hav one oveson t im hus th limitatinso atnion whch dtermins h mot o psychc enerw hve o ncng th world poid n inbesript or us o iv by Across im ad n dieet s,wht pop do and r hw ong s sonishigly simia

Having jst said ha in sm impotnt rspct ll livsr simiar ne must hastn rognize th obvious difer-cs A nhttan stockbroke, a Chins psant and abushman of h Kalhr will ply out th basic hman scriptin wys tht at rst wll sm to hve nhing in common.ing bot Eop i the sith o eghtenh cens h hisoins Nt Zmo Ds d Arle Frgmmn Dly li noldd wihi the me endrnggnd and soal hierarchies his is t of al scilgrups w hav owldg of ow person livs dpnds inlarge pat n ex, ag and social postion

he aiden f birth pts a prsn in a slt that gratlydetrmins what sort of xprincs his o hr lif wil o-sist of A boy o si o sevn yes, bor into poor fmi) inone o he idsl rgions Egad tw hndred yersgo ws ikely o wake p rond v i t monng rshto he mil to srve the aig hanicl looms til sst si dys a week On he woud de of exhaustio bforraching hi te. A girl o twlv in h slaking rgions rnc around th same time wuld st nxt t a tub alldy, dipping silJom cocons in sding water to met thsky sbstc tht hd the threds oghr She wasikly o sccmb o espito disss s sh st i we

cohs fom dw o dsk, nd h geips eventuly osl eling om the ht w. the manm the hildr

TH STRUCT OF EVEYDY F 7

o th nobly ernd o dc h mie nd o oersen forg laguags

Th sam diffreces in lechaces ar sll wth us.

\hat an a ild born ino n urban slm in Ls ngelstrit air r Mxico ty epct t xprin during lietime? How is that ging [Q dira hid bo into an ln rin subrb, r wlltdo wdsh or wiss famiy? Unfortuntly there s s-ce, no ny h or esn, i n prson beng bo io stng mmiy perhaps eve wth a cogntal phys-a det whie anohr sars . wih good ook, goodhealh d a arg bank account

So whi h main paratrs lif are xed and no per-son a avid rsng eating nterating and doing at estsome work huaniy is diided into sil catgris thatdtemi to a lrg tn he spe contnt o epi-c Ad to mk t al mor irstng her s of ursh mtt o nddi

we lok o o wndow n wier we mght s mi-lons o idtial snowaks cvorng by But if w took magniig glass and lokd th akes sparaly, wwud soon divr that thy wer n idntiali t,hat ah had a hap that n the ae dupliatd eaty.h same is t of hman bng \e can tll quit a otbo wht Susan wil xpi ust by th fact tht sh ishan \ cn el evn 10 by kowing sh s n r-n gir vig in ertai spec ci wih parnsof sh ad suh an ocupain Bt er evehng is saidand done owing all the extl parmeters wil nt llows t predit what usan's lif will h lie. t nly bauserandm chan might thow al bt of ut mr irtntly bcuse san has a mind o he wn with which shca ih dcid o sundr hr opportis, or con-vrsey ovrom sm th disdntges o hr h.

I is bcus f ths exhiity hman cnsiusness tht ok sh his n be wrie f evehing ws detr


11/97

FNG FOW

ind b the COo humn cnditin, b cil nd cul-l tgie y e, t wold b sess to ret wv a oe's i xceln. I r ingh room r ronl iiv d cic to mk rl direne nd h wh bJi\ ti ar nes withth bst hn t brk r rom he gip t

To live men t exprnc-though ing ng, hi-ing. Eeriee tak plc in , ti i th uti

crc ue w h \er hc yrs th onet o epeinc will dtin h quli o lie hereore ne thmost essentil dciin ny o s cn k is but hwone time s loct or cur, w w inti i not our decisio lone to e. A we h sn -lir, tig cntri dct wht w shold do either embe o the mn r c w lng c-tin ulr d sciety Nvrlss, thr is room or er-sonl hoes, nd contrl ve t is ceri exet ir hn. h hompsn nd, n nthe t ppri dcd Indtri Relutwhen worke sed aw igh weei in n ci, r w wh p thi wprciu ree in lty pri r ll ctin instd o lowing the ji it the b

t w in tlkng out mbgtng n-ting locting, wtinge brwd rom the lngg nn osntly som popl i ourttid rowr ti is colore y ur elir ii hritg ru h h i "i i money" w 3ri o t gr :plgit o cptlim eninFrnklin, bu equin o o trm is ceiy muor d rd i th Oon hun xprinc r:thrhn in ur cltur ln. ct it cld b rgud tht i in gt t l rom tim rhr h th oherwy ound Mne} i ily th ost gelly udter or erg th i nvd i dig ing

H SRUURS OF VRYY

thng Ad w vu moy bcu ei extent lbrates us f the onstrint o li by :ng i pi-b he r t d in t wh we wan

V, en, d pp d wi thi m? ble giv gen nn how we ped th sin r r }n wh we re we ss he gr : b necesi ppxit, bcu dpnding n whthr ersoi yong r d mn r wom ich or Vsrly dittrs migh rsul. BIt by nd rge the numbers n bl cn bin t dcrib wt vrg d in or societylk lik. Thy r in n) w qit iilr h b-tned y tim budges in other inilid cunri.

Were Dcs Tme o

Bd n dytime actie reprte by rprti dult ndne in rcnt US e Peeg wi di b ender, a ad pen pe eriim d ma.xi- g a idi d. E pee po is quiv b o o p w

ci ci\Vk w dy

: 4-60%

k e de we wk

ic ciiHewk (cki, ceai, shopi)EiGom wig i)Drivig orio

Lese AvesM e obi r o\i reurTli iiziIli i

204%8-%

35%)%%

91%41%41%

%

Source: sie ad Gef 198 KUeY an Ck


12/97

1 0 'NDING fOW

\at we o during an avrage ay ca b vd not majo nd of aivt.Te t and lagt luwha w mu do n odr gnat enegy for uvval andomNowaday aos ynonou w "makgmoney, n ony as ome mdum of excangeo Iost tng Howeve fo young popl n oo1eanng mgt nudd among the pdf avi,bcas o the uaion e equvalent o adu wo,

an e wi lea o e eondBwee a quarer to ore than a of our pyh rgygoe no u poduv ave, dependng on th ki ojo and wee on wos u o part metough mo-im woes ae on e jb abou oy ou a wekwic is 3 pen o I I 2 wakng ou of wk hegue do no ree ay eay, baue of oyour per we pen o ob worke auay wo onlyaout thr, the mair big pe takig ayram-ing akg an oh oupaon ielvant to wok

i u m olttl? It dpn on wa we ompat Aodng t om anopoog amog e eaenoogiy devepd oee uc a te bn of

Bazan jung Aan de gwn nay pend moe an u ou a day provdng vlooe e o e tim y pe reng, ag,ng a danng On e r a, during th undred yea o o of inutra'tion in h \et ore thuo were abl to rgulat woring wa ot u-usua fo wrk o p wev or me ou a ay in fay So e egour wokday wc uenly enom i abo away bwn t wo eem

Poducv acve ae new ny; but we nd o doa gea ea of wok u pee boy and ts poo Terefore aou a u o our day nvolved vaiou ort of 1;1flC activt \V eep the oy

hape by atg, reting, goog; our poeo y eag, kg, oppg and g al o of ouwok

TH SUCU ' VYDAY LIF 1 1

Tationay womn av ee rd b atnaewk wie m ave tae on th poutiv o Ths dfernc i qute song in e onep0y US.: whn d woen pnd ua amoun o m eang (aou5 pn) women devo w a mu me a mn do ta th oe mannan av

genderypng o huehd task o oure vnre evr praay vewere I foS't

Uo wr gender equaliy wa a mae of ieooy arrid wo o an ne a to o a thouwok n addio o te payng job n o ewod a an wo oos o a o do disese -pc a we a e epec o o

i dvon o ab m o b a od a umany te[n pat howeve, mantena o he huehod onqued noouy uou abo fro womn O horan re h ation n Euope four ui ago:

Wom caid waer o tep mouna errae aa we wae wa a. Te u and drd urcoeed kep woo we by e oade o eed

aby k ws and goa, gw gabe ceed hnu and hb h ommones ou eating o B a oe and Duc m waaal urds, wh w gathed hand y women adcve ther nal ding out aed ea th ailye

umbng nd lonc appance ave eany ma adfeene in amoun o pya eoue ju a ecnoogy ha eaed py buen pouve wok But mo wom n


13/97


14/97

FIDING FLOW

io aon rcan, Eopan Aian an any ohrclr whr tho can b . In what follow, I willb n rlt oban by y an poll intrchanabl ih SM rl Th not at th n of th book willnicat t orc fro wich th ata w obtain

The Content of

Expeience

TWO

W hav n a work aintnanc, an i tk p

ot of or pchic r B on pon iht lo okan th othr a it; on pon iht noy tim a ot b bo wh r i nohn o o. So hilhat w o ay in an ay ot ha a ot to o ith hat knof l ha ho xprinc hat o i n orportat.

oion ar n o pct th o bcti lnt o concion ic i i on th pron hmlf orhrlfho can tl whth h or h ly princ lo,hm, rati or appn Yt an otio i thot obci cotnt of in, bca fli" pinc n i lov, o aham, o ca orappy i ally o al o than hat w obr i

t ol oti, o whatvr w larn fro cic oloic h oftn n orl n th paraoa oi


15/97

18 NDNG FOW

on f ng ik behavral psychol when e ater oe, dsconting what ey say and trstg onya y do wheas hen w look at ouselves we are liphenmnolgist takng r inner feelng mr riousythan ud et r rt action.

Pycholgs have identfd p to nne basic motntha[ can relaby b denfed y facal epressons angpo ig n e dfeent ctres; th seems a jsas a mans can se and can a, s y ao shae acmo se of elng sats B t ml as mc as pos-sble, one ca ay : all emoions har n a bsic duaiyt ther pote and aactve r hy ar negaveand repue t s becau f this mple feature tat emo-ins hlp chos hat huld be good fr u A baby attracted to a hman face and is ay when she s hrmthr, because t ls he bond wi a caretar \e feeeasre when ating wen i a mm of the ppo-se sx, bcause specis woud O sv w ddn'see O od and sex Me fee an sncve evlson a thesight of snae ncs, rttn smells, dakesal shat in the evolutinary pat mig have preented seus

dangrs o uialIn additio to the simpe genecally wrd emoion h-man hae dveloped a gea numer f mre subtle and ten-d, as wel a dbasd ligs eoln slfrecvconsciosn as alloed or c o "o}' wh fcns, oe or manpat fns n way at o oher anmal canThe sogs, dancs asks of o aces voed dread andaw, y and noxicatn rrr movies, dgs md mic dthe ame hing nw Bu rigiall emton sered as signalat he uide wld; nw thy ar ofen detaced frm anyra obc, to be ndlgd n fr teir sak

I appine s e prooye f e posve emotns many a inkr inc istle has said, ering e d is

lmately amed at peiecng ane We do realywan weath, health, or fam as schwe wat thse tngs

TH ONTNT OF XPEN! 9

becas e o a ey l mae LIS happy. B happiessw see nO bcas t l g s somhng ee, t is sake appness is really e om lin o ife, hatdo w o abou it ?

Ui mdcenry, pychologst wee rectan tostdyhappiness becaue the rgning behaviorst paradg in hesocal sciences held tha subcve eotons wre too ims}tob proper sbjects o scenc resarch. Bt as he "dst-ow emcism" i acadmia ha cared n e as fwdcades so ta C mporace f sbjecve epeenscould again recogizd, h sdy of happnss has eenpursued wth renewed vigor.

"'hat ha been lead s oh famar and srprng I iurpriing for instance, a despte problems and tragdie,all over e word people tend descrb temselves asmuch mor happy han nhappy n meca ypcally o1-d o rsondes m eentat sames say thatey ae ve ay and oly on n en a hey are " happy T majorty msles aov e aaymark, a "re apy. Smar reslt are reoed fomdzens of other countr Hw can th be hen hinkersthrough the ags, eecting n hw hort and pa

nul lf canbe ha always ld us ha th world a al tears andwe ere t mad t be hapy? Perhaps h reasn fr ediscrepam is that prophes and losophes tend t be per-costs and e mpefections le ond hem\reas th rs f humanknd s gad obe aliv, imprfc-tions andal.

Of cose there s a mor peimtic explanaton namlythat when ople ay tey arc prtty happy thy re dece-ng eier the resarchr wh tang the l, r morley, thy a whstlng n the dark. Afer all Karl arx hasaccusomed us t hink that a actr kr can feel e pecy ay bu s sbecv haness s a slf-decept

i that mas othng cas jcey thwers ainated by th systm ta epis hs laor JeanPau


16/97

20 fNDI NG FOW

artre s td S that most peop liv wih lse conscousss prdig vn o thmev at hey are living inth s o possil words. Mo rcly ce Fou-cault and pos1odi have ad it clear wpeopl tl s dos o rc e vent, oly a l ofnrrativ a wy o taling that ers ony to ite Vhlthse citus of lfpecpion llnte ipott issesthat have o recognzed thy ao s fm inteec-

al arroganc of cholr wo elive hir intrptionof reali old te prcdenc ovr the dirt princeof the 1\id The profond do of arr ndFoclt nowi


17/97

2 FINDNG FOW

the choice of what w do wil l also aect or appiness. im-arly most people feel ey are more cheerl ad sociablewen the are with others than wh they are alo. Agaicerlness and sociabilt are relad happne, wichprobably eplans why etrorts o aveage tend to behappr tha itroverts

he qality of life does ot dpend on appiness aone,bt also o what on does to be happy. f one fails to develop

goals a give meaig o oe's existce if o does otuse the mind to ts fullest, the good felngs fulll st afracio of the potential we possess. person who achievescoenet b withrawig from he world to cltiae iow garde," like olaires dd caot b said to adan exclen life. Witho dreams without risk, oly a trviasemblace o lvig ca be acied

Emotios refer to the iteal states of concioses Negativ emoos like sadess, fear, aniety or boredom producepsychic entropy" i the mid that is, a sate wich wecanot use atetio eectivey o deal with eterna tasksbecause w eed it to restore a iner subetve order Posi

tive emotios like happe, stregt or alertness are tatesof psychjc negtropy" bUe we dont ed attetio torminate ad feel sorry for ourseve ad pschic energy canow freey ito whatver though or tas we choos o inestit.

e we choose to invst attentio in a give task w saytha we hav formed a itetio, or set a goal for oselvsHow log and how itesely we stick by or goals is a nc-tio of motivatio Therefore itetions, goas and motivaos ar also maifstatos of pscic negetropy Theyfocus psychc energy estabi prioritie, ad thus crate or-der i conciousness Vthout them menta proesss be-come radom ad feelngs td to deteriorate raply

Goals are usally arranged i a ierarcy, fom trviaoes ljke gettig to th coer store to by some ic ceam,

H ON N XP RIN 2

to risg one 's life for the county n te course of an average day, about oethrd of the time peope wil say that teydo what they do because they wated to do it oethird be-case they had to do it ad the last third beause they adnothng better to do These proportions vary by age, gedr,ad acivty: chldre fel thy hav mor choic tha theirfathrs, ad m mor tha eir wies whatever a persondoes at home is perceived be moe voltary than at work

Quite a bt of edence shows that wheeas people feel beswen what they do is volutar, thy do ot l worst whwa they do is obgator Pschic etrop i hghest iteadwh prso feel that what e do i motvated by not havig anythig else to do hs both itrisc motivatio(watig to do it) ad etrisic motivatio ag to do it)are preferable to the state where oe acts by defaut, witothavig ay knd of goal to focs atenton he large part ofle 1y people eperience as beig thus umotjvatd lavsa great dal o room for improvmt.

ttios focus pschic eergy in the sort n whereasgoals tend o be more longterm and eventally it is thegoals that we prse that wi shape ad determie t id

of slf at w ar to become at maks Moer hereathe n radcally different from Madona the nger ae thegoals nto wjch hey have vested their ateo throgh-Ot teir lives ithot a cosstet set of goals, it is dicultto develop a coere self t is through the pattered invest-ment of psychic energy provided by goals tha oe creaesorder i eperic Thjs order, whch manifests itslf prdictable actios emotios, ad choics, time becomesrecognizable as a more or less ie sef

The goals one endorses also deCrmine one's sefestem.As \Villiam Jams poited ot ov a hudrd ears ago, self-estm depeds on the rao of expectaton o uccesses Aprso ay develop low seesteem either because e sets

is goals too high, or becase e acieves too few successes.So it is ot ecessarily tre that the perso who achieves


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26 FNDNG FLOW

prodcing sqencs o mags hat r rlad to ach ohrn soe manngl way.

For nsanc, on o h ost basc enal operatons conssts n h linkng o cas and fc How hs ns n aprson's le C,l1 b asly osrd whn an nant rst dscovrs ha y mong hr hand sh can rng h bl hangngovr he crb Ths smpl conncon s h paradgm onwhch ch o lar thnng s based Wh e howvr,h sps rom cass to cts bcom ncrasngly orastrac and rmoed rom concr raly A lcrcan, ascal coposr, a socroer consdr sultanoslyhndrds o possbl conncons bn h ymols onwhch hy ar opratng n thr nds-was and ohmsnos and bas the byng and sllng prcs o stocs

By now t s proably apparn ha emoons nnonsand hoghs do not pass throgh conscosnss as sparastrands o xprnc b ha hy ar consantly nrconnced and mod ach ohr as thy go along A yongan alls n lov wh a gr and prncs all h typcalmoons hat lo pls H ntnds o wn hr har, andbgns to hnk o how o rach hs goal H grs hat gng hsl a snazy nw car wll wn h grls attenon Sonow h goa o ang ony o by a nw car cosmddd n th goal o woong- hang o work moray nrr wth gong shng and pdc ngav emoons, whch gnra nw hoghs whch n rn ay brngh oys goals n ln wh hs moons h sra o prnc always carres many sch bs o noraon concrrntly

o prs ntal opraons to any dph a prson has olarn to concnra anton \Vtho ocs conscosnsss n a sta o chaos h normal condton o h mnd son o normatonal dsordr: radom hoghs chas oneanohr nstad o lng up logcal casal squnces Un

lss on larns o concenra, and s al to nvs h orhoghs wll scar wthot rachng any concluson Een

THI CONTI NT 0' IXPalNU 27

daydramngha s, h lnng oghr o plasan mags o cra so sor o nal oon pcr-rqursh aily o concnrat and apparnly many chldrnnver larn o corol r anon sucnly o alto daydream

Concnraon rrs mor ert when t goes agansth gan o motons and moatons A stdnt who hasmah wll hav a hard m ocsng anton on a calclstextbook long enogh o asor h normaon conansand t wll tae strong ncenves (sch as wanng o pass hcors) or hm o do so Usally h mor dclt a menalas, h hardr s o concnra on B whn a prsonls wha h dos and s ovad o do , ocusng nd bcos orlss vn whn h objcv dclsar gra

Gnrally whn h ss o hnkng cos up mos pople asse ms h o do wh nllgnc hy ar ntrstd n nddal derences n hnng sch as"ats my IQ? or H s a gns at math Inelgencerrs o a ay o mntal procsss; or nsanc how asly one can rprsn and manpla ans n h mnd

or how senstve one s to nonaon ndd n wods Bas Howard Gardnr has shown t s possbl o xend hconcp o nllgnc o ncld h ablty to derenatend o us all nds o noraon ncldng scl snsaons sonds ngs, and vsual shaps Som chldrn arho wh an aboavrag snsy o ound hy candscrna ons and pchs bttr than ohrs and as thygrow p thy larn to rcogn nos and produc harmons mor asly than thr prs Smlarly small advantags a h gnnng o l can dop nto largerences n vsal ahlc, or mahmacal abls

B nna talns cannot deelop nto a ar nllgnc nlss a prson arns to control aenton Onl

hogh xnsv nvsns o psychc nrgy can a chldwh uscal gs urn no a uscan or a ahacally


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8 NDNG W

gifed chld no an engner or physcs t taes much ffor o absorb the knowedge and he slls ha are neededo do e mnal operaons an adu profssonal s supposed o perform Mozar was a prody and a gnus, bu fhis fahr hadn't foced hm o pracc a s soon as h was ouof apers s doubtu hs an woud h;e bossomd as dd By learnng o concenra, a person acqres conroover psychc energy he basc fue upon whch all hnngdpends

In everyday fe s rare for he dren conens of exprnce b n schrony wh ach oher A wo my aenon mgh b ocused bcause h boss gav me a job doha rures nens hnng Bu s parcar ob s noone ordnary would wan o o so 1 am no v motvae nrnscaly A th sam tme I am dsracted by fens of an abou my nage son s errac behavor Sowhle pa of my mn s concnaed on he ts, J am nocompeey involved J s no ha my nd is n otalchaos, bu there s u a b of nropy n my conscosness-houghs, emoons, an nenons come ino fOC

and hn dsappear producng conrar mpuses andpung my anon n differen recons r, o consderanoher examp 1 may enoy a dr n wh ends ar worbut 1 f abou no gong home o le famy and mada mysef for wasng m and money

Neiher of hes scenaos s patcularly unusua Evryday lfe s ll of lm: rarey do we f he sen hacomes when hea, will mn are on he sam pageoncng desres nnons and houghs ost achothr n conscousness and we are hpless o eep m nne

ut now le L consde some aleaves magne for nsance ha you re sng down a sope and your l atten

on s focsed on he moemens of h boy h poston ofhe ss he a r whsng pas yor face and th snow

CNnN F XNC 9

shrod rs unnng by There s no r oom n your awaeness for concs or conradcons you now ha a dsracng hough or emoon mgh ge you bured facdown nhe snow. nd who wan" ge sraced? The run s soperfec ha a yo wan s for o las forever o mmerseyourse compeely n he experence

f sng dos no mean much o you subs yor favor acvy for ths vgne t coul be sngng n a chorprogammng a compr dancng payng brdg readng

agood boo r f you lov you ob, as many pop do coud be wn yo ar gng mmersed n a complcaedsurgcal operaon or a clos bsnss da r hs compltmmrson n acvy may occur n a socal neracon, aswhen goo ends al wh each ohe or when a moherplays wth her baby \ha s common such momens sha conscousness s ll of eperiences and hese eperences are n harmony wi each oher onrar o wha happens all oo oen n everyday lfe n moments such as heswha we fe wha we wsh, and wha we hn are n harmony

hese cponal momns ar wha 1 hav calld] x

Th mtaphor of ow s one ha many peoplhave used descbe he sense of oress acon hey feen momens ha sand ou as he bes n her lves heesrefer o as beng n he zone regous myscs as beng necsasy, arss an muscans as aeshc rapre Al!cs,myscs and ariss do very dffren hngs whn hey reachow ye her descrpons of he experence ar remarablysmlar

Flow tends o occur when a person faces a cear se ofgoals ha ree appropae responses t s easy o nerow n games such as chess, nns, or poer bcause lYhav goals and ruls for acon tha ma possble for hepayer o ac who uesonng wha should be done and

how o he draon o he game he paye lvs n sefconaned unverse wher everhng s blac and wh he


21/97


22/97


23/97

34 fiNDING FLOW

igtfreds, and suprisingly oten at work Ve rarey do

people repo ow passive leisre acties, sc as watch-

ig teleion o eaxng B hecase alost ay acvy

prodce ow povided the eleva eeets ae pesent, It

possie [ prove e quay ofe by mag sre that

ear goals, iedae eedack, skls aaced o ao op-

poies, and he remaiig condos of ow are as

mc as possle a conSan pa of eveda le.

-:THREE

How We Feel WhenDoing Diferent Things

e qa t o Ije depeds o wha we do n e seen o

so years we are aloted ad on wat paes in conscosnessdrng hat me Dieret actve ypcaly aec theay of experence n rather predctale was f althog life we oly do depressng thigs, i is nlikely thawe will end p having ived a ve happy life Usally eachactivty has oth posiive and negaive qualities. \he weca for instance, we tend o fec ore posiive affect hanusual; a graph f a peso's leve of happiess drig the dayesembes the pole of the Golden ate Bridge acrss SanFracisco ay, with te high poits correspoding to meal-times. At he same tme mental concenration teds to eather low whe a peson eats, and ne raely epeiecesow

Te psycologcal effecs of acvties are nOt near, hdepend o ei syseic elatio o everything ese we do


24/97

3 IDIG fW

Fo nt:e, even though food is " source o good mood

we anot heve happiness by eatg around the o

Mels raise the level ofh:ppiness, bt ony when we se

around 5 pece of ou wakng time eing; i f we sen 10

pecet o f the dy eaing, food old quicky cease to e e-

wadng. "rheme is ue of Iost of the othe good thigs

I lfe: sex, elaxton, teevsio warchng, in mal does,

tend o imroe the quit fdily lie cosideably, h the

effectsr not adiive; oint of diminishing etus

IS

quicy rechd.

vy ondened v of how eole ically exerene

the varios omponent o their daily le i preseted 1

tble 2. As we see wen dl


25/97

38 NDNG OW

etly maage might ove o o a poject hate tosit cofeeces, hie a asseme migh ove to set up amachie ut hate to take iveto Neveheess t is stilpossie to tak aot h distictive qualt of the ok ex-peiece copaiso ith oth ga activiy categoies he moe t eemes a o actiiy he oeiod ecome ad the oe postve the expeece\he the jo pss ca goas uamios feedac asese of coo chaleges that match he oks skisad fe distactios the feegs t poides ae ot hat dif-fet fom hat oe epeieces i a spot o a aistc pefoace

Mateace activites ae qite vaied i tes of heipeietia pole Fe peope eoy houseok hichtds to gay egative o eutal aog all die-sio If oe ee to look i dtai hoeve it oudt out that cookig is oe a posiie xpic spciay copaed to ceag the house Pesoal caeash-ig dessg, ad so foth uualy ethe ote oegativ Eatg as eoed eale s oe of he motposite pas of he day i tems of aec ad moivatioheeas it is o cogitive actiiy ad sedo a occasioofo

Dvig a ca hich is the ast majo copoet of theaiteace catego s a supisigly positive pa of ife\hile eutal ems of happiess ad mivatio i eqs s ad cocetato ad some people expeieceo oe of(e hi divig tha i ay othe pa of theves

s oe od expect leue ted clude (he oe positive epeics of the day esue s he peope feel themos( otiaed, h (hy say at they at to do haevethey ae dog Yet hee too e d som supiss Passlise hich icdes meda cosumpto ad estig he

i( s a motivaig ad easoay happy actviy ivolves ltteeta ocus ad aey poduces o. Sociaizigtakig

OW WE WHEN DONG DIRN TING 39

ith people itho much ueio pupose ecept th itaco itsefis geealy hghly positive though it sel-dom olves hgh eta cocaio Roace ad sexpovide some o h s( 0me< of he day ut fo ostpop Cse acvies ae athe ae so they fai to akeuch of a deece the oveal qai of if uess theyae eedded i a cotext of a duig elaoship hatpovides o(ioa ad itelecual eads as e

Acie eisue is aothe souce of eteey posite expe-ieces he peope do a hoy ge( ivoed execsepay a usical isme o go ou a movie o estaatthey ted to e oe happy, otvated cocetated, admoe oe i o tha ay he pa of h day is ithese cotexts that a th vaios dimesios of expeeceae most tesey focusd ad i hamoy th each othet is ipoa (0 ememe hoeve, that actve eisueusaly (aes up oy ewee a fouh ad a f of a peso's ee tme, ad fo may t is vasy ovshadod y theaout of te spet i passiv isue aciities such asatchg televsio

o(h ay to look at the patte i tae is to ask\ich actiies ae happiest? ch ae mos o(iated Ife do that e see that happiess is highes( he eatghe i acive eise ad he talkig th peope it isoest he okig o the o o aoud the hous. ot-ao olos a smla patte the additio th: as-sve lese hich dos mak o happy is somethge uly a to do yay ocea(io hghest oh jo he dvg d acte euethese ae ac-vitie that dug the day equie the mos ma effotThe same activities so poid th highs ates of oad so docs socialig th othes he e look at the pa-t (his ay t aga shos that acve eisue povides theest expeiece ovea hie houseo pesoal cae ad

dg povide he oSo the s( s(ep mpovig the qualty o ie cosis(s i


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4 NDING OW

gineering dily acti\ities so that one ge the most rewrd-ng xpeieces from em This sounds simple ut the ine-i of habit and socil presse ae so strong a mnypepe hav no id; which compons of thi l\es they caly ejy nd which cnriute to sess ad deprsso.Keeping a d or recting n the pas day in the eveigar ways to tak sock systmiclly of e various inecesn ne's mds Afr it s cear whic acis produc high pints in nes dy it becomes pssible to strt expri-mentigby iceasing the frequen of the posiive nesand decreasing that of the others

A smewhat exreme example of how thi might work wasrportd by ; DVres psychitrst in charge of alage mnity mCtal hlth cr in h Ntherlands nhis hspital patients are utinly ven the ES ind otwhat they d 11 dy wa hey think abut, and hw theyfl On of h ptints, a chrnc schizophenic wmanwo hd b hospilid for ovr t yeas showed theusl sed hoght pttes ad ow act of svrmentl pth! Hut durg te w weeks f the ESstudy se epoted quite posie moods wce n o cses

she hd hee ing ae of her geils ig ht tws wor a t, he staff ad professonl mnicuis tecr th sills of h ad pa oo eagerly to the i-srutin, nd she was sn caing f e nils of th rst ofthe paiets er disposiin changed drascally that shewas eleasd int th commniY nder speisn shehng shingl n hr door


27/97

2 fiNDNG fOW

ow happiness avesive otivaton, low ocetratio apa-hy, and an enre strng of othe egave staes such as pas-sv, loeless, deachme ad ow elfesteem eigaone aecs mos those idivduas who have the ewest esouces: those ho have ee unabe o get an educaonwho ae poor, sge, o divoced Paooga staes ae of-ten nvsie as ong as the peson s h oers; they take efect osty whe we are aoe. The moods that peope

diagnosed with choic depressio or wih eang disordersexperene ae ndiinguishabe fro those of healthy peopleas ong as hey are in ompany and doing soethinghat requires conenraion Bt when they are alone withnothing to o their mnds begin to be opied by depress-ing thoughts and heir onsiousess becoe enropichis is also true a less prononed etet of eveyoneelse

he reaso s that when we have to inerat wth anotheperson eve a stranger our aenon beomes srucured byexterna demands. he presece of e oer mposes goasand prvdes feedack ven he smpest ieraconkehat o asig aothe peso the correct timehas ts o

challeges which e coot wi our nepersonal sisOu oe of voice a sme our eag and demeaor arepar of the sklls we need i stoppng a srage o the seetand maing a gd impession more ntimate econersthe level o oth hallenges and slls an grow vey highhus ineractons have many of the haratrisics of owativiies and they cerainly require the orderly investentof pychi enery. y onrast when we are alone wth nothing to do there is no eason to conetrate and what hap-pens then is that the mind begins to unavel and oon ndssoehing to wory abo

eing wth rieds proides the ost positie eperienesee people report beng appy alert soiable, heeul

movated his is especialy te of teenagers but it alsoholds fo etied senors i eir sevenes and eighes The

OW WE F WEN DOING DfREN NG 4

iportane of iendships on welbeng s diut o ovees-mae The qal of ife proves imensey when ere sat least oe oer person who s wlng o isten to ou oues, and [ suppor us emoonally Natoa sueys dha when omeoe lams [ have ve o more feds wihwhom they can discuss impota poes hey ar 60 pecen moe ikely say a ey ae "very happy.

Epeee whle wih the amly ends be aveage ot

as good as ih frends, not as bad as when aloe Bt ths av-eage s aso he sult of wide swigs one can ge etremeyaggravacd at home oe moen and be thoroughly estatithe net On the job adults tend o have greate onena-tion and ognitive involvement but they ae more motvatedwhen at hoe and are happier thee he same holds tuefor children in shool opared to hoe Faily embesoen experience heir nteractios differently fro eachothe or istance when athers are with their chidrenthey ypaly rcpo positive oods So do ther chldren pto gade Ae\'ard hlden epot increasngly egavemoods when th hei athes (at leas un gade aftewhch there are o daa avaiable).

The stog eets o ompanionship on he uai o e-perene suggest a ivesig psychic ery n reaon-shps s a good way o impo ife Eve the passve,supercia coversaos at a eighhood ar ca stave odepression B for real growth it s necesar to nd peoplewhose opinions ae ineresting and whose conversation isstiatig A ore difult b in he long r even oreefl sill to aqire i th abilty to tolee solide andto even enjoy it

veday life nolds in varios locaionsthe hoe arhe oce streets, and restarants I addition to activities andcopanionships, loaons aso have a ee o he quali

o cxpeience. eenagers, for instace feel bes whe theyare frthest away om adul speso such as in a publc


28/97

4 INDING W

prk y fl mst cnsnd in scl, n churchs, ndhr plcs w tir bvir mst cnfm thrs pcttins Adlts s prfr public pl;cs wr ty rlkly b wt r inds nd nld in lntlisr ctts is is spcilly tr r wmn, fr wmbing t f s ftn m rlf frm ddgwrs fr mn bing n publc is mr n rltd wrknd tr rspnsblitis

F mny ppl driving cr s th ms cnsistnsns f dm nd cnr thy cl it thr "thinng m-cin bcs whl diing thy c cncnrt n tirpblms wtt intrptins, nd rsl mtnl c-ficts in t ptct ccn f thr prsnl ic Onicg slwrkr whnvr his prsnl prblms bcm t strssful jumps int is cr fr wrk nd dswst ntl rcs t Mssssippi Rr H spnds fwhus t picnc sit n t bns, wtching slnt wtrsdrift by n rtus th cr nd b tim gtsm wih h dwn risng r icign, h fls tpc Fr mny ilis, t cr hs ls bcm h cin fr tgtrnss At prns nd cldrn r f

tn disprsd n dirnt rms dng dfrnt tngswn n n ting n t cr thy tk, sing, r ply gmstgtr

iffrnt ms f t s ls thir pclr mtin prfil in rg prt bcs c is t sttng fr difrnt kind f ctvy. instnc mn rpr gdmds wn ty r in h bsmnt whrs wmn dn prbbly bcus mn g t smnt t rlx rwk n hbbis whrs tr wivs mr lky t gtr t d th nd mn rprt sm f tir bstmds in th us wn thy n th brm, wrty r rltvly m t dmnds f fmly ndn t tchn w r ty c n cntrl nd inld in

kg wic is ctiiy t is rtiy psnt ntly njy ckng c mr tn wmn n dubt

W W F WHN DNG DIFN TING

bcus ty d t lss n nt s ftn, nd s cncs d it whn y fl ik i)

thgh mch s bn writtn bt hw th nrnmnt n which n lvs fct n's mind, tr is clly lit systmtic wldg n this tpc Sinc tim im-mmril rtsts, sclrs nd rligis mysics v chsncrly srrndngs tt bst llwd srnty nd isptn. Bddst mnks sld dwn t scs f t

Gngs ivr, hns schlrs wrt n pvilns n picrs isnds ristin mnstris wr bt n thills wt th bst viws n cnmprry Amric, rsrnstits nd crt R& lbrtrs gnrlly sidmng rllng hlls, wit dcks in h rlcting pnds r tcn rss h rn.

If w r t tst th rprts f crtiv hnkrs ndrsts cngnil srrndngs r n th src f inspirtn nd crtity y fn ch rnz Lists wrdswhic wrt n rmntic Lk m " fl tht th rs fturs Nr rund m . . prk n mtinlrctin in t dpth f my su, whic I v trid t trnscrib in msic. nd ign, w wn t Nbl Pri

in cmistr in 1967 sys tt sm f is mst imprtntinsgts cm m wintr trips h wiss ps, whr hntd cllgs rm ll r wrld t ski nd tlkbu scinc f n rds th bigrpis f pysicists likr, Hisnbg, hndrskr, nd B, n gts timprssin tt wit ks in th mntins nd t vi-sn f night ss ir scinc wld nt hv mntd tmuc

mk a crti cng in th lt f prnc, itmight b usl t xprmnt wi ns srndings swll s WiU ctiitis nd cmpins. On nd ctins lp t clr th mind t chng prspctis lkt ns sittin wit frs y kng c;rg f ns

m r fc nrnmntwing t t css rdcring t n's tst mkng it prsnl nd psyclg


29/97

6 fiNDNG OW

aly mfrabl ud be e rt sep i rerdring ne'slife.

We otn hear of ow imporan brhyh


30/97

FNDIG FOW

there might e as srprising revelatins t may turn utthat yu rally like being alne Or that Y ike wringmre than y thught. Or at readng makes YL feel better aterwards than watchng teevisin Or vice versa allthese cts Tere s n law that says we ave t expeienceif in the same way. \Vhat is via is d t what wrksut st i yr case.

FOUR

The Paradox of Work

\k geeally takes up a tird f the time avaiae frliving rk is a strange epeiece: it prvides sme fthe mst inese and saising mments, t gives a sene f

pride ad ideniy, yet it is smehig mst us are gdt avid On the ne hand, rcent svys repr tha 84

ece f erica men ad prcen f men saythey ud cue wrk eve i f they heri ted eghey s hey lger eeded a j O the ther ad,acrding t sevra stdies we peple arc sig;d at rk they endrs he em 1 ws 1 as digsmethig else" mre tha at ay ter tme the dayAther eampe f his cntradictry attide is a k inhich w emet German sca scietsts, usig te

ae srvey reslts develped ppste argumets elaimed ag ther tings, hat erman rkrs dislked wrk, Id ts h diskd t mr ere appier

vera he scnd resnded hat kers nly dlikek ecause they 3re rawasd by the media ide-

4


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fiNDNG fW

ogica ground, an to wo ik tei work lea icis. Te point i that t wa raonabe eince obot concusins.

Bca wok o mpota in tm of t aont oftim it k ad t ntny of c it podc n COcioun, it i na to ac p to it ambgti i oewie to impo t qaiy o if A t tp in tat diction i o biy w ow work activitie od in hi-t, and t contadictoy aue at w attibud t,wic l now affc o atide and pnce

\ok a w know it now i a y ce iica deopmnt ddn' exi bo t gat agicuua outiontat made inni aming poib abot twe touandya ago Ding t peo milio of ya o umanoluion, ac man an wOan poidd fo e and kinut t wa no c tng a wokig omone el; ount-gat wok wa ame!y itgad wi teret o i

In t caca Wten ciiizatio o Grc and Rompioop fctd th pblic opnio about wok, wc

wa at t o b aoid at 1 cot ne wa conided a re ccong o AitOle oy a an wo id notae o work coud b appy Roman pioope agtat "wag ao i ordd and nworthy of r nan ca abo i odid a o t bui o eailing Teidal wa to coqu o by poci land, an n aa o twad o p1 it ctiao by a o nnd mpeia om, about 2 pcn o t maadut popuation did not a to wok y aing attaind aie o idn ty bied at ty ad eac cncn e i pubcan tme t wa om ubtanco t bef: mmb of lig ca ounteed tim o l miitay and amintte d ta elp t

comun and ga room or pona potntia o xpandut ae cntui o a, d cass widw om

H 'AADX W 51

pbic if and ud t m to conm lxu and ntainmn intad

ak, or the mjoriy of pop tt o chnge dicayin Europ about v hndrd ya ago. Ittook anoherqaum jmp wo hundd ya ago ad sl conn chng pid te ight ow Unl thih cnmo enegy o wok dpdd on hmn o nimmuce. Ony w primitive engines, such s wte-mihp t aviat t b. Thn owy widmi with a

aiy of ga bgn o tak o th cho o grniggn, halig wat, blaig ac wh mtal weefogd Th dvopmnt o smgines nd te eectci uthr outioniz th way we tano ngy andmak a iing

ofhoot oh tchnoogca bakthogh ha beentt wok itd of bing see s smpy phycl efot n o o ho col o bt beg


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2 NDING W

i e Unite tates a grm reptaon Lcrasingly, as theocal safe ne is i dnger of unreig popl he owork more oen in arbira condition an without mchecriy abot the fre So een now at the ose o thetwnieth cnry, the eep abiity of work tll haun u\ know it i on o the mot impoa elemnts of olives, yt while we o it w would rather not be doing i

How do we ar thee conlictig ttdes towrd work?n how o young pople thee days a e skils ad d-cpline reqired to do dult prodcie work Tese ues-tios are by no mean rii: "ith ec gnraion workcom n ncreingly fzy cocpt a it bcomeharer for yong people to know what obs wil be wiingfor them whn they grow up, nd lea how o prepare forhm.

L e pa and to a crn eten even now, i huning orsig socete n sa or enesia we cn sil se whatte pae se to e eveywhre se i the world chldrenfrom an early g particpt in thir parens' work andgradually fond themslvs peromig S productive adults

witho mssig a eat along e way A Iit boy ws gvena toy ow at age wo, and he tart practcing ooting rghtaway By or he might be expected to soo ptarmigan, si a rat and from there e graduated w carbou a eali ster wen roug a smilr proreo hepig hewomn o her n grou to cure hide coo ew, a carefor yougr sibling hre ws o eson abot what onshoud o wh on grew uthrc were o options tchooe from thee w oly ngl path t procteaulthoo

e the griclural rvolion mae cities possileaO e ouand years ago peciaid jo tate to appear, egree o choice oened up for young oe

l most o em ended u doig wa ir parent id,whc il a few ceries ago ws mainly farmig was

H PARADX WR

not util the ixeeh ad seeeen ceturies that a rgenmber of yong people begn o mo om arm tocies,c tr heir luck in te urgoning urba econo. ccor-ng o some estimats b} age twle a ay a 80 prcen ofco gils n om pat of Eope hir faer par-es whre oy left o the aVg two year late Noof th job waing in Lono or Pais were in wht nowwou e cale he seric isries chawomen cocme porer, or drsses

The on s ery ierent now Ln a recen sdy waed ; fw housand reresetative mercn ngrswha jobs they epectedc have when they grw up re-sts ar preented in tale 3. \V ithow is at o-ce[S hae unrealtically hig pcatons o ecomingprofeionals: ' 5 pecen of them pect t eco ithrdocors or lers wich is almot ee time hgr thanthe ca proporton o ocrs nd aers n e aororce accordig to 1 99 Ce. ost of th 24 adoe-cens who expct to become pofesioaheteswllao bedsappointd, since tey overstimt thir caces by abot500fo Minoit chilrn from te nner ci look oarto fe

ional carers at the ame rate a et nchilren, espit th fact that the unemploymet rt foyong Africaerican in ome ciie has een nr prc

Th ck of reaism abot re career oons i parter e rpidy cagng ntre of l jos, u i isoce y may yong peopl' isoaion fom meaigulo oppormites and adu workng moel Conrary towhat one migh pct, ;fun teenager ctly workmoroftn in high choo thn poorr snseven thoughth) on't he to. And por o prodctie ta i thehome, e neghorhood, a the communi is uchgreter or ch lrn who growup n wealy and stae en-

romns Tre oe cn actalynd feen year ols woplan o bcome rchtect and who hae leae Odrt n a


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4 fiNDNG W

realtiv's archiectul rm, ho have helpd desgn an tenso to a nighor's house, ho hav iternd wth a localcosucon companyalhogh oveal such opponisar inrequnt n an ner ci high school th most popularnformal c;r counselor as a school ard o hlpedsharp young o nd os ith th gangs ad drctdgood-lookng grs twad so-cald modlng jobs

Accordig to th ESM rsuts i seems hat yog peop

lern thir lders' :mbvlenc oward work ute early. Byage te or elvn, thy have iternalizd the pattr that stpcal o sociy a arg en they a askd to ayhther wha thy ar dong is more lie wok" o morlke play (or like oth" or nithr) sith graders almostnvaral} say hat acdm lasss in school ar ork addoing spots is pay Th nteesg hig s hat wheneveadolesces are dong somthng thy label as work, thypical1y say that wha they do is importa or their future

\atJob Do an eeager pe t Hav

Te tn most frqueny xpec jb, led n ivwi m 389 1 U.S. cn

p Rank % pD Bun Pern 7Lar J 7hr 4 7A 6Engine 6 7 A:un CA Jgi JAr > JO 45

S Adptcd Bi . Csk"enmihly, l {g an Shner ' r

T ARADX WR

eurs hg conetrtion an nduces hgh elf-eseemYCt thy a also less happy and movated a averagehen ha the do is lke or On he othr hd henhey are dog sothng they label as play, hy see it ashaving lo poc and reiing litte conenration,bt ty ar happy and movated. n other ords, the spleen ork hat s eessa unpasan and plasantut usless play, s ell stablshed by late chldhood t dos

g[ even more oonce as adolscts go rough hghschoole he sam adoscnts vtualy start wokig, hey

port xacly h sam patern o xpenc om throrkplae n the U., almost nin out o ten teenagers aemployed sometme during high school a much hghr propotion than n oth chnological advanced cors lkeGmay or Japa hr hre a r opporunes oparttme worand whre parens preer ther hdren spnd s much tme as possle sudying rather than beingdstracted y jos relevat o the ure cars n oursdy, perct of eth gaders ad percet of wehgders hav hld payig jobs usualy serving fas ood, as

clers o salspersons o as a}-strs. \Vhn tccnagrs arcpaged o thi jos, thy rport vy levatd slfstemh} se what thy do as impotant and qrng ga oncntaton. But they ar lss happy han sual (athough noas unhappy as n school, d they dont enjoy thmslvs Inother words, th pattc o amivlc is st y ves sps o hir orng lvs

But wor s deiely ot he wo thing adolesces xperence. he orst coniton hey report is when what theydo is nther lke work nor like pa hen ths s he caseusualy n maineace activties passiv eise or sociaizigtheir self-estm s owst, hat lC do has oimportancc ad li happiness ad motvation a also be

lo avrag et o adolents nethe work nor playtaks up on the averag perce of te day Som csp


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IND ING W

cialy chilren wose paren have lie eduaion feel tlaalf or more of wha thy do is of his knd A person whogows p experiencing mos of the ay as neither imporannor enjoyable is unlikly nd mch meaning i n the tre

The attitude et in he ary years onine to coor how weeprience work during th res of or lives On he ob people tnd se eir mind and body o it< llet and conse-quenly fe tha wha hey do is imporan and feel goodabu themelvs while oing . Y heir motivaion isworse than when hey are a home and so is he qaliy ofheir moods Despt ge dirnes in sala presig andfreedom, managers tnd to feel only somewha more reativeand actve on th ob whe clerial and assemblyline work-ers are no more unappy and dssad

1en and womn owver tend o xperienc work ouside the home n dirent wa. Tradionay, men 's idenyand selfrespec hav been based on he abili obain en-rgy fro he envronment for er own and er famiiess the the safacin a man ges from doing a nesary ob is parly geneticaly programmed or is entirlylearnd from the cltre he fat is a more or lss every-where a man who i no a proider is to ome exen a mist\"omen's sefestem on e er hand has raditionalybeen based on heir ability reat a physical and emoionalnvrnment siable for he rearing of chidren and thecomfort f grownps No mater how enlightened we haveeome in erms of ying o avoid hes gender sereopeey are far from gone Tenage boys till wish o becomepoice ofers reghers and engineer wile girl ookforward to becoming omemars, nrses, and eachersal-houg girls nowadays also epec o become professionals,such as doctrs and aers a a ra at is even higer thanfor boys

. .

Bease of th dieren ro of paid work in he psyhJCeconomy of men and women, he response of he two gen

H ARADX WR

ders o hir jbs s generay dffern Laving asie hosestill relativey few areer womn whoe primay identican is wih heir jobs most women who work at ceri, servce and vn manageria opaions end t hink of hroside job as somehing hey want t do raer han someing ey have do Work i more vounay for manywomen; i is more like pay, omehing hat they cld akeor leave any of em feel ha whaever happens n e j obis not ha imporanand ths paradoialy ey can njoy more Evn if ngs go wrong and ey are laid o iwill not hurt their seleseem. s opposd o men their elf-image depends more eavily on what happen o eir fami-lies. Having a desie parnt or a hid who has rouble insool is a mch greater load on heir minds han whaeveran happen at work.

A a rel, and especialy in comparison wi e workhey have o do arnd the houe women genrally perience empoent more posiivey han mn For nstance inan ESM sdy condced wil couples where both parerswoked Reed son found ta women repored reaivelymor posiiv mons tan men wen doing cerica work

computer work, saes, meen6 woring on phone readng wrkreed maria and so on he only jobrelaedaivy womn cprined le poitivey han men waswhn lC wored a home on projes brogh back frmhe oe no dob ease in hose siatins they fe re-ponsible also for he hosehold task in addtion o hose r-laed he jo

The doe jeopardy a .nily and a arer imposes an be

a eavy brden on selfstm of women n a sy ofmohrs of smal children who wrked ete im partim or only a few ours a week nne es found tha heigest levels of sefesem wr rpored by women whoworked eas, and he lowst by those wo worked mos

this despi h fact that al women enjoyed worng sidefor pay more than hey enoyed woring a home Again this


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8 FNDNG W

nig suggsts h ambi os maing of slf-stm.Futim, profssoal wom w fams mght havlowr sfestm ot baus thy a accompishig ssbt bcaus y xpct mor fom thmsvs than thy capossibly dvr

Ths isss brg to fous how arbtrary th dvso isbtw wok do for pay ad hoswor wom hav traiioaly xpctd to do for thir famls EsBouldg ad oth soca oomsts hav potd outmata wor might ot b producv but f it had tob pa for as a sri th b would clos to th GNPh cost of mohrs' urrac of hld car of t siooig cag ad so foth at th mart at woud doul th atoa payroll ad prhaps rc us to adopt a morhuma oomy th matim howvr whil doghoswor may bostr a marrd womas slfstm tdos ot otribt muh to hr motioal wllbigCog shoppig rvig th amy aroud ad carg fohild ar acompai by oly avrag motos clag th hOLs claig th th dog ary xg th aoud th hous ad baag th hbooa gray amog th most gatv prs awomas day.

r has svr dawbacs but its la is wos h cit phosophs had uh good to say i favor of dssbut what hy had md was th idss o a adowrwth may srfs ad savs Wh idlss is orcd o somo wthot a hadsom iom it jst ps a svop sfstm ad gal sssss As Joh Haywth a psychoogist at th Uivs of Macstr hasshow, youg m out of wor v wh paid ativygrous umploym ompsato hav a vry hardtm dg satisatio thir livs I a ompato ofstdis ivovg worrs i sixt atos, Road

glhat foud that 83 pr of wht-ollar wors 77pct of maa wors but oy 6 1 prt of u

PAADX F W 9

poyd s


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6 iND NG W

m immmoria tho ho pad anothr pon agwr not partclaly cocd with h lbng o thmploy t t xtaodina innr rorc t achvow whl dggg a mil blow grod in a Soth frcanm, o cttng rcan on a ltrng paaon En OU nghtd da, i all th mpha o uma r-oc managmnt all too oftn dinttd in howmploy princ wor hrr t i ot rpingthat many o um that hy canno CO o or toprovd h itr rwad i thr lv, and that hy ha at n hy ar o of th fato o o o thyan bgn to hav a good timvn thogh th n otnot to b tr.

Th cond raon complmntary to th rt on b bad l on ontmpora ralty, and mor o th hoa drpt of or whh il tranmd by hulu and lad by ah of a w gow p h notion that dring th Indtal Rvolton o o and ahl ctri ago facto orkr ad o laor ndr ihman ondton. F tim a o rar tha i bcam on ofh mo po f OT. \o aum a f

oly ty had mor o f t thy wold atomaay b hap-p h trad ion oght hrocaly too wok, and th c i on of h bght accomplhmnti th htory of hmanknd Unfor


37/97


38/97


39/97

fND ING fOW

Apparntly or nos system has eoved t attnd extrnal gnals but as not a tme o adapt to long p-os wio bls an dages Fw popl have eo str thr ps nrgy auoomously, om he n-sd. 1n thse succssf soeties whre adt ad tm oe hds boe ctural pras vol to kp thmnd sy These inu mpex ycls of cmonia t-uas danng an ompve onamnts that ocasionaly

la fo days and weeks on nsu s the Ompgames a s[ad towad th dwn of Eopan hstry.vn lakg rligios o estheti actvities at least ahllag proidd ndlss oppoites r gsip a uso; u th lrget tr f th sare men not thewipied t moking thir pipes r ching mldly hllnogn ls a n n kept their mnd rdrthogh ua conversation i ll th par fl-owd y mn t lsur th cofee shops of Mdt-anean r he bee hlls of nothrn rope

Su mtods vdng has n onscousnss wor oa n ee b ey rrey one t a pos ua-t of prn w v sn erer hm beg

best n low, whn thy re ll o n meng h-eng solvng pom dsoverng omtng nw Mostas tht prou low aso have er goas lea immia fbaka t of xa mas tht oseso attenion n make ma o ou kil No thsar atly h otos ha ae mst on lacng rm. rs one ss lsr to engge sprt an3rt rm o a hobby) thn the requrements or will beprnt B j tim ith nthing specc o ngago' attntion ps the ppost w: psychic ntropy ere on eel ltle and apathtc.

O al rtim acvitis are e same O majo dstin-

on s bw ative an p;ssv ire whih ha qutf psologal ft Fo exampl U.S tenger

H SKS AND O OUNIS Of SU 7

eprence o (dened a ighhalng hghskill mome aot pent o th h y spend wah-ng teesion pet o he me hey d os a pren t me ey nved spots an mssee abe 4) hs suggests a bis about two an aa me more lky p a stt o heghe en-joymen an es, a a gCS and spos oree ms mor Y s sa enags spn at lst

for tmes mo o t ee hors whng than oghobies r spor' milar ats a aso tr o aul. \wld we spend o ms o m dong somg thahs less thn al th chan of makng s fl good?

Whe we ask participants o ou sude ths tn,a onsistnt xplanatin bgns ppear. Th typalenag mt that bkng r plng sktball, o layghe piano ar moe noyabl han omng thogh e mallo athng V. Bt thy sy to gt organzed or a basktbal gme tas men hs to chge ths mke

4 Mch [ e Le?

Prg f m each lr ac pr l axa,ah, a ai. Rl a m a 84 US narg abut 27,0 p Tems a did ll:l: high chllngs hh skil; Rlax l hll highsi lls Aah l hlleng, l kl ad Ax g hl-lng l kl

l Ri pa n 44 6 6 obie J4 30 8 9Sializng :0 39 0 "Tg 9 '5Lnng to mui 5 43

lvo wtng 4 8 6" Bidell, CikKnihal)j gs Schir 997 i


40/97

8 fN ING fLOW

aragccn t ake a east hal an hour of of dul prac-tce each im on s down a the piano before i bgn obe n ohr word, ach ohe owpoducig aciiqures an ntial nvesmnt of aeon befoe t begns obe joyabe One need such disposable acaion eeyo eo complex acvtes If a peso i oo tied, anxiosor acks he discplne o overcome that nta obstac, he orshe wll have see for omthJg ha athogh ss -

oyabe is moe accessib.Th s where "passive leisur acvties come n o jsthag out wth fed read a unchalenng book or n h et does o reuire much in he way of an up-rn energy otY does no demad sklls cncetra-on h he cosmpon of passve leisure becomes aloo often the opion f coic not only for adolesces, butfor adults as wel

ab we C


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0 FINDING FOW

ion seems to ave worked It woud o have been eithe hers or the last time ha prig leiue oppoiies kepa communty from uraeig te W h rstsora o the \Ves, he Gk Hoous, decrbes hwAt, kng Lydia i ia Mir itroduced bal gamesome thee ouand years ago as a ay o dsrac hs subjecs whe a ie of d cops caused us in the hungpopuaion. e pla aoped agaist e famine was to e-gage in games oe day o enrely as not o eel any cavigfr food he wroe, "and te next day to eat ad abstain fmgames n hi way they passed eigheen years

A simiar pattern develped in Constantinople during ewanng of the Byzanine Empie To ke ep the ciiens hppgrea chario races wee held in the ci. The bes drivers bcame rich and famous an they were auomaically lctedo the Snat In enral ica bfor th Spaih cn-qus aya eveloped laborat games simiar aket-baU, wich kept specar bu} fr week n ed ourtme disefanchsed miorie depend o pos an e-teraimen a aenue scial molibasketball, baeba oxig and popula music absorb surplu pycic

eney wile proming walth an fame Depending oo' pepece o ca intepet i i O te oppoite ways ne ca see i hes istaces leisure beig used asan "opiae of he masse, o paaprase wat a aiabou reigon one can see em as creave response [Qdangerous siations impeious o more efectve slios

he recor eems o ugge that a ocie begns o rlyheavily on lisrand pll o passi lsolywhen i has bcome incapabl of frig mea igul r-duci upa i nember Thu brad and circus is a pl f l res h popnes he dislin ofoce nly mporarily. Comporay eampl proidesome inigh ito wha apps in suc instances For eam-

pl, many indgeou people in Noh Amerca have lost heoppori o expeiece low n wok and communal life

ISKS AND OOUNIES Of ISU 7

and seek to ecaptur n leure acitis ha mimic healer ejoyabe lifety Young aa me ued o fee aheir best wen ridng ate ir sheep er e esa of eSouhwet o wen parcipaing i weklng cemonaigng and dancing ow at such exprinces ae e reeant, they aemp o recapure ow y driig alcohol andh acing ow e deer highway i soupdup cas.h umber ftac faaiies may o e hghr han Oseutai earlier in trbal warfare or wile eperdng butthey seem mre pontle

e uit ar goig thrugh a simlar dangeou transiion ung peopl wh can n longer perience he ecite-men of hunng al and rapng bar theamobile as a tool fr scapig bredm and fcusing on apurposeul gal Apparently thre are cmmunie in theAcic that have no roads cnncing em any oherplac, bu have buil miles of roa for the excluve purposeof rag racing In Saud Aabia e poled young cons ofoi barons nd iding camels pass and try o reive teir i-tere by racing bradew adlacs n e trackess deert,or on the ewas o Ryadh. he productv ace

become oo ue and meaigess lesure wil pick up theack wil ake up pogssey more me, and ry on n-creasingly more elaborae arical smulaon

ere a indidual wo cononed wh e teiiy ofheir obs escap productve rsponsibiiies algeher topursu a life of ow in lesue his dos nt necessarily re-uire a ea deal of mony here ar welraied engineers wh leave their job and wash dihs in resauransduring e wier o hey can aod r do rck climbing allmmr here ae coonies of surfr n all he beacswh gd wavs wh live handomouh s 1y can cramin a mch w as possible o ther oar

urala ocial scienis, Jim acbh irwed

doens of ocea alor who spend yea afer yar navigatigamog the slands of e Sou Pacic, many f em ow


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FNDNG FOW

ing nog ecep the boat nto whc hy'v nvested allth saings. \Ve h un out of mony for food o ep, thy Sp i a pot o do odd jos untl they a lns supps, th thy cas of on he ext ouny

was ah to thw o sponsi CJs o a humm ie,e a it advno I had to do somthing with fe esdevegetae," says on of these modn argonaus t wa aae t do one eay g g n m lfe; big ad mmo

rabl, ay anth O in e wods o aoth sao:

Mode clzaton ha found ao V ngtus an aug variet f Ih:lIizd ntrtanent t ttllat uss and hlp u ap fo th pprn bdo the ah d sun and wnd and tas. Sag ns toth ancnt ltes

ndvual not aandon jos altogeh, ut shitthc emphass fom work to eisu as he ceneof ther lves.Oe eo ok cbe dss xhilaatng 1f-dispin f h p a anig fo et of lfe you wnse as oug tat a agains youself . t cmseasie to w te batles te world." And a

oher fomcbusinman who movd to e mounans t b a ane

I woud ha ad a gat da o money in orpat liu I ealied o day that I wan't njyng t I wa'thavng th nd of expeienes tht k f ewadng SlW tht l poties wr mixd up spedng Is fmy hr i the f . . . . The yes w sppg y. Injoybig carpent. I liv whre it's quit ndbeauti- and I lm most eey ngt e ht y wn relaxaon and albltywll man mo to my f.ulliy thanh ata thng I an no lng them

e ca mo fom busissman c3>t is an ample of e n of cav adust tt som people

RISS AND OPPORUNIS EISURE

ab o rng h es hey seah u thy nd a poduve endeavor ha also aows tem uld as mu Aow apib ito vs h oe opios sm ss sash s s t muh o ms by ecoming a wkh by scapg no lsu ful tm ot f us hwee a cotnt companali ou c io bing b and outinertanmt n esng xample of hw lw e out ofwok and nto lsu s pdd n th udy oan An m

muny y nnela Dll Fa and auso Main of thUnvit of lan hy rwd f-s memes o atd my Pont rnta a mo muntan lagewhe pepl hv as lesi e


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7 NDI NG OW

The oldest generaion repoed the ms equent ow xperenes, and e majori o he volved wk: ung hay he meadws, xing he ba, bakig bread g cwsworkng n he arden. The mddle eeao-whh uded he ewee fo and sx year old-epored equalaons of ow o wok an m leisue avtie such aswathing movies, going o vaaons, readg , or sngThe ndhidren in he yongest geneao she a pa

en ppoite o a o er granpaents: hy pted theeest ccurrences w an mst o it came m leue.Daning, moryle acing, an watching were sme oe mst en avee enjment. (igre oes noshw hw uch low each roup repe; nly h hepercentage w hat a reprte n iher wrk r leisure)

N all he generanal ierences in P Trenaz aedue o social change Sme t is a feaure o oal deveopmenta paer ha ever eerao pae hoh:yon pope ar aay mre depnden fr enoyment onaa rsk an smuatin Bt i ao era hahee oal deree are aed oune undegin a and eoo ao uh ae he

olde gnaions si nd a angl hal ng in adnal podce a, herea he hdren and ndhldre neanly bored by wha hey ee a rreevan chore o eeane a a ay of avoding phi enpy

In the Uned Saes traitna cmmuntie le heAh ad he Menoe hae een ae eep ok andfw frm tin spd. the evera rtines thrfarming life i icut t kn hen wrk stps aneiur bgin Mt fr ime" activitie uh a weaing,capent singing r reading are uel an pucive eher n a 'teria sia r spirita cr thisachievement has een a he prie remainng ebald namber a ere areed a a poin o echnlgca and

pirita devepmen tat ow ee uan I h he nlyay peseve he ne o a jol and poduve exis-

T ISS AND OPOUNS ISUR 7

ee? O is it psse t renvnt lf h: neshese tras hn ontnng evln chane?

To ake he e ue o fee o need devoe asuh ingenui an aenton to as oe ould o one' jobAte esre ha hep a peson ro does no oe as.In he pas lsure as jused base it ae peopl an oppon o experment ad o deveop skls. n a beoreee and he ar beame pofessionalzd a grat ea f

scenic research pet painting ad musical mpsitionas aied o n a pen' re i Gregr Mene ih amus genei primns as a hbby BnaminFrankin as e b interest n a b escripon o grindlee an xpriment it lightn ng ods Emily Dickinsnrt her supe pet t cra ord n he n lifeNwady nly xpets arc pps be eeed n chiue; amaers ar rded r enwring ino eld reeedf te speciais But amaeurtse who d somehingbeaus hey loe o do add enjent and interest thr on ie ad o everody eses.

It nt js eaodinay nddual h a ae tmake eatve ue o ese_ I o at-te sng h ab

r, he poer ad aings ha ah ule parula dn ad reon he rt f Omon popletriving o xess he bes kl n he t re omrk and maintenance che It is icut o iaine ho the u be i acor had ued ee imesimpy f passi enrann nsad ndng n anpprtnit xpre eauty and knldge.

Curenty aut perent ofall he nnreneae energye useeleccit gaie paper an meal prous-ieig se primari r leue. Cosruin an watengg cue, prn ng 1gazins, yig es t acatin re-srts pucig an isiuig shs, building an fu-eing pweboats an ss takes a good dea

planetary resuces Ionically it seems that h mh happiness and enoyen e ge ro lese as no reaion a


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76 'INDIN G fLOW

lli nything, '1egivl ltoto the amou of mar-il erg onsumed whie doig it Lowkey acviies thaeqe nvsnets of ski knowedg nd emoos on orpa re jst s ewdng s hos ha s up a 10[ of eqipme and exnal eneg istead o ou ow psyhic enegy.ving good coneaon gadenng adig poer, vo-uneig n hospitl or eaing somehg new exhustfew soces and a leas s eoybe s thngs ht on-

sum tn times s many eosJst as he excellenc of an indvidul le depnds to a

larg extent on how free time usd, so he qaliY of a socie hnge on what it


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SIX

Relationships and the

Quality of Life

\hen hinkng abou what auses the est and he wostmoods n lfe, chanes ae yo wold thnk of othe people. Alor or spouse can ma yo f wnely aed but asoitated and depessed; hlden a e a lessing < pan; awor fom he bss can mae ak a ay Of a l he ngswe nomally d inteaon with othes s the least pedctable At one mom t s ow the ne apathy 3etyeaxaton o edom Bease of the power a nteatins hae on ou mind lnians hae deeped foms ofpsychtherpy that depen n mamizng pleasant enontes wth thes Thee s no out that well-eing s eeplyane to eatonshps and ha conscosnss esnates tthe feeda we eee frm he peope

Fo eaple, Saah one of he peple w sdie with heEpeence Samplng Meho, a 10 on a Saay mn

RLATIONSHPS AND QUALITY 0 L 9

ng was stng aone n he then havng akst andeadng pap hen the page signaled she aed hehappness 5 on a sa whre s sa an ery happy henthe net sgnal aed at I : sh was sll alon soking agrette saddened y the hoght a he son was ao oe away t a difeent ty Now he hapiness ha fallento a .

.

At 1 :0 n the aenon aah was aone amngth lVng rom happiness dwn t I . By : P.M she s n

the akad swmmng wth the gandchldren happiness sa perfet 7 ut ess han an ho ate, as she s ang thesn ad tng ead a ook whil he ganhiden splashh Wh 'atr he happness ang s wn [0 2 agan "MydaghJIlaw should ae hose at n han mo" shwes n he ESM sponse shet A we moe hugh theay, hnng ao people and nteang wth them payonstant s on o moods

mst soetes pepe epen on the soal ontet o anen greae etent han in he tehnologcal est e eiee that h ndida shu e e ee eeop hs ohe ptential and at leas sine Rsseau we ae me to

hink of se as a peerse obsale o pesona llmenLn onast the adtional view, spall in sa, as eentha th ndval is nothng ntl shapd an enedhogh ntaton with othes nia pvs one of theleaes eamples of how his woks. he assa Hndu cue

has taken gea pans o nsr that m inany t od

age memes onfo to appopa deals of ehaioe nd

pesn s pded onsiosy and eleraty

dng a sees f cletie eens hese evns ae sa1l-:ka, l )e as that are ndamental and ompsoyI the f f a n, wtes ynn ar Sms help oshae de a aduts y ging the new ules f ndut or eah sesse step n ife.

h nda psyhoaalyt adh Kaa wt half facetiously kar a he rght te at the gh time:


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8 FINING FOW

The concpualizaion of e hman li cycl fodingin a erie of tag, wih ach ag having i uniqu"ta and he d or an ordy pogio thoghhe ag i an blihd par of raditiona Indanough . . o o h maj or hrs of hee ril h egadual ingation o h child ino ociy, wih h a i wr, baing im o a meadmovmn tha ak th child awa rom h oiginalmohr-ifan mbioi ino he ldgd mmrhipo h commuiy

But ocialaio no on hap bhavior i alo moldconcion o h xpcaion ad apiraon of te cr, o ha w el ham w hn oh ob our ailingand gui whn w fe ha w have lt oh down Hroo clur di normoly in m of ow dp hl dpnd on inalied community epcaion; or inanc Japan hav everal wod to dcri n hading o dpndnc oblion and poibiliy h ardcul to ranla ino Englih beca i ou ocial nvironmnt we hav no larnd o perienc uch ling o

e am n n pa accordng o Shinao Ry, a percpive Japan journali h pical ndividual "wan ogo wrevr oth go; even whn h go o he bach wim h avoid h ncowdd plac bu chooe a powh popl ac praccaly on op of o anohr

i no difcult o wh w are o nmhd in ou ocial mili boh mnall and pyicall v our primarlaion h ap ha live in Aian jungl and avanna av larnd ha n they a accpd b h opthy wo' liv long; a oitary aboon will oon all p tolopad or ha Our anc rald a long ime agoa hy wre ocial animal tha y depndd o hgrop no ony or protcion bu alo fo laing h amn

ti o lif h G wod idot original man omonwo lived b himl i wa amd ta c of om co

LAONSIPS AN QUALIY O FE 8

ny intactio uch a pron wold b mall incompn n conmpoay pliat ocii hi nowldgi o deepl ingrained ha a pon who li o ao iaumd o be a wi or a nomal po wod no chooo lav company o oh unl orced o do o

cau ntcio a o impoa o kping concioune in baanc i mpoa to udad how hyaffct and o a how o urn hem no poiiv ahhan ngativ pinc

Awi verting ele one can

no jo raionhip for f \V m xpnd a certainamou o pchic nrgy o ap hr bn f w do ow nding oulv in th ho o a chaac in who cocldd ht ll wa oh popl

laionhip 1 lad o ord i coco iadof pychic nropy ha o mee a lea wo condion Th o nd om compabiliy bwn our goal and ho he oh pon o pon Thi alway dicul npricipl, given ta ach pacipan in th acion ibond o puru i or her eiert Nvthl inmot iaion i on loo o i on can dicove a a ahrd o hard goal h cond codition for a ccel

nio ha on b willing o inv antion in teoh pon goalnot an a a ihr conidingtha pchic energy h mo nial and cac rorcw own \Vhn hee condon a m, i i pobl o gt mo vaa rult rom bing wih ot popoxprienc h ow tat com rom opmal nacion

h mo poiiv peienc pop por ar alhos wi ind Thi epecially u 3dolcnt( r ) bu i rmain u alo n t la a oif Popl ar gnrall mch happ d more motivatedwh wih find gadl o wha ty a doing vdig and ouhold cho which dpss mood wh

don alone or wih h fam com poiiv princwn don with riend i not diic o wh hi


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8 FNDNG FOW

shouJ e te ase. \t frend the ontons for an optma nteraon ar say mamze We oose them bease we see ther goas as ompat wth Ors, an thcreaonshp s one of eqaty Frienshps are expete oprove ma enes wth no eterna onstrants thatmght ea expotaton eay frenshps are never stat: tey prove ever new emotona an neetua smuaton so that the reatonshp oes not fae nto horeomor apath W t nw thngs atvtes an avenres; weeveop new atus as, an vaes we get to owens more eep an ntmate Ve man ow atvtes are enjoyae ony n the shor run, ease ther hangs ar soon ehauste frens offer potentay nntestmuaton throughout f honng or eotona an nteetua ss

f orse, ths ea s not aheve ve on Insta ofpromotng owth, ensps oten prove a safe ooonwhere or sef-mage an e preseve wthot ever havngto hange The spera soaty of eenage peer gropssuuran us an ofee kthes professona assoatonsrnng es, gves a sootng sense of eng part of a-ne st of peope wthout emanng effort orgrowth n naton of ths trn s shown n r where we see that onentraton s usuay sgan owerwt frens tan n sote Aparent mena effort rar nvov n ypa fren eratons

In the worst ass whn a prson wth othr os somes to epen exsve on other rootess nvas foremotona supprt frenshp an e estrtve Urangangs enent gups an errs es are usuay maep of nvuas whher eause of her own fa orease of rmstaneshave not fon a nhe in anyommny an hav ony eah other to onrm ther entts n sh ases grow aso happns as a rst of lC rea

tonshp fom the on of vew of the major s magnant growt

RATIONHP AND TH QUAY OF F

Figu How Teager Quai of Eri Chag Dire

Soa Co

Srng COlce!on Mv0; ,0 4+-0)+0.'+-0'-

o01

-0.2

00=- n \ P W frnd

The 0 oint i ts !1 fr h ava quly ofexerie r-rted thogu t wk. lings of ines n ngh vy siniintly wors lone, an beer wit friends; mtit i veryigl wit ns. Sml tens are hid om llESMuie, wht wih dul o n in hi ounry o bro

izniyi n L 84

ompare to the othe man fcaus of soa nvronment however, frcnshps ofcr O e most emoonarewarng ontxs n UC mmeate present, an the greatestopporues for eveopng one's potena n the ong ontemporay fe however, s not vey sutae for sustanngfrenshps In me atona soees a pcrson remans nonat hroghout a of hs or her fe wh the ens man hhoo e geographa an soa moy n ente States s hs amost mposse ur hgh shooens ar not he sam as se we mae n grae shoo an oege ienhp are resue one moe en oneoves om one jo to another om one y to C next, an age transn rnshps eome vr more speraLa of u ns s oen the man ompaint of peope onontng an emotona rss n te seon haf of fe


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90 FINDING FLOW

nice dy essrs us tht we exist ecuse othe peop no-ic us nd are cncened ot o welfare. hus te fn-damentl uncion o even the most rone encountes srni 7liltf1n1c, whc s ndspensal es conscosnessdsintea intO cas

In ne wi suc easons people in gne port mucowe moods when one than when ey ae wi otesThey ee ess appy less ceerl less stong nd mOCoed, more passive more lonely The only dimensin f e-perinc ha tends to e hger one is concenttin\hen irst ring bot tese ptterns, many tlOghtpesn e incrdos: Ths cnot be tre," thy sy, "/lov to be n nd sck Ot soide when 1 cn" I n fct iis possib t e to k solit, but it oes nt cme easiy If on is an rtit cienist or witer; or if one has ahbby r rich inner ife, ten bing lone is not ony en-joyable bt ncssay Reatively few individas owevermste the mentl oos tht wl mak is possile

Most peple as ovrstme teir aiy tolJ sode se nduced n Gmany by Elzbet Nol-eumnn shows e amsng engs o wic we go odlud orsees in hs respec She showed tousand espondnts O pres of a mountan andscpe. ne pc eturd a madow cowded wi ies e o hesme scene bt wih only a few people hen se asked wOsions e ft ws: n whc of these wo pa(eswd you prr t spend your oidys? Abo 60 pe-cent chos th dsd medw nd only 34 percen hecwded on h scond questin ws n which o tesetwo pces d y think most mn would prfe spend thei hoidays" thi, 61 pecent nwered ttte crowded scene wod be their comptriots' fst chicend l pcent he lonely one 1 ere as in mny sima situ-tions, on n lern more bout tre preferencs by isten-ing to w pople sy others wnt rathe han

to whattey am tey w1t thmselves

REATONSPSANDTHQUAn OFLIFE 91

Hhhrwe likeslide orn however inour mes wemst babeo pt upwith som o it t s dctto eanmath o pcice the pin pgam 1 compt rgur t e prpose o ne's ife whn r pepe arearnd The concntraon eqed rdr ugs inconscosness s easiy irpted bY ; exrnouswod, byhe ncessy o py ttntn to ;oer psn Tus wefind tdoescn whofeel that theymstalwys bwithfriendsand e re us

ul) youngrs whose famiesprovid ittl emtona suppoend nO hv the p-chic energy ncessa} for compl eing ven wth pior menl ptitd the dd of solide pvnts thmfrm dveopingtheir talents.

Ifit is tett oneiness ha bna constn thet toumnkind, strngers hav been no less of a proem Genery we ssme ht pople who dier rom by nsiplnage, race reigion, education, social csswl havegas at crssprposs from ors and erfore mus bewched wi suspicion. ay umn grous usuay assumed aey we he nye humans, nd those whodidnosae

theculewere notEventoggeneticalywe ae al lated ctural drnce V seed to ren-orceor isoonomechotr.Becse f tis wenever differen gups hvcome into

contct tey have been t fn ble t ignre chthrs umnity nd re e ter" as an nemy tt incsf nedcdb dstroyedwtht OOmch compunction is is tu not nyof eadhnters in Nw inL f osnn Srb nd Msims, is Cathoics ndPtstnts nd ninny of the conic btween csand creeds brly immring undr th rface fcivilz-tio

herst re mtingpo ofdvese i identis weeh

great cties rse ot eight thsndyears g inmany dieent pas ohe world fom Cin to nd o


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94 FNDING FLOW

direed personalits n urnt psyhologia eseac extoveson and intovesion a onsided e mOS stabpesonai taits that difeena pope fom e othmd that can b iaby measured Usaly ech 01 s tndsto be o o e othe eie ong t nat wth poplut fing lost when alon o nding deight n solitude butnabl o elate o people Vich one of thse 1)s s os liey to ge h bst out of life?

ut sudes oid onsistent eidnc that otgoing,ove peope a happier, mo heeful less stessd,moe sene mo at peace wih msls than introertsTe onsion ses that etrovrswho aoght to e born no madget a bter dal in ife a-and In s case, oweve, I ha soe svations abothow h data ave be itpreted n of the manfesa-tions of xtrovsion is to put a positv sn on thngs whiiovets ae moe po to be resed in dsing henn stats o te qai of xeince ight b siiar inboh goups and on} the eprting iffes

A t soluon is suggstd by th sudy of eave md

vias nsad o ing ith xtr o intovrts s

pop set

prss both tais n pcess goingabot their lives the sterotyp o th "sota gnis is song and does a a basis in fat ftr al onemust gnal be aloe in oe to wie pain o do ximents in a labrator Yet over and ov agan cratv indi-vdals stress mpotance o seeng pop, heaigpopl, hangng idas and getting to now anothe pr-so's work. h physist Jon Achad heee pessesths poin wh gat dietnss: f Yt don't kick thingsaou wth peop yo a out of i Nobody I aways syan b ayboy without somboy eing arund

noer otanding scintis Fman Dyson pessswth a nac opposte phass of this dotomy i

his wor He poin t the doo of his ofc an says:

LAIONI PS AND T H QUALY OF LlFi 95

Scice is a vy gaius sness i essenially thedffenc beee havng ts door op and avig t su \A/ 1am doingsince I h'Ve t doo opn . Yo want o b al cilC time talingwth pople . b-caus i is oly hy iterangwih ot pople that youge anyhing inesting on t is esential a commnalentpis The a new thngs apping al the mand yo should kp aast an kep yoslf awar of

wa sgoing on. You msbe ostanlyakig. B, ofous wriingisdient. Vn Iam witng hav tedoor sht andenthe oomh soundcoms thogh,so v o wn I am wrg I go and h i he li-bra It is . solitay gam

on R theCEO of Cico who has led his companyscsflly hugh som bunt ties, as ult t alao been nnedrecte reon and intnse so-ia intactio into his daiy tin

I'l an ay moing y J gt p at ; always ge ot oth sower abo 530, ad I tplly y o wo ihr a

hom or a ofie a thats whn I o a goo bi ofmy thinking and pioi setting . I t o kep a ea-sonaby ie uni 30 o 1:. Then you gt nolved in los of tansations. If you a chairman o theopany i like ng a trbal iftain People come itoyou oe and alk to you

Even n the v piae am of he ats e abiity to i-trat is ssnial he sclo na oltn desibes wlth o of soabili in r wo

ou ally cm' wok entirly alone in you place Yowant to a a low atis com an tal things oer wth

you: "How dos that si yo Y ha to have somSOT[ of eback You an sing etily by


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96 FINDING flOW

yoursel . tn cvennally yo now wn ou -gi to show yo have o ave a wl neork You havt gt to know gal popl you hav to gt t owole wo work i o d who are inolvd And ouay wat to d ot whee yo wsh t e par o i ornot part it ut yo annot hlp eing part f a l-lowshp yo now?

The way ths rative ndviduals cofro lie suggststhat i s ossbe to be bo extroeted ad nvrtd ath sam tie In fat xprssing t ll rag fro innr-o ouer-dieede mig be the omal way of bng -an. \"'at is anoral is to gt oed n at on o th endsof this onnum, and ern ife ony as a gegao,o onl as a soltar big Cetaily temeame ad so-ialization will ush uS in one or t thr diretio and af-te a wh i beomes easy o a i wi these ondioigfrcs and lea to rlish itr soial intraion or soldut no oh. To do so owevr rtais the ful rage owhat humans an eerene, ad diminshes the ossitiesof joyment in lif

-=SEVEN

Changing the Patternsof Life

Aew years :g acihy-ree-yar-ol a wr

eone

of mt tuhig lttr I :vever rivedfr areadr.Aftr " rld \Var I, wrt he had a sldie in thld artile stained n the Sth hy ed hr tpdl th gn arriag and ater nuvr they oftn -hhd thm adplaydgae pDrngho gaehclt


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10 NDI NG OW

a was so amazing aout Linus Pauling is ta even atiey yeas of age h kpt he ethusiasm an ciost o ayoug chl Evehng he d o sa

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Finding Flow the Psycho

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