Taiwan November, 2006 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD Quality of Life Research Center Claremont...

TaiwanTaiwanNovember, 2006November, 2006

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhDMihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD

Quality of Life Research CenterQuality of Life Research Center

Claremont Graduate UniversityClaremont Graduate University

Claremont, CAClaremont, CACOPYRIGHT © 2006 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

1. Small “c” or private creativity, which enriches one’s life without necessarily being recognized

2. Big “C” or public creativity, which changes the way a culture sees the world, understands how it works, or goes about living.

• Is rare

• Is socially valued

• Is pursued to completion

The Lotka CurveThe Lotka CurveContributions to Scientific Contributions to Scientific

LiteratureLiterature60

50

30

40

20

10

0

5 10 15 20 25 30

Per

cent

age

of C

ontr

ibut

ors

Number of Publications

1.General Model1.General ModelSe

lects

Transmits

Information

Culture

Domains A

E

FC

B D

Soc

iety Fields

A

C B

E

Produces Novelty

Genetics & EnvironmentPersons

A

CB

DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE WHEN WRITING POETRYWHEN WRITING POETRY

““ You're right in the work, you You're right in the work, you lose your sense of time, lose your sense of time,

you're completely enraptured, you're completely enraptured, you're completely caught up you're completely caught up

in what you're doing…. there's in what you're doing…. there's no future or past, it's just an no future or past, it's just an

extended present in which extended present in which you're making meaning…”you're making meaning…”

Poet Mark Strand, 1991Poet Mark Strand, 1991

““ To go into a dark room and look To go into a dark room and look through the microscope and see through the microscope and see these glowing objects which may these glowing objects which may be moving around or may be be moving around or may be stationary, and in different colors stationary, and in different colors – it's a video game, if you will. It's – it's a video game, if you will. It's just beautiful…I can sit in front of just beautiful…I can sit in front of a microscope for three or four a microscope for three or four hours at a time, just looking at the hours at a time, just looking at the material and analyzing it….I can material and analyzing it….I can be very disconcerting to other be very disconcerting to other people in the degree to which I people in the degree to which I can concentrate on something can concentrate on something and not pay too much attention to and not pay too much attention to what's going on around me.”what's going on around me.”

DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEDESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEWHEN DOING RESEARCHWHEN DOING RESEARCH

Cell biologist Joseph G. Gall (1991)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

– Attention is focused on a limited Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.concentration, complete involvement.

““ Concentration is like Concentration is like breathing: you breathing: you

never think of it. never think of it. The roof could fall in The roof could fall in

and, if it missed and, if it missed you, you would be you, you would be

unaware of it.”unaware of it.”

Chess player Chess player (Csikszentmihaly(Csikszentmihaly

i, 1975)i, 1975)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEDIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE



– Action and awareness mergeAction and awareness merge

““ You’re so involved in You’re so involved in what you’re doing, you what you’re doing, you

aren’t thinking about aren’t thinking about yourself as separate yourself as separate from the immediate from the immediate

activity. You’re no activity. You’re no longer a participant longer a participant

observer, only a observer, only a participant. You’re participant. You’re moving in harmony moving in harmony

with something else with something else you’re part of.”you’re part of.”

Rock climber Rock climber (Csikszentmihalyi(Csikszentmihalyi

, 1975), 1975)




– Action and awareness merge.Action and awareness merge.

– There is freedom from worry about failure.There is freedom from worry about failure.

““ You feel like…there’s You feel like…there’s nothing that will be nothing that will be

able to stop you or get able to stop you or get in your way. And you’re in your way. And you’re

ready to tackle ready to tackle anything, and you don’t anything, and you don’t

fear any possibility fear any possibility happening, and it’s just happening, and it’s just

exhilarating.”exhilarating.”

Cyclist (Jackson & Cyclist (Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999)Csikszentmihalyi, 1999)






– Self-consciousness disappears.Self-consciousness disappears.

““ You are not aware of the You are not aware of the body except your body except your

hands….not aware of self hands….not aware of self or personal problems….If or personal problems….If

involved, you are not involved, you are not aware of aching feet, not aware of aching feet, not

aware of self.”aware of self.”

Surgeon Surgeon

(Csikszentmihalyi, (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)1975)







– The sense of time becomes distorted.The sense of time becomes distorted.

““ Two things happen…. After Two things happen…. After it’s passed, [time] seems it’s passed, [time] seems

to have passed really fast. to have passed really fast. I see that it’s one o’clock in I see that it’s one o’clock in the morning and I say, ‘Ah-the morning and I say, ‘Ah-ha, just a few minutes ago ha, just a few minutes ago

it was eight o’clock.’ But it was eight o’clock.’ But then while I’m dancing…it then while I’m dancing…it seems like it’s been much seems like it’s been much longer than it really was.”longer than it really was.”

Social dancer Social dancer (Csikszentmihalyi, (Csikszentmihalyi,

1975)1975)








– The experience become its own reward - The experience become its own reward - auto-telicauto-telic..

““ Do it for the satisfaction it gives….This is what I Do it for the satisfaction it gives….This is what I tell my students. Don’t expect to make money, tell my students. Don’t expect to make money, don’t expect fame or a pat on the back, don’t don’t expect fame or a pat on the back, don’t

expect a damn thing. Do it because you love it.”expect a damn thing. Do it because you love it.”

Composer (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)Composer (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)


TO SUMMARIZE:TO SUMMARIZE:DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEDIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete There is full concentration, complete involvement.involvement.





– The experience become its own reward - The experience become its own reward - auto-auto-telictelic..

……WHAT CONDITIONS FOSTER FLOW?WHAT CONDITIONS FOSTER FLOW?

CONDITIONS OF THE FLOW CONDITIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

1.1. There are clear goals every There are clear goals every step of the way.step of the way.

““ It’s self-catalyzing…It’s self-catalyzing…the moves create the moves create

each other. The each other. The move you’re move you’re

planning to do is planning to do is also the genesis of also the genesis of

the move you’re the move you’re going to do after going to do after you’ve done that you’ve done that

one…”one…”

Rock climber Rock climber (Csikszentmihalyi, (Csikszentmihalyi,

1975)1975)



2.2. There is immediate There is immediate feedback to one's action.feedback to one's action.

“My reward is hearing what I’ve done, and unlike most composers, I can hear it immediately. That’s why I keep these expensive gentlemen with me.”

Duke Ellington



2.2. There is immediate There is immediate feedback to one's action.feedback to one's action.

3.3. There is a balance between There is a balance between challenges and skills.challenges and skills.

Arousal

Flow

Control

RelaxationBoredom

Apathy

Worry

Anxiety

SKILLS highlow

high

CHALLENGES

HIGH

L o w

Ch

alle

ng

es

Skills H I g h

A B

C

D EFLOW

BOREDOM

ANXIETY

High

DefinitionDefinition

GOOD WORK (GW) is any productive activity that

•Meets the requirements of the craft

•That is socially useful and valued

•And that is personally rewarding

Norman Augustine, former Norman Augustine, former CEO of Lockheed MartinCEO of Lockheed Martin

I’ve always wanted to be successful. My definition of being I’ve always wanted to be successful. My definition of being

successful is contributing something to the world…and being successful is contributing something to the world…and being

happy while doing it. . . .You have to enjoy what you are doing. You happy while doing it. . . .You have to enjoy what you are doing. You

won’t be very good if you don’t. And secondly, you have to feel won’t be very good if you don’t. And secondly, you have to feel

that you are contributing something worthwhile. . . If either of these that you are contributing something worthwhile. . . If either of these

ingredients are absent, there’s probably some lack of meaning in ingredients are absent, there’s probably some lack of meaning in

your work.your work.

Masaru IbukaMasaru Ibuka

The first “Purposes of Incorporation” of SonyThe first “Purposes of Incorporation” of Sony

To establish a place of work where engineers can feel To establish a place of work where engineers can feel

the joy of technological innovation, be aware of their the joy of technological innovation, be aware of their

mission to society, and work to their heart’s content.mission to society, and work to their heart’s content.

Timothy RoweTimothy Rowe

So, if somebody is focused on long-term

success, then they’re focused on

relationships; they’re focused on being

reliable, following through. And, most

relationships are base on honesty.

Taiwan November, 2006 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD Quality of Life Research Center Claremont...

Documents

Transcript of Taiwan November, 2006 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD Quality of Life Research Center Claremont...