Finding Flow: The Psychology Of Engagement With Everyday Life

This book is all over the place. After finishing the book, I took nothing from it, flow was never really addressed in any meaningful way. A better title would have been "I am an atheist". I have no issue with this, but it is shoehorned into each chapter more than flow itself. Very few studies are mentioned and there are next to no real-world examples of anyone of real importance displaying flow as beneficial to daily life, other than a few anecdotal examples.

We read this for faculty book club and even though some of us read this when it first came out, there was much more to be gotten having read it a second time! Importantly, learning how to find flow during leisure time, making that active and fulfilling rather than passive was a significant chapter for me. Generally, the book really gives ideas on how to be happy in work and life. Maybe if more people read it, we would have less hate in the world. People need scapegoats for their anger. But a person in flow has no anger! A person in flow is naturally happy!

I'm writing this about 2 years after I read it and have been applying the lessons to my life. This book is small and explains how to apply the principles from the author's first book to your daily life. Honestly you don't need to read the first book "Flow" because at the end of it you'll be wondering how to apply it and that's what this book is about. The #1 life-changing lesson from this book was to change my attitude about work (ie. my job). If you are convinced (and have experienced) that the state of Flow is one of the best and most enjoyable states of being you can experience then it follows that many people's jobs can be a vehicle for Flow. You can always find ways to be more engaged in your job. But the KEY, the absolute key, is to let go of any thoughts you have that work is oppressive and something to be escaped from. So many of us live for the weekends and vacation and have thoughts that say "I wish I didn't have to work, I want to lie on the beach or play in a band instead". The author suggests a change in attitude which is that, with some effort and initiative, many jobs can be turned into Flow experiences almost daily. And if Flow is one of the best feelings you can have then how amazing would it be to get paid to be in Flow? How can you argue with that? Work is not something to escape. We should not think of work as something we are forced to do. It should instead be embraced and viewed as a vehicle for Flow and deep engagement. This change in attitude has changed my life significantly. He also covers important topics like the difference between active and passive leisure and how to maintain Flow in romantic relationships after the honeymoon period has faded. Highly recommended!!

Outstanding book. Pair this alongwith Drive by Daniel Pink. These two books together provide a blueprint for future workforce development

If you are able to buy just a book your personal development, just buy this. Each sentence comes from experience, experiment, and wisdom. Top.