Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi; born 29 September 1934) is a Hungarian psychologist. He created the psychological concept of flow, a highly focused mental state. He is the Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management at Claremont Graduate University. He is the former head of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago and of the department of sociology and anthropology at Lake Forest College...
NationalityHungarian
ProfessionPsychologist
Date of Birth29 September 1934
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi quotes about
meaningful business good-life
However, a good life consists of more than simply the totality of enjoyable experiences. It must also have a meaningful pattern, a trajectory of growth that results in the development of increasing emotional, cognitive, and social complexity.
feelings excellent greater
One cannot lead a life that is truly excellent without feeling that one belongs to something greater and more permanent than oneself.
dream real struggle
For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.
giving people leader
If a leader demonstrates that his purpose is noble, that the work will enable people to connect with something large - more permanent than their material existence - people will give the best of themselves to the enterprise
quality consciousness quality-of-life
Control of consciousness determines the quality of life.
miserable consciousness persons
A person can make himself happy, or miserable, regardless of what is actually happening 'outside,' just by changing the contents of consciousness.
skills capacity
One must develop skills that stretch capacities, that make one more than what one is.
community greed quality
If the firms that employ an increasing majority of the population are driven solely to satisfy the owner's greed at the expense of working conditions, of the stability of the community, and of the health of the environment, chances are that the quality of our lives will be worse than it is now.
goal everyday wish
But to change all existence into a flow experience, it is not sufficient to learn merely how to control moment-by-moment states of consciousness. It is also necessary to have an overall context of goals for the events of everyday life to make senseTo create harmony in whatever one does is the last task that the flow theory presents to whose who wish to attain optimal experience; it is a task that involves transforming the entirety of life into a single flow activity, with unified goals that provide constant purpose.
morning goal looks
Wake up in the morning with a specific goal to look forward to.
sake action motive
It is when we act freely, for the sake of the action itself rather than for ulterior motives, that we learn to become more than what we were.
children discipline resentment
Discipline is not always internalized and actually can breed resentment among children.
boredom anxiety flow
A typical day is full of anxiety and boredom. Flow experiences provide the flashes of intense living against this dull background.
goal walks
Goals transform a random walk into a chase.