Engagement (Flow) & Happiness
Happiness Encyclopedia XVII from the Happiness PhD Project...
While you can think of the many positive (and of course negative) psychological states possible in any given moment, the concept of engagement, or “flow,” is somewhat distinct.
This refers to a state that is not necessarily “good or bad” but more a feeling of absorption. When you become one with your activity, time slips away, and you lose your sense of “self” – this is flow.
And it seems this, too, brings happiness…
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a psychologist who pioneered the concept of flow states. (1)
He grew up in war-torn Europe, where he observed that many adults were unable to live meaningful, happy lives after losing their jobs, homes, and security during World War II. This early experience led him to ask what makes life worth living. He explored philosophy, religion, and the arts but eventually discovered psychology, almost by accident, after attending a lecture by Carl Jung in Switzerland.
Early in his research, he made a surprising discovery. While material wealth has dramatically increased in the U.S. since the 1950s, levels of happiness have not. Once basic needs are met, further material gain does not seem to significantly increase well-being. Realizing this, Csikszentmihalyi turned his research toward moments in everyday life when people feel truly happy. He began by interviewing creative professionals – composers, artists, scientists, etc. – who described moments of deep engagement in their work. Their testimonies didn’t highlight fame or fortune but emphasized that the activity itself felt intrinsically meaningful and satisfying.
He found that during these moments, people often described a feeling of “ecstasy” – not in the euphoric sense, but in the original Greek meaning: stepping outside oneself.
This led him to outline the concept of the flow state – an immersive state wherein one dissolves into their present activity. When in flow, attention is so fully absorbed in the activity that you lose awareness of time, self, and even bodily needs. The composer he interviewed said it felt as if his hand moved by itself as he led the orchestra. Csikszentmihalyi explains this neurologically: our brain can only process about 110 bits of information per second, so when we’re deeply focused, there’s simply no bandwidth left to be self-conscious.
Flow isn’t limited to artists. Athletes, executives, writers, monks, and even friends in good conversation may experience similar states. Across professions and cultures, Csikszentmihalyi found that flow arises when seven conditions are met:
intense focus (often leading to an altered perception of time),
a merging of action and awareness,
loss of self-consciousness,
a sense of control,
clear goals,
immediate feedback,
and a balance between challenge and skill.
Think of playing your favorite sport against a gold medalist or a 5-year-old (neither is very engaging). But if you have the right balance, you are getting immediate feedback (based on the score and the movements of the other player). You have clear goals (e.g., score points), a sense of control, loss of self-consciousness (e.g., you’re focused on hitting the ball), and a merging of action and awareness with intense focus. Finally, the activity is rewarding in and of itself.
He suggests that one path to happiness is structuring more of daily life so it falls within the “flow channel.” This requires increasing our skills or taking on greater challenges so that our attention is fully engaged. It may also mean setting aside time for creative works, hobbies, and activities that pull you into a state of absorption.
See his TED talk: Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2004, February). Flow, the secret to happiness
