Discuss the Concept of "Flow

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The Answer is We feel flow when we are fully immersed in an activity that is important to us—teaching, gardening, writing, creating a new product, or reading to a child. Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi explains that we are most likely to feel flow in situations that have the following characteristics:
• Worthwhile goals. We are more likely to be committed to and excited by a task if we believe that the work is worth doing.
• Challenge. We are more likely to feel engaged in a task if it requires skills that stretch our abilities yet are still within our reach.
Clear goals, rules, and feedback. We are more likely to feel flow if we have clear boundaries, such as goals, rules, and deadlines, which help us focus our attention without being sidetracked by irrelevant concerns. Csikszentmihalyi explains, “It is easy to enter flow in games such as chess, tennis, or poker because they have goals and rules that make it possible for the player to act without questioning what should be done and how.• Periods of concentrated attention. We are more likely to feel flow when we are able to concentrate without distractions for extended periods of time. When we emerge from a concentrated period of flow, we realize that hours have gone by in what seems like minutes. We are not self-conscious or worried when we are in the state of flow because we’re completely immersed in the task.
• Feelings of control. We are more likely to feel flow if we feel as though we have some control over how to do the task. Notably, we’re unlikely to feel flow if the outcome is too easy to achieve. Says Csikszentmihalyi, “What people enjoy is not the sense of being in control, but the sense of exercising control in difficult situations. It is not possible to experience a sense of control unless one is willing to give up the safety of protective routines. Only when a doubtful outcome is at stake, and one is able to influence that outcome, can a person really know whether she [or he] is in control.”
In short, Csikszentmihalyi explains, “The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Optimal experience is something that we make happen. It is not surprising that we’re unlikely to feel flow when we’re engaging in passive leisure activities such as watching television (although we may have other good feelings such as relaxation and rejuvenation). Activities that inspire flow may not always feel pleasant. Indeed, developing a new product, writing a book, or climbing a mountain can be painful, particularly during those periods in which the challenge of the activity temporarily exceeds our ability. But if we believe that the task is worthwhile, are able to focus on the task without distractions for extended periods of time, and have (or can learn) the required skills to accomplish the task, we are likely to persevere and experience flow.
When we feel flow, we reap many rewards. The process of doing the work often feels good. When we finish the task, we feel a strong sense of accomplishment from a job well done. We gain new skills in the process that make us feel more competent and ready to take on more challenging tasks. And feeling flow is highly motivating. Says Csikszentmihalyi, “Once we have tasted this joy, we will redouble our efforts to taste it again.” Another important benefit, says Csikszentmihalyi, is that, “The self becomes more differentiated as a result of flow because overcoming a challenge inevitably leaves a person feeling more capable, more skilled. Our identity becomes more complex. [While we are engaged in flow] our concern for self disappears, yet paradoxically, the sense of self emerges stronger after the flow experience is over.”

Discuss the Concept of "Flow

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