FLOW

“Flow: the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” The most important common characteristic is the feeling of effortlessness...

1. Action-awareness merging. The person is immersed so much in the activity that his actions become spontaneous, almost automatic.

2. A challenging activity that requires skill, a task we can manage to do with the maximal activation of our skill.

3. Clear goals...it is often difficult to determine the goal in advance.

4. Immediate and direct feedback about the result.

5. Full concentration on the task at hand. One of the most often cited characteristic of the flow experience is that one forgets all other aspects of life. All troubles in life stop existing, all information unrelated to the task at hand is pushed out of awareness temporarily.

6. A sense of control. In the state of flow one does not worry about controlling the situation or activity. He concentrates only on the present, on the flawlessness of the given moment. Many signs indicate that in order to achieve flow, one has to give up wanting to be in control. “Had you not wanted her, you would have gotten her”.

7. A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness. "Somehow the right thing is done without you ever thinking about it or doing anything at all. …It just happens. And yet, you are more concentrated.”

8. Temporarily distorted time sense: It is easily conceivable that escaping the bondage of time in itself increases, or even produces the enjoyment of full involvement.