You may have noticed, if you pay attention to my Goodreads Books in the sidebar, that one of my on-the-go books is always some kind of…thinky book. Sometimes self-help, sometimes inspirational/motivational, but more often than not, it’s something with a research/pop psychology vibe.
I love it. Gaining a new perspective, picking up different theories on why the brain does what it does or why people behave the way they do. Just like with my craft/business books, my goal is always to get at least one thing out of its pages.
But one thing I’ve noticed over the years is that all of my go-to authors (Daniel H. Pink, Malcolm Gladwell, Charles Duhigg), reference one name and one book in particular: Flow, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Because his work is referenced so often, I’m super excited to dive into the source material myself.
From everything I’ve read, “flow” is that state of mind where nothing else in the world matters. You are in THE ZONE. Food doesn’t matter. Sleep is unnecessary. Even bathroom breaks are left more or less forgotten.
It is the ultimate state of fulfillment–or, as he believes, happiness.
The whole idea is that happiness and success are not concepts that can actually be reached, they are a side-effect of the optimal experience, of finding yourself in the flow whatever it is you happen to be doing.
It’s a fascinating idea and hopefully one that will help me lose my need for “perfect” and focus on the enjoyment and fulfillment I get out of my work on a regular basis.
I’ll keep you posted as I read and let you know what I get out of this one.
Have you read any non-fiction books recently that have really blown your mind?
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