creativity flow and the psychology of discovery and invention

He argues that creativity needs to be cultivated not only in traditionally creative fields like sciences and arts, but also in business, government and education. Professor Csikszentmihalyi explores why creative people are often seen as selfish and arrogant (even though they are not) and reveals that the idea of the tortured genius is largely a myth. In his bestselling book Flow, Professor Csikszentmihalyi explored states of 'optimal experience' - those times when people report feelings of concentration and deep enjoyment - and showed that what makes experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called 'flow.' Here Professor Csikszentmihalyi builds on his flow theory, profiling individuals who have found ways to make flow a permanent feature of their lives and at the same time have contributed to society and culture. Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi interviewed more than ninety of possibly the most interesting people in the world - people like actor Ed Asner, authors Robertson Davies and Nadine Gordimer, scientists Jonas Salk and Linus Pauling, and Senator Eugene McCarthy - who have changed the way people in their fields think and work to find out how creativity has been a force in their lives.

It comes as close to the ideal fulfillment as we all hope to accomplish, and so rarely do.

The creative excitement of the artist at her easel or the scientist in the lab. Most important, he clearly explains why creativity needs to be cultivated and is necessary for the future of our country, if not the world.'Accessible and enjoyable reading.' '-Washington Times' 'Although the benefits of this study to scholars are obvious, this thought-provoking mixture of scholarly and colloquial will enlighten inquisitive general readers, too.This book is about what makes life worth living. He discusses such ideas as why creative individuals are often seen as selfish and arrogant, and why the tortured genius is largely a myth. Drawing on 100 interviews with exceptional people, from biologists and physicists to politicians and business leaders, poets and artists, as well as his 30 years of research on the subject, Csikszentmihalyi uses his famous theory to explore the creative process. The author's objective is to offer an understanding of what leads to these moments, be it the excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab, so that knowledge can be used to enrich people's lives. Creativity is about capturing those moments that make life worth living.

Creativity flow and the psychology of discovery and invention