The Psychology of Optimal Performance at Work: Living in a State of Flow

Most important, in flow, the relationship between
what a person had to do and what he could do was perfect.
The challenge wasn't too easy. Nor was it too difficult.
It was a notch or two beyond his current abilities, which stretched
the body and mind in a way that made the effort itself a delicious reward.
That balance produced a degree of focus and satisfaction that easily
surpassed other, more quotidian, experiences. In flow, people lived
so deeply in the moment, and felt so utterly in control,
that their sense of time, place, and even self melted away.

--Dan Pink, author of
Drive: The Surprising Truth
About What Motivates Us

Learning new ideas and concepts is one of the many reasons I love being a financial advisor and a writer. Both of these professions constantly challenge me to grow and change.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (former head of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago and described by many as the architect of the concept of flow) lists the components of flow in his best-selling book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

As you read this list, think about how important each of these components is to the way you have created the daily work models for your financial advisory practice.

According to Csikszentmihalyi there are eight components to experiencing flow. They are:

1. The chance to actually complete the task

2. The ability to concentrate on what we are doing