Finding flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Quotes VII

-How many people never realize that they can shape their psychic energy so as to get the most out of experience?
-There are so many examples of individuals who overcame obstacles that the belief that the quality of life is determined from the outside is hardly tenable.
-Even at ninety years of age, Linus Pauling kept the enthusiasm and curiosity of a young child. Everything he did or said was bubbling with energy.
-Pauling and others who share this type of attitude like to do almost everything. The only thing they definitely don't like is wasting time.
-Because for most of us a job is such a central part of life, it is essential that this activity be as enjoyable and rewarding as possible.
-They are three reasons why jobs are resented:
1. The job is pointless.
2. The job is boring and routine.
3. Jobs are often stressful.
-It is always a better deal to do something one feels good about than something that may make us materially comfortable but emotionally miserable.
-A trivial job can turn into a memorable performance that leaves the world in a better shape than it was before.
-Small adjustments can turn a routine job one dreads into a professional performance one can look forward to with anticipation each morning.
-Stress is detrimental to achieving flow.
-Only by exercising control can stress be avoided.
-Besides work, the other major area that impacts on the quality of life is the kind of relationships we have.
-Conversation is more important to marriage than sex.
-When people pay attention to each other, or to the same activity together, the chances of flow binding the family increases.
-Only when there is harmony between the goals of the participants, when everyone is investing energy into a joint goal, does being together become enjoyable.
-It is sad to see how often people ruin a relationship because they refuse to recognize that they could serve their own interests best by helping others achieve theirs.
-If top management is filled with greedy egotists the company will eventually suffer for it.