---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Flow is being completely involved in an…"
description: "\"Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitab..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg"
---

#  Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its…

![“Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz.” quote by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg)

> “Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz.”

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Deep immersion in an activity leads to loss of self‑consciousness and a sense of timelessness.

**In simple terms:** Full focus makes time disappear.

Key Takeaway

Seek flow by engaging fully.

Themes

flow mindfulness intrinsic motivation

Mood

calm engaged

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- artistic performance
- sports
- work tasks
- learning sessions

Key Concepts

psychology optimal experience creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- What activities bring you into flow?
- How can you reduce distractions to achieve flow?

A Different Perspective

Flow may be hard to sustain under pressure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [And so, I will be probably, since I am not involved in all the activity, I will have some spare time to devote to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-guidoni/and-so-i-will-be-probably-since-i-am-not-involved-in-all-the-activity/)

[Umberto Guidoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-guidoni/)

> [My own movement of thought is not meant to be a straight point-to-point, linear line of march, but horizontal exploration from one area of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/my-own-movement-of-thought-is-not-meant-to-be-a-straight-point-to/)

[Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/)

> [“I paint the way some people write their autobiography. The paintings, finished or not, are the pages of my journal, and as such they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-gilot/i-paint-the-way-some-people-write-their-autobiography-the-paintings/)

[Francoise Gilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-gilot/)

> [For a long time humans probably were in touch on a deeper level with the depths of their being, unconsciously so, the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/for-a-long-time-humans-probably-were-in-touch-on-a-deeper-level-with/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“The contraction is concentration; the expansion is medita­tion. The movement is thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-egerton-wood/the-contraction-is-concentration-the-expansion-is-medita-tion-the/)

Ernest Egerton Wood

> [I love the women's movement, and I never thought of it as belonging to any particular segment of the population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-love-the-women-s-movement-and-i-never-thought-of-it-as-belonging-to/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Non-operational ideas are non-behavioral and subversive. The movement of thought is stopped at barriers which appear as the limits of Reason itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/non-operational-ideas-are-non-behavioral-and-subversive-the-movement/)

[Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/)

> [I've reached the moment where the movement of my thought interests me more than the thought itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/i-ve-reached-the-moment-where-the-movement-of-my-thought-interests-me/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

> [Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/switch-to-piano-no-really-if-you-like-an-instrument-that-sings-play/)

[Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/)

> [Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/master-your-instrument-master-the-music-and-then-forget-all-that/)

[Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/)

> [I have a theory that musicians recognize each other and if they are destined to collaborate together they will. Mainly, they recognize each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlatko-stefanovski/i-have-a-theory-that-musicians-recognize-each-other-and-if-they-are/)

Vlatko Stefanovski

> [We grew up with musicians coming over jamming. We had tons of instruments. So holidays were always like, 50 people would come over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/we-grew-up-with-musicians-coming-over-jamming-we-had-tons-of/)

[Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/)

> [It was liberating to do comedy. It felt like playing in a jazz band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/it-was-liberating-to-do-comedy-it-felt-like-playing-in-a-jazz-band/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [I started playing jazz by slowing down Tal Farlow records and analyzing his runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-breau/i-started-playing-jazz-by-slowing-down-tal-farlow-records-and/)

Lenny Breau

> [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/)

[John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/)

## More by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

> [“Entropy is the normal state of consciousness—a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable. To avoid this condition, people are naturally eager to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/entropy-is-the-normal-state-of-consciousness-a-condition-that-is/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/most-enjoyable-activities-are-not-natural-they-demand-an-effort-that/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [People without an internalized symbolic system can all too easily become captives of the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/people-without-an-internalized-symbolic-system-can-all-too-easily/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Through learning we grow, becoming more than we were before, and in that sense learning is unselfish, because it results in the transformation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/through-learning-we-grow-becoming-more-than-we-were-before-and-in/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [“Unfortunately, many people find the only challenges they can respond to are violence, gambling, random sex, or drugs. Some of these experiences can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/unfortunately-many-people-find-the-only-challenges-they-can-respond/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [It is essential to learn to enjoy life. It really does not make sense to go through the motions of existence if one does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-essential-to-learn-to-enjoy-life-it-really-does-not-make-sense/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [“Wisdom and integrity cannot be found in any single domain. A broader viewpoint that breaks across disciplinary boundaries is needed, a way of understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/wisdom-and-integrity-cannot-be-found-in-any-single-domain-a-broader/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/for-better-or-worse-our-future-will-be-determined-in-large-part-by/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Many business leaders today view their jobs as entailing responsibility for the welfare of the wider community. These individuals do not define themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/many-business-leaders-today-view-their-jobs-as-entailing/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [The rules themselves are clear enough, and within everyone’s reach. But many forces, both within ourselves and in the environment, stand in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/the-rules-themselves-are-clear-enough-and-within-everyone-s-reach-but/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [When each of these three elements of vision-concern for excellence, for people and for the wider environment-are present, business is transformed from a tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-each-of-these-three-elements-of-vision-concern-for-excellence/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [If an enterprise does not aspire to be the best of its kind, it will attract second-rate employees, and it will be soon forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/if-an-enterprise-does-not-aspire-to-be-the-best-of-its-kind-it-will/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Only direct control of experience, the ability to derive moment-by-moment enjoyment from everything we do, can overcome the obstacles to fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/only-direct-control-of-experience-the-ability-to-derive-moment-by/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Try to be surprised by something every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/try-to-be-surprised-by-something-every-day/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

[Explore all 262 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

## More Action quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/)

[Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

[Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an-activity-for-its-own-sake-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Action"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an-activity-for-its-own-sake-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_action_flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an_1987222.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every…” — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Flow is being completely involved in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an-activity-for-its-own-sake-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/flow-is-being-completely-involved-in-an-activity-for-its-own-sake-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```