The most important step in emancipating oneself from social controls is the ability to find rewards in the events of each moment.

Repeatedly we question the necessity of our actions and evaluate critically the reasons for carrying them out. But in flow there is no need to reflect, because the action carries us forward as if by magic.

Flow is the process of achieving happiness through control over one's inner life. The optimal state of inner experience is order in consciousness. This happens when we focus our attention (psychic energy) on realistic goals and when our skills match the challenges we face.

People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any of us can come to being happy.

Optimal experience is thus something that we make happen.

To gain control over the quality of experience, one needs to learn how to build enjoyment into what happens day in, day out.

Attention is like energy in that without it no work can be done, and in doing work is dissipated. We create ourselves by how we use this energy. Memories, thoughts and feelings are all shaped by how use it. And it is an energy under control, to do with as we please; hence attention is our most important tool in the task of improving the quality of experience.