BITING THE ANXIETY SANDWICH

There are some behavior patterns people naturally pursue because efficacy feels so good. These patterns of behavior can lead to a mental state called Flow.

Flow is "a specific experiential state so desirable that one wishes to replicate it as often as possible."

The Flow state is one where those in it feel detached from the world. Time changes, slows, becomes different. People in Flow are totally focused and engaged in what they’re doing. Pursuing Flow offers a method of prolonging efficacy and avoiding unpleasant emotional arousal.

The gentleman who coined the term and who originated this field of study is Dr. Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi.

As defined by Dr. Csikzentmihalyi, there are
three requirements for Flow:

There must be clear-cut goals;

Fast accurate feedback on progress towards those goals;

And -- this is the important one, especially for computer applications -- The level of challenge must be appropriate to the user’s skill.