Week 1 Review questions and practical applications

PVGCO
As you wait for todays class to start:
Try to sit in silence and just be with yourself
List 5 things (or more) in your notebook that you
feel grateful for today

Group 2
1411014
Biplab Mandal
1411310
Nirmal George
1411311
Nished Singhal
1411333 Sumedh Vishwas Vidwans
1411359 Apte Sneha Shivram

Review Question(s): Group 2

To be able to convert work into flow
can be very beneficial to every
individual. However, what
steps/processes should one follow
to achieve that state of flow in
ones work?
Can there be a state when an
individual is neither happy nor
unhappy?

Practical applications: Group 2

Accept that work is not exclusive of
enjoyment (from the Ant and
Grasshopper story)
From the The Paradox of Intention
Prepare goals but dont be attached to them
Invest in effort, not the outcome
Enjoy the journey and be happy before goal
is reached

Work on inner world and outer world

simultaneously to attain flow

PVGCO

Submitted by
Group 3 :
S Mukunda
Anoop B S
Pavel Gupta
Nitesh Lal
Krishnasree Saikia

Question for week 1: Group 3

Assume you are in a relatively more demanding career than others in terms of work
hours, like IB or consulting. You are on a good growth path with a vision of becoming
a partner in the organization. You are also enjoying your work, resulting in a state
where you are experiencing flow. However, this is taking a hit on your personal life
you do not spend enough time with your family and your health might take a hit in
the long run. These are things which you value in life.
When such a conflict arises between your personal values and your cherished vision,
what would you prioritize? Your vision or your set of values?

Practical Implications: Group 3

What is Flow?
We have so far achieved a lot in our lives and we have done so using goals and targets.
We have felt happy only after achieving them and have been constantly advised by our
parents and friends to persevere and not let up until we have achieved those goals. We
have been introduced to the concept of Flow now and also about the paradox of
intention. We are very intrigued by this and would want to know how to detach
ourselves from the goal and still feel happy while doing them. And this happiness that
we derive, would it be because of knowing the fact that we are in the path of achieving
the goals or is it derived from achieving smaller goals set by us to reach the ultimate
goal that is our vision.

Try and avoid multi-tasking as much as possible

Multi tasking reduces the chances of getting into the state of flow. This obviously means
that focus on one thing at a time and then move on to the others. However, we have
spent the whole last year at least if not our whole lives multitasking.

Revisit fables from Aesop

Some of us felt that stories like the Ant and Grasshopper one taught us very essential
moral values which we may have forgotten or unconsciously steered away from during
the course of life. We would like to go back and read them. Even though they are taught
to small kids, they contain more value and meaning than most of what we learn as
adults.

Live in the moment. Target will get achieved in the long-run

This is another interpretation of flow that we thought of. We think that to detach
ourselves from the goal and to really feel happy one must just focus on the present and
keep doing our karma and we can attain our targets in the future.

Group-4 Submission: Week-1

1411020- Hari N P | 1411042- Pooja | 1411043- Prakrin |
1411181- Sivapoorni |1411194- Gowtham|

Reflection Questions: Group 4

1.

Suppose we are in the flow state, and we are at

peace with our inner world. However, at times there
would be various external factors such as family or
work related issues, which would be arising and
disturbing our flow state. What can be done under
such conditions to sustain the flow.

2. We come across autotelic personalities in our daily

lives who are in the flow state most of the times
and we naturally repel them envying their
seemingly happy state rather than seeking their
company which could motivate ourselves to a
similar state. How can we resolve this conflict?

Practical Implications: Group 4

Practical Implication of Single-tasking in attaining FLOW
As discussed in the class, our vision is made up of small
activities that we carry out through the course of our
daily lives. However, when we try to multitask, we end
up getting distracted by one while doing the other and
are unable to reach the flow state in any of them.
Under this situation if we just take up one activity at a
time, and keep all the other distractions away for the
time being, we can reach the flow in all such small
activities while moving to the next one swiftly.

PVGCO

Reflection Question and Practical

Implications

Week 1
Group 4
Nitesh Jain
Suryaansh Makked
Ashutosh Pathak
Vinothkumar

REFLECTION QUESTION
Necessity is the mother of invention! The greatest inventions
of mankind have been made when one has been pushed into a
corner. Discontentment or dissatisfaction with the current state
is the key motivation behind progress and having a vision for
the future. However, the Paradox of Intention states that
happiness cannot be tied to accomplishment of goals. But,
dissatisfaction with the present provides an impetus to work for
the future (eg: Renaissance in Europe after Dark Age). Thus,
how can these two contradictory states be combined to form
the divine state of Flow?
The FLOW model assumes that absence of happiness is
sadness. We believe that there has to be a middle state of
equanimity. A person cannot be truly productive if he cannot
keep his extreme emotions in check.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The practical implications involve defining the
following:
At what stage is our productivity maximum is it
true happiness, or contentment with the current
state, or discontentment, that spurs productivity?
What are the steps to attain the flow stage and
how do we know if we have reached this stage?
What should be the office environment to sustain
and support the state of flow (maximum
productivity and happiness) in individuals?

Submission for Week One

Submitted to:
Prof. Ramya
Ranganathan
IIM Bangalore

Group details:
Pawan Kumar
1411114
Kannan T G
1411162
Kapil Verma
1411163
Yogesh Shivange
1411191
Sashi Kumar C
1411052

14

Summary of Session 1&2

We learnt how one can work for ones future
and remain happy at the same time. Its true
that there are trade-offs between working for
future and enjoying the present. But we got to
know how we can achieve happiness and
minimize stress.
We also learnt about different states of
human mind i.e.
Negative Spiral
Current Reality Trap
Stress and anxiety
State of flow
In fact, we could relate how everyone of us
were in different states at different point of
time. Example, failure in exam, enjoyment of
friendly
conversations,
successful
implementation
work
in previous
We
learnt how oftoproject
achieve
state
of flow
organization,
solving figure)
complex
client
(depicted in adjacent
and
how problem
one can
at some
etc.
do
away point
chaosofintime
mind
(psychic entropy) with
concentration. To be in flow, proper
combination of skill and challenge is very
important. When one with good skill set
confronts with good challenge, one achieves

Acquire skill set

Confront a challenge that

matches the skill set

Concentrate of the job at hand

Dont worry about instant

gratification but take feedback

Achieve flow!!

15

Reflection Questions & Practical Implications

Reflection Questions
1) In life, there can be times when external factors are uncontrollable like bad
health of beloved ones, failed marriages etc and we may not be able to
concentrate on the job at hand. Is the concept of Flow still applicable? If yes,
how?
2) Isnt idea of happiness over emphasized? Sarojini Naidu, in The Souls Pray,
wanted to experience every facet of life before death. Is the idea of Flow devoid
of uncertainty associated with life?
3) Suppose one doesnt achieve final result of the task but is still happy as he/she
enjoyed the task. But this way one cant achieve the long term goal of building a
good career. Will being happy still valid? Can being happy restrict us to have a
career growth
in life as we are contended and happy with our current state?
Practical
Implications
4)
we are contended
with
what
weto
dobenow
and
have
vision
thatmay
is not
1) Sometimes students
take courses
that
seem
easy.
But
these
courses
related
to our current
job.InShould
visionthey
always
professional?
If no,
how we
not
be appealing
to them.
such case,
dontbe
enjoy
reading these
courses
can achieve
flow in theseItcases?
and
fail to concentrate.
leads to bad grade. Rather students should set their
goal and take courses that appeal to them or help them in achieving their goal. In
this way, they will be able to concentrate in what they are doing or will achieve
Flow.
2) In work life, people want to get good promotion and thats why fail to say no to
their bosses for a project that doesnt appeal to them. It leads to lack of
concentration and may not sometime end up with desired result. In contrary, we
should go for projects that appeal us. In this way, we will be able to enjoy doing
our job and will achieve flow.
16
3) Students study hard to get good grades in IIMB. But sometimes they do not get

Submitted By:

Group-9
Deeksha Chugh
1411220
Dhritiman Mallick
1411089
Kalpesh Wani
1411099
Suraj Menon V
1411335
Vishwas Sharma
1411137

Preliminary thoughts and

reflections: Group 9

State of Flow defines a harmonious combination of happiness in

the present, coupled with a vision for the future. But, how is flow
impacted by any perceived failures along the journey?

Is the state of flow always a desirable state?

Many times individuals distance themselves from other avenues of happiness like
friends, family etc. while being in a state of flow.
Can flow divert you towards a narrowed state of self-consciousness?

A common man faces high levels of psychic entropy in his

everyday life. Our thoughts and actions are always swaying from
one extreme (hard work, stereotyped by Ant) to another (fun
and frolic, stereotyped by Grasshopper)

Can flow be lost after failure? Should a person realign his short-term and/or longterm goals to re-achieve flow? Does it depend on personal characteristics?

How can a common person optimize his inner entropy to achieve a fulfilling life?
A state with no psychic entropy Is it a deeply fulfilled, positive state or a numb,
vegetative one?

Is it practically possible to defeat the paradox of intention?

How can a person re-align his/her sense of motivation from the goal towards the
journey?

Few examples and Practical

Insights:
Group
9
Often when individuals, who are deeply immersed

in
experiencing their journey, find failures/set-backs, may
feel disappointed and a need to re-align their goals to
achieve a sense of flow again
For example, Steve Jobs, when asked to leave Apple Inc., re-aligned
his goals to start Pixar
For example, a student may re-evaluate his liking for a highly fulfilling
course, if his performance in few examinations is not satisfactory

Professionals and corporate leaders often get immersed

in their work-life flow so much, that they ignore other
facets of life, which they may hold dear and realize later
on their deathbeds1

Control of senses through discipline and self-restraint,

leads to a state of no entropy. However fulfilling it may
be, a state of no entropy can debar an individual from
smaller surprises in life.

Source: In the corporate world, people with an entrepreneurship spirit exist

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/10/18/the-25-biggest-regrets-in-life-what-are-yours/
often because of their inner chaos and an exalted state of psychic

Group members:
Karan Dhapar
Shiv Prakash
Preetam HY
Somak Bera
Naseef KPO

Question:
As it has been understood from the class as well as the
articles, flow is a state of heightened focus and awareness.
But how can we relate this to attaining happiness (as
happiness itself is dependent on the individual; that is
things which create happiness in ones mind will be
different for different individuals )?