Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, NYT obituary 10/28/21

We can’t afford to become trapped within ourselves, our jobs, and religions, and lose sight of the entire tapestry of life. When the self loses itself in a transcendent purpose — whether to write great poetry, craft beautiful furniture, understand the motions of galaxies, or help children be happier — the self becomes largely invulnerable to the fears and setbacks of ordinary existence.
— Dr. Csikszentmihalyi, from Omni Magazine, 1995

The ‘Father of Flow,’ psychologist Csikszentmihalyi was a proponent of the benefits of intense focus as a path toward happiness.