On his quest to decode happiness, Mihaly was naturally attracted to people at the pinnacle of the business world, the likes of Masaru Ibuka (co-founder of Sony), and Anita Roddick (founder of The Body Shop). Understanding their way of life helped him complete the puzzle that had confused him since childhood: How some people could cope with the pain of war more easily than others?

One thing common between the business leaders and the people unscarred by wars was that all these people were on a mission. A commitment to something greater than self. And this is where the key trait of flow was clearly visible. None of these people had to push themselves against distractions and adversities. Rather, their missions pulled them automatically. Their curiosity and love for something outside their current skill level kept them going, then be it growing their companies for a cause or simply playing the violin.

The word ecstasy, in its Greek roots, means “to step outside.” If you consider the people above, devoting their lives to bring an idea from mind to reality, it was as if they had stepped outside the world that Mihaly and the other unhappy people were suffering in. No matter what was happening around them, all they saw were opportunities to take one step further towards their goal. There people were living in ecstasy.

For instance, decades ago when “eco-friendly” and “community supportive” were rare terms, and most companies used to take any shortcut to cut costs, Anita Roddick went the other way.

In 1976, Anita realized how companies were hurting both communities and the environment from which they sourced materials. In response, she started The Body Shop, with values like supporting local communities and standing against animal testing. At the same time, her empathy defined a work culture to activate self-esteem in both her employees and customers. The resulting products were surely more expensive, but customers felt her passion and as a result, they were willing to pay higher than usual for her products.

In that era, do you think a CEO blinded by money chase could have thought of this? Only love and curiosity can pave way for bold decisions like this. For Anita, it was never about making money. She just wanted to change the world in her own way, and in that, she succeeded.

From Mother Teresa serving the poor in India to Steve Jobs obsessing over fonts at Apple, flow comes naturally to those who operate in passion for something bigger than themselves. Start seeing the “Why?” behind everything you do, and the rest will follow.

Flow is indeed ecstasy!