Concentration on the Task
at Hand
Another typical element of ?¬‚ ow is that we are aware
only of what??™s relevant here and now. If a musician
thinks of his health or tax problems when playing,
he is likely to hit a wrong note. If a surgeon??™s mind
wanders during an operation, the patient??™s life is in
danger. In game ?¬‚ ow, the players are not thinking of
what is on television or how much laundry they have
to do; they are focused entirely on the challenges
presented in the game. Many game interfaces take
over the entire screen of the PC or build impressive
audiovisual worlds to focus our a ention. Here
is a quote from a mountaineer describing a ?¬‚ ow
experience (but these might as well be the words
of an EverQuest player): ???You??™re not aware of other
problematic life situations. It becomes a world unto
its own, signi?¬? cant only to itself. It??™s a concentration
thing. Once you??™re in the situation, it??™s incredibly real,
and you??™re very much in charge of it. It becomes your
total world.???4
The Paradox of Control
People enjoy the sense of exercising control in
di?¬? cult situations; however, it is not possible to
experience a feeling of control unless the outcome
is unsure, meaning that the person is not actually in
complete control.
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