'Csikszentmihalyi, author of the acclaimed book Flow, studied why some adults and adolescents, rather than give up, pursue their passions at great personal cost. His research reveals a direct link between the pursuit of a passionate interest and personal happiness. Early on, he studied adult artists' determination to pursue their art, despite terribly difficult personal circumstances; and he found that each one experienced a total absorption in the activity of painting or sculpting. He calls this single-mindedness "flow" and he equates it with happiness. The researcher's descriptions of those artists' intense focus, pleasure in involvement, and hard-won mastery is reminiscent of the persistence young children show when they are learning to walk, talk, and make sense of the world through rich imaginative play. In addition, flow usually occurs when the challenges one takes on are at or just slightly above one's current skills. This provides just enough challenge to occupy attention, without overloading the person. Csikszentmihalyi concluded that, at any age, the most dedicated people in arts, sports, business, science, or any endeavor are drawn to the activity for its own sake. They do their thing because they love doing it. So above all, for flow to occur the activity needs to be personally gratifying. The implications for parents and teachers seem clear: We would be wise to tune in to our children's individual interests and temperaments from birth on. That doesn't mean that children's tastes may not change; they will evolve — all the more reason to stay tuned in.'