Speaking of flow, I see that the psychological concept of flow is based around a distinction of low-to-high challenge vs. low-to-high skill. When both challenge and skill are high, an efficient mental state can be engaged. From Wikipedia:

“In positive psychology, flow, also known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does, and a resulting loss in one’s sense of space and time.”

• Flow: high challenge and high skill
• Control: medium challenge and high skill
• Relaxation: low challenge and high skill
• Boredom: low challenge and medium skill
• Apathy: low challenge and low skill
• Worry: medium challenge and low skill
• Anxiety: high challenge and low skill
• Arousal: high challenge and medium skill

Missing is medium challenge and medium skill. I wonder what that is?

Further Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi / Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

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