“In the Zone” has long been a vernacular catch phrase for peak performance experiences. One definition describes peak performance as “involving the art and science of altering one’s state of mind at will in order to most effectively meet any challenges before us”.
Being “in the zone” is all about being in balance and being present. It’s about being in the ‘flow’ of things. It’s about establishing an ideal mind/body state where we automatically operate with grace and ease.
The primary skill to learn to get us “in the zone” is attention in the present moment. This is typically understood as something brought about by focused meditation, although the simple act of focusing our full awareness in the present moment is what meditation is and the more we do it the more natural it becomes.
Stress is the great distracter to being “in the zone”. Stress is inevitably part of our everyday lives so we must learn how to manage it. Everyone responds differently to stress and many approaches to managing it need be considered according to each participant’s lifestyle and preferences. However, techniques that foster present moment awareness through conscious intent and adjustments to our breathing are universally effective.
We can choose our intentions for success with techniques of creative visualization and effective goal setting. Shakti Gawain says “Creative visualization is the technique of using your imagination to create what you want in your life”. Goal setting is used to build structure for our visualizations and to help manage our process. Each participant chooses their own goals to match their vision of the success they want to create, and this is demonstrated by examples and exercises in the workshop.
Learning how to instantly change our state of being will help us get “in the zone” now, when we want it most. Associating a recalled positive memory with a specific Body/Mind trigger is a very effective technique for creating a specific state of being you wish to be in. We can learn to use this trigger to create very powerful Body/Mind state changes, just as a karate master changes his state to smash through a pile of concrete blocks. Many other techniques can be used to create greater levels of energy and present moment focus that will also empower us. As we learn and practice them the results are immediately felt.
Learning these skills can supercharge our life, whether we are skiing for peak enjoyment and performance, or anywhere else we choose to be 'In The Zone'.