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Getting In The Zone For A
Peak Performance
The crucial first step to getting into The Zone is to become absorbed in the activity. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the world-renown professor of psychology, described it as being completely involved in an activity for its own sake - but how you define the activity is fundamental to starting the process.
Ironically, the emphasis on getting a result will prevent you from achieving this vital first stage. Let’s look at the example of a training run and apply Csikszentmihalyi’s four criteria necessary for a the chain reaction of brain processes that will take you into The Zone to demonstrate what I mean.
These are:-
1. The presence of a challenging activity – for this example we will use a six-mile run.
2. The perception that your skills match the challenge – I have trained well and feel the goal is a reasonable one.
3. Clear goals – let’s say I want to do it in under 42 minutes.
4. The availability of instant feedback concerning your performance – I can check my stopwatch at each mile.
I may be a little anxious about being able to do the run within my target time. It would be a disaster if I fail because if I think its achievable, what would it mean if I couldn’t do it? Have I been doing the right training?
I would start my run in a determined manner because I’m motivated and fired up and totally focused on my performance, i.e., my running speed and time at the mile stages. Because I’m motivated I set my mind to it and focus on the road ahead.
At the first mile I glance at the time and I’m pleased because it’s ahead of my target and I contemplate setting a personal best. Encouraged by the time I have ‘gained’ I press on and see if I can shave a few more seconds off the next mile. At the second mile I look at my watch but find I’ve lost the extra seconds gained earlier and although still on target I’m concerned that I have no time to play with.
At the third mile I’m disappointed because I’m now outside the required time and will not accomplish my goal unless I speed up. I push on and now keep a close eye on the time in between the mile stages and start to feel a little better as I’m well into my stride and the speed picks up. I push harder as the last mile comes into view, it’s hurting but my pace is still good and there is not far to go. I’m now keeping one eye on my watch as the lamppost marking the finish is rapidly approaching and I am on course for a personal best.
The last few strides cause some pain as I strain every sinew to dip past the post three seconds under my target. That is what you call a race against the clock and I beat it! Exhausted, aching but elated at the personal best, I head for a shower.
Did I Get Into The Zone? What do you think? ...read on>>>
Extracted from my book 'Zone Mind, Zone Body' - How to breakthrough to new levels of fitness and performance - by doing less!(Ecademy Press).
For more details please click peak performance training.
Available in paperback or online ebook.
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