In the Zone / Flow

The Zone - The Flow

Every athlete knows it; and you remember it as that time when you played the best game of your life.  Everything was perfect and you enjoyed every second of the game.  It felt like everything was in slow motion flow.  You were in The Zone.

In The Mindful Athlete, George Munford describes when snowboarder Shaun White performed the first ever Double McTwist 1260 to win the Gold Medal in Vancouver Olympics he was asked, " what was going through your mind during your run?"

White replied: “At that point you’re really not thinking, you’re just letting it happen. It’s a mixture of being completely focused, then slightly not caring.”

I can’t think of a better description of the ZONE. 

So how do you repeat it?  How do you get into the Zone.  You must get into the present moment and eliminate distractions.  You must train you mind.

"The mind can free us or trip us up. If your mind is filled with thoughts or emotions, you step out of flow. The minute your mind is elsewhere, the present moment is gone"

We’re all interested in the secrets of the Zone experience because it’s the ultimate experience of optimal performance in sports 

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a leader in the field of positive psychology and the author of many books, including Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, is considered to be the godfather of flow. Csikszentmihalyi describes flow, or being in the Zone, as the act of “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.” 

We can deconstruct the anatomy of flow in any way we want, but the truth of the matter is that it all starts with the mind. Flow is your ability to stay in the present moment. It’s a very particular state of mind. The ability to stay present is what fosters the Zone experience. There’s no denying that strength and skill are a big factor in achieving high performance in sports, but many players have extraordinary strength and skills. The real key to high performance and tapping into flow is the ability to direct and channel these strengths and skills fully in the present moment—and that starts in your mind. The flip side of this equation is also true. No matter how strong or skillful you might be, your mind can also impede that talent from being expressed, and it often does so in insidious ways if you don’t take care of it.

Great, so to dive into the concept of "The Zone" or "Flow," we need to first understand that it's a state of mind where an athlete is fully immersed in the activity, and they feel like everything is happening effortlessly, as if in slow motion. It's a state where distractions and self-doubt fall away, and the athlete is completely focused on the present moment.

In order to achieve this state of mind, athletes must train their minds to stay in the present moment and eliminate distractions. They must be able to free their minds from thoughts and emotions that could hinder their performance. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who is known as the godfather of flow, describes it as "being completely involved in an activity for its own sake."

To achieve flow, athletes must direct and channel their strengths and skills fully in the present moment. This means that even if an athlete has extraordinary strength and skills, their mind can still impede their talent from being expressed. Therefore, athletes need to take care of their minds and train themselves to stay present in order to reach flow and the optimal performance that comes with it.

Some techniques that can help athletes get into the zone include deep breathing, visualization, and meditation. These techniques can help athletes quiet their minds and focus on the present moment. It's important to note that getting into the zone is not something that happens automatically or every time an athlete competes. It takes practice and training to get there consistently.

Overall, achieving flow is the ultimate experience of optimal performance in sports, and it all starts with the mind. By training the mind and staying present in the moment, athletes can reach their highest potential and experience the thrill of being in the zone.

Confidence |Monkey Mind |In the Zone / Flow |Meditation |Personality Inventory