Storyline: As you reflect on the season gone by, and prepare for the season to come, realize that ‘being in the zone’ is something that will take you to the next level of performance. Written by Jason, Chandler, Arizona at justwetsuits,com
“It’s just about being in the zone, in any sport,” says Mark Teixeira, recently retired from the New York Yankees
Most seasoned triathletes will tell you that it’s not all about winning. The passion comes from enjoying the experience and wanting to do better each time.
It’s not easy to do for triathlon athletes because triathlons are undeniably grueling. But it’s still possible to be ‘in the zone,’ which is a magical, almost spiritual, experience.
What enables getting into the zone? Let’s break it down.
What is ‘The Zone’?
Courtesy: Inbound Buddha
Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi, psychologist, coined the term in 1990 in his book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Simply put it’s a heightened state of presence in which everything around you blurs into insignificance and you focus completely on what you’re doing. Everything flows. Time seems to have slowed down and you experience the present moment to its fullest.
How do you get ‘In The Zone’?
‘The zone’ is a state where there are no mental distractions. You are totally immersed in what you’re doing. When you do something you love, then the task becomes effortless.
Four Steps to Get There
It may sound tough, especially if you train regularly for endurance sports, like triathlons, but it’s simple — with a bit of practice. Here are four steps to help you get there.
1. Thought awareness: Our thoughts get in the way because they force us to rationalize, worry, plan, judge, and think about a million other things. The easiest way to become aware of them is to realize that they are different entities. Practice this every day to achieve better results. As basketball legend Kobe Bryant says in this video ‘Stay in the present and don’t let anything break that rhythm. Become oblivious to everything that’s going on…. You don’t think about the surroundings or what’s going on with the crowd.”
Tony Jacklin (photo, Twitter)
2. Thought control: Once you are aware of your thoughts, you can control which ones to entertain – the ones in the present. This way, you learn to give your full attention to what you’re doing. If you’re doing a set of 20 reps, focus on the one rep you are doing currently instead of the twenty you have to do. In a triathlon race, put your focus on the mile you are running, not on the whole race. British golfer, Tony Jacklin, says this: “When I’m in this state, this cocoon of concentration, I’m living fully in the present, not moving out of it. I’m aware of every inch of my swing…. I’m absolutely engaged, involved in what I’m doing at that particular moment.”
3. Finding comfort in your discomfort: Often triathletes find the sustained physical effort required of them uncomfortable, punishing, and repetitive. But, to get in the zone, you have to love the discomfort and accept it. Don’t try to push it out of your mind. When you embrace discomfort, you find mental strength. Here’s how Christopher Bergland, world-class endurance triathlete, handled pain: “I would visualize the jolt of pain entering my body through the soles of my feet was energy coming from the core of the earth. My feet became a conduit that allowed my body to tap into an infinite energy source that propelled me forward like I was plugged into a nuclear reactor.”
Billy Jean King (photo, YourTango)
4. Doing something for its own sake: Goals are good, especially in competitive sports. They egg us on to get to the finish line. But thoughts can often prevent us from enjoying the process of getting there. To get in the zone, you need to think of the journey, not the destination. Autotelic experience is what Csíkszentmihályi called it, that is, doing something for the love of it. Tennis great Billie Jean King spoke of it this way: “It’s not the big prize I’m going to win at the end of the match or anything else. It’s just having done something that’s totally pure and having experienced the perfect emotion.”
As you reflect on the season gone by, and prepare for the season to come, realize that ‘being in the zone’ is something that will take you to the next level of performance.
(Visit justwetsuits.com)
