Top performers seem to have the ability to enter the zone at will. Discover how to build mental and emotional resilience so you can enter the zone on command. 628 words.
Bill Cole, MS, MA
Founder and CEO
William B. Cole Consultants
Silicon Valley, California
Top performers seem to have the ability to enter the zone at will. Discover how to build mental and emotional resilience so you can enter the zone on command. 628 words.
When you are playing at the top of your A-game you know it. You feel invincible. Powerful. Focused. Flowing. Ecstatic. It's a wonderful place to be. You're flowing. You're in the zone.
Wouldn't it be nice to have the zone on a switch that you could simply flip anytime you wanted? Top performers seem to have this ability. They can do so based on years of training, exposure to pressure, mental readiness strategies, self-knowledge, concentration, experimentation, reflection and dedication to their art.
For almost everyone, superstars included, you can set up the mental-emotional-physical conditions that help you get in the proper mind-set to perform well. One way is to take charge of your performance by priming your mind with images and snapshots of previous zone experiences you have had so you can call them up when you need them most. Here are the six most common characteristics of the zone:
How do you achieve the mental consistency that allows you to enter the zone, under pressure? When I was the Sports Psychology Coach for the #1-nationally-ranked Stanford baseball team, I implemented a mental training program containing these critical elements:
Athletes who do NOT possess mental toughness have a hard time getting into the zone. They tend to have these qualities.
Athletes who possess mental toughness can handle emotional, mental and physical challenges and hardships and don't complain. They can tolerate frustration and blocked goals and continue to persevere. They accept criticism without feeling attacked.
The ability to enter the zone seemingly almost on command is one of the hallmarks of top performers in all walks of life. Although the zone can sometimes be a temperamental entity, the mental readiness steps for achieving it are under your control. Once you know the zone intimately it is far easier to get there again. Study this list, expand your experience of it and know your personal triggers that propel you into the zone. Then you will be closer to making your own zone experiences happen almost on command.
For a comprehensive overview of your mental abilities you need an assessment instrument that identifies your complete mental strengths and weaknesses. Here is a free, easy-to-take 65-item sport psychology assessment tool you can score right on the spot. This assessment gives you a quick snapshot of your strengths and weaknesses in your mental game. You can use this as a guide in creating your own mental training program, or as the basis for a program you undertake with mental coach Bill Cole, MS, MA to improve your mental game. This assessment would be an excellent first step to help you get the big picture about your mental game.
Bill Cole, MS, MA, a leading authority on peak performance, mental toughness and coaching, is founder and CEO of William B. Cole Consultants, a consulting firm that helps organizations and professionals achieve more success in business, life and sports. He is also the Founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association (www.mentalgamecoaching.com), an organization dedicated to advancing the research, development, professionalism and growth of mental game coaching worldwide. He is a multiple Hall-Of-Fame honoree as an athlete, coach and school alumnus, an award-winning scholar-athlete, published book author and articles author, and has coached at the highest levels of major-league pro sports, big-time college athletics and corporate America. For a free, extensive article archive, or for questions and comments visit him at www.MentalGameCoach.com.
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