Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Lock into the ZONE, Take Your Game to the NEXT Level

Lock into the ZONE, Take Your Game to the NEXT Level

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Oct 07, 2014

No Comments

6a017c3697a248970b01a510f3f0ef970c-pi

Athletes often marvel at the concept of being “in the zone” in sports, and while most will claim having been there during their sports careers, getting back in the zone on a consistent basis is an entirely different story.  So what exactly is the zone?  And perhaps equally importantly, how do athletes get there on a consistent basis for maximum athletic success?

Sport psychologists often refer to being in the zone as being in Flow, a concept first discussed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.  Flow, or being in the zone, is when you are fully immersed and fully enjoying whatever it is that you’re doing, and as a result you end up doing the activity quite well — often your best.  So as you can see you can actually get in the zone doing things beyond sports, including cooking, exercising, playing games, or even studying!

Applying the zone to sports is what is most important to athletes, and below are a few ideas and tips to help you get started:

  • It is important that you are motivated to do whatever it is you are doing.  For example, if you really don’t like playing soccer, it’s going to be very difficult to get in the zone playing soccer.
  • Your focus needs to be on the task at-hand if you want to get in the zone.  If you are still thinking about yesterday’s game, or what you are going to do next week rather than the game starting in a couple minutes, then it will be difficult to get in the zone since you focus isn’t quite there.
  • Your confidence should be high.  Again, if you don’t have much confidence (similar to interest and motivation) then it will be near impossible to play in the zone.
  • You need to be challenged.  Playing against far inferior or far superior competition will make it very difficult to get in the zone.
  • Set and keep track of goals.  Not only will goal setting help you improve your performance, but goals are also motivating and can help with focus — factors we have already discussed being associated with the zone.
  • Keep a running journal.  When you do play in the zone, write notes out about the game and try to recall what things you did that helped (for example, maybe a particular song you listened to pre-game put you in a terrific mood).

The Zone is not a magical concept, but it is the zone of optimal human functioning and has been found by scientists to actually exist.  It is for this reason that all athletes should strive to learn as much as they can about the zone, and begin developing their own mindset and pre-game routines to help get in the zone as often as humanly possible.

www.drstankovich.com

Learn more about the zone, as well as other mental toughness skills, by checking out our e-book today!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ac9PPNtKuQ[/youtube]

Coaching, confidence, flow, focus, mental, psychology, sport, toughness, zone

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Latest Blog Posts

  • February 16, 2021 Help Kids Overcome Pandemic Anxiety as they Head Back to School
  • February 10, 2021 Is Mark Cuban’s Remedy for National Anthem Protests the Right Move?
  • February 4, 2021 Former NFL Star Warns of Potential Problems Dealing with Sport Retirement
  • February 1, 2021 Lacking Social Interaction is Hitting Kids Hard through Pandemic
  • December 22, 2020 Parent Sports Pressure Can Leave Kids with Overwhelming Expectations

Comments are closed.

PREVIOUS POST

Tips to Help Coaches with Leadership, Responsibility, and Mentoring

NEXT POST

The Trick to Coaching a “Good Team on Paper”

Category

Amateur , Athletes , Athletic Counseling , Athletic Director , Boys Sports , Coaching , College , Confidence , Cue Words , Evaluating Talent , Focus , Girls Sports , Goal Setting , Imagery , League Operator , Mental Toughness , Parent Training , Performance Enhancement , Playing Time , Prep , Pro , Pro and College Sports , Sport Psychology , Sports Leadership , Sports Parenting , Sports Performance Science , Training and Development , Uncategorized , Youth and Interscholastic Sports , Youth Sports

Tags

Coaching, confidence, flow, focus, mental, psychology, sport, toughness, zone

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Help Kids Overcome Pandemic Anxiety as they Head Back to School
  • Is Mark Cuban's Remedy for National Anthem Protests the Right Move?
  • Former NFL Star Warns of Potential Problems Dealing with Sport Retirement
  • Lacking Social Interaction is Hitting Kids Hard through Pandemic
  • Parent Sports Pressure Can Leave Kids with Overwhelming Expectations
  • Parent Sports Pressure Can Leave Kids with Overwhelming Expectations
  • Success is Achieved by Striving for Excellence, Not Perfection
  • Overcome Adversity by Using this Important Mental Toughness Strategy
  • Challenges Endure for Student Athletes Managing Pandemic Stress & Related Concerns
  • Maximize the Strength of Your Team through Care, Concern, & Compassion
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2021 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓