The "zone", and how to get into it...

We've all seen it. That moment when Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky laps a field of elite competitors. Or when Steph Curry starts draining 3s from waaayy beyond the arc. Or when your favorite guitarist goes bonkers all over a tune. They're in the zone. Totally locked in and focused on the task at hand, and killing it! Some of us have even felt it ourselves. I know I have. That feeling of leaving everything I had on the stage, and tapping into a performance level that felt way over my head. It's like an out of body experience! I wish every show could be like that, and have studied what it is and how to get 'there'.

Mostly we just need to let our intellect and brain chatter get out of the way of our instincts and pathways to creative enjoyment. Careful conditioning and preparation hone our reflexes and shorten response time to a given impetus. And focused, relaxed concentration allow us to hear, feel, create and respond to input in the moment. When it's flowing the sensation is that you're a conduit for expression. Time slows down and the game comes to you. No forcing; just flow! So my strategy for getting there is simple: 1. Prepare fastidiously, 2. Learn how to relax on demand through yoga, exercise, and/or meditation, 3. Listen with an open ear and mind, 4. Blow from the heart and soul, 5. Let it flow!

That's all for now. Keep swinging family!