# Getting in the "Zone" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985 "2016-05-29T13:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985/1 "2016-05-29T13:40:59Z")
Something I have experienced throughout my life but have never had much control over are those occasions when I just seem to get into a “zone” of hyper performance. It might last a moment or it might last for a few weeks. It could relate to anything from a sports activity, something more scholastic, sales or even social. There is always a sequence of events or circumstances that precludes this. ``` I have often seen this in others as well. How much importance is put on this phenomena when it comes to training or education? I know when I ran a truck repair shop I would go out of my way to set mechanics up for situations where they would be successful as it would help to keep them motivated. I am looking for way to hypothetically apply this into a free sourcing social media collaboration for a novel I am working on. ``` ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985/2 "2016-05-29T15:37:51Z")
/nevermind; wrong thread.? ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985/3 "2016-05-29T15:57:23Z")
I love being in the “zone” or “flow” (as some books call it). But once you recognize it, it ends the state, at least for me. Gardening, swimming, work. You can be in the “flow” of doing anything. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985/4 "2016-05-29T17:33:49Z")
Here is the book on it: [https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Harper-Perennial-Modern-Classics-ebook/dp/B000W94FE6?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref\_=dp-kindle-redirect](https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Harper-Perennial-Modern-Classics-ebook/dp/B000W94FE6?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect) Good book. Yes, I look I at it as a different brain state that it is healthy and good to shift into regularly as part of a good mental life. By focusing on breathing, yoga, meditation, making music, etc. I have figured which things are most likely going to get me there, within the moment. Not surprisingly making music is a great trigger/feedback loop to dial this state in. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985/5 "2016-05-29T18:18:39Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Here is the book on it: [https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Harper-Perennial-Modern-Classics-ebook/dp/B000W94FE6?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref\_=dp-kindle-redirect](https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Harper-Perennial-Modern-Classics-ebook/dp/B000W94FE6?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect) > > Good book. Yes, I look I at it as a different brain state that it is healthy and good to shift into regularly as part of a good mental life. By focusing on breathing, yoga, meditation, making music, etc. I have figured which things are most likely going to get me there, within the moment. Not surprisingly making music is a great trigger/feedback loop to dial this state in. He has several books that interest me. I love examples of being in the zone that are not so obvious or dramatic. Sometimes when I fish I can sit for hours without even getting a bite yet never loose focus for what little good it does. Something about the ritual will keep me in that zone. Sitting still for 5 min is usually a struggle for me. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-in-the-zone/755985/6 "2016-05-29T18:31:41Z")
Coffee helps.