In The Zone
Have you ever experienced being in the Zone?
You know, in a state of complete focus and absorption in an activity and performing at your peak with extraordinary success.
Think Steph Curry shooting the 3 over outstretched Wemby in the Olympics.
When I was a young lawyer, I pulled an all nighter and worked through th next day and played in a Lawyer's League Basketball game that night. Pregame, I worried whether I could do it, but once the game started I was on fire and could do no wrong.
Years later, at the age of 40, I entered a new Age Group (40-45) and inorder to qualify for the Boston Marathon I needed to finish a marathon in under 3 hours and 10 minutes.
I was obsessed with qualifying. I did all the right training and chose a flat course in cool weather.
I was ready!
However, on the drive to the marathon, the car broke down miles away from the starting line and I was crushed, with no idea what to do. Fortunately, one of my running mates thought to abandon the car and call a cab.
It was a very close call, but we got to the starting line with minutes to spare. There was no time for any prerace preparations!
The gun went off, and I couldn't believe we made it just in time. I was so happy to be in the race that I rode an ebullient wave mile after mile after mile and ran the last mile in 6:59 to cross the finish line in 3 hours, 9 minutes and 34 seconds (one second per mile under the qualifying limit)!
I never ran as well again and realize how fortunate I was that day to have been thrust into the Zone by unanticipated, unusual and unfair circumstances!
How about you? Have you ever had the feeling of being completely immersed and engaged in what you're doing and getting lost in the process?

Comments
Used to nn happen at work…
Used to happen at work sometimes when everything just seemed to come together while you were on auto pilot.
It's a Lefty thing :)
It's a Lefty thing :)
It used to happen to me in…
It used to happen to me in Racquetball, and now in Pickleball. About one in every 20 games or so. The ball seems bigger, and everything slows down and you just can’t miss.
Exactly!
Exactly!
That's what happens when I…
That's what happens when I am teaching no matter where or in what context. It's "curtain up" and then it's over.
Nobody does it better!
Nobody does it better!
Long Island marathon.
Long Island marathon.
What are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
Don't laugh but, sometimes…
Don't laugh but, sometimes when I'm writing a memo of law, legal brief or a blog and the words are coming to me faster than I can type. That's my zone!!
Lucky you!
Lucky you!
In the Zone
Yes it is the ultimate.
It can happen while writing an important note or letter or playing a game.
If we could only figure out…
If we could only figure out how to order it up on demand!
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