In The Zone

Lebron James was in the zone last night. He scored 46 points and shot 73 percent from the field including 7 for 11 from the 3 point line. An absurdly great and efficient performance.

Over the years, athletes and artists have described what it feels like to be in the zone. “A flow state”, “Everything just slows down”, “Out of body”, “Not thinking”, “Fully present”, “Every choice just feels right” are some of the descriptions given. We wish we can be in the zone all the time, yet it remains rare and elusive. Legend has it that Lawrence Olivier famously broke down in his dressing room after giving what he thought was the greatest performance of “Hamlet” in his life. The reason for his sobbing was because he had no idea how he did it or if he could ever do it again.

We don’t need to be in the zone to feel good about our work. Yes, it’s a beautiful and fun thing when it happens. But it’s our passion, our discipline, our commitment to excellence, and our constant effort that’s left behind when the zone has come and gone. That’s what we can hold onto.