“The Zone”. Usually in the context of sports, I often hear this term referring to the state of flow that an athlete gains while at peak performance. She or he focuses, concentrates, and thinks without being overly conscious of the actions. I think being in The Zone is really the strength of human beings. Besides using tools and running absurdly long distances, the ability for humans to detach from the rest of reality for brief periods of time is essential.
Why are we at our best while in The Zone? We allow our self-awareness to take a backseat. All the stressors of life melt away and the task at hand is the only thing important. In the human experience, we know we all live a short life, we think about our families, what we will eat for dinner, how we will pay rent this month, and why people can’t tell why the dress with white and gold. But, in The Zone, all of that is gone. Wordless thoughts instantly direct trained reactions, sentences flow effortlessly from the pen, or your hand moves the rook to e3.
My experiences in The Zone vary in origin. The biology laboratory is a main zoning area for me, along with strategic gaming, and performance of music. Coincidentally, I think these times are when I am at my peak performance… when everything melts away and it is just me with my craft.