We’ve all heard about “The Zone” right? I’m not talking about a special diet or a municipal district. I’m talking about that elusive state of being that you can create within yourself so that you can achieve your potential in performing anything.

The Zone has been described as an ecstatic experience. You usually have an intense focus on what you’re doing and everything else fades away. Many sports movies depict such scenes where the spectators blur out and the athlete has a feeling of detachment and can do anything with the body.

This is not just for athletes. Business people can hit their stride in this way and increase their productivity, creativity, and connectivity. Think that might be useful in this ultra-competitive economy?

It all starts with this formula that I teach everywhere: Performance = Potential – Interference. What is your interference? It can be mental programs or beliefs that you don’t deserve to succeed. You might recognize it as a little voice that says something like: “I’m not as good as the competition,” or “What if I choke?” This must be eliminated.

Right now, it’s time to take back control and talk back to that voice strongly. Dispute your negative thoughts with positive facts of your past achievements.

Next, you’ve got to get serious on being specific about what you want and why you want it. This is your motivation and you need to constantly remind yourself of that so that when the discipline wanes, you have something to refuel your energy and keep you moving. .

This fall, I was watching some squirrels outside. I thought: I don’t think those little guys scurry around looking for nuts thinking to themselves: “I wonder if I’m good enough to get enough food to survive the winter?” Sounds silly, yet we talk this way to ourselves regularly. Be like the squirrel and just do it. You can think later after you win.