How to Get in the Zone

How to you get in the zone, that place where the game is easy, and it seems like you can score anytime you want to?

Getting in the zone isn't something you normally plan to have happen. It just sort of seems to happen every once in awhile, on it's own. At least that's what most people think.

If it was easy to make happen, you'd be in the zone all the time, right? Well then, how do great players like Michael Jordan, or Kobe Bryant seem to play at a level that's "zone" like almost all the time.

Here's how.

First, they have amazing talent that is the result of thousands of hours of hard work. Frankly, if you don't have talent, you can't be in the zone. If you aren't a good shooter, aren't a good athlete, and haven't practiced much...you're not going to get in the zone.

Second, they have amazing amount of confidence. When guys like that take the court, they know they are going to dominate. They don't hope they will, or think they might. They know it. Then they go out and do it. And part of their confidence is built on what we first talked about (talent and practice).

To be truly confident, you have to have the talent, and you have to have put in the practice to make sure your game is dialed in. Let's put it this way: it's pretty tough to be confident if you aren't any good.

So, the two keys to getting in the zone are: getting your game grooved (become a good shooter, passer, rebounder, defender). This is the result of practicing, then practicing some more, then practicing even more. Once your game is at a high level, take the floor with confidence that you will succeed, you will dominate. Basically, take the floor thinking and believing that you are the best player on the floor. Then go out and make it happen.

Talk is cheap. Thinking of what you could have done, or should have done after the fact won't get you anywhere. Complaining about the refs, or passing blame to a teammate isn't going to win games or make you look better.

Work on your game. Get in shape. Become a deadly shooter. Become a dominant rebounder. Become a terror on the defensive end of the floor. Take the floor with a cool confidence that you will dominate.

Funny thing...if you do all of these things, you might notice yourself being in the "zone" a lot more often than you are now.

But it won't be a coincidence or something that happened by chance. A guy like Kobe scoring over 40 points a game for 5 straight games isn't luck or chance. How does he do it? Talent and confidence.

You may not score 40 points a game, but practice enough so your skill level is high, then take the floor with massive confidence, and guess what? You'll likely see your game reach new levels

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