And my personal Zone experiences are more often than not characterised by silence up top, not a barrage of noise in the form of thinking.
I would go as far as to say this proves my thesis, that:
Thinking is bad for you.
For example, I was thinking we should get a herd of pygmy goats.
My wife, although a fan of small cute animals, disagrees.
Do you see?
Thinking is leads to trouble.
It almost resulted in me selling my new wife for a herd of goats.
I know that’s not very good science, but “let’s get serious” for a moment.
See if my argument matches your personal observation.
The reason I say thinking is bad for you,
- in any field of human endeavour but especially the physical -
Is because too much thought means the mind becomes a micro manager.
It gets involved everywhere, and ruins everything.
It's constantly sending out instructions and/or ideas, and your body can’t respond to all of them fast enough.
As an experience, it’s the difference between being in a state of mental and physical agitation,
i.e. too aroused …
(Quit sniggering in the back)
… And being calm yet focussed. Relaxed, but ready.
You know that difference, I would say quite well.
You know it when you’re out in nature, but you also know that difference when you’re sitting down looking to work out a problem.
Too much thought gets in the way.
The best role for your mind is as an “overseer”.
A general manager type who only looks at the big picture and lets the troops (your muscles, heart, lungs, instincts) take over the moment to moment running of the show.
It brings a state of calm, focus.
Your body can then “soak” up what it needs to do.
Instead of 100 instructions being thrown at it, the necessary one or two can go in, and in deep.
You’re working on a problem?
Same thing -
You can focus on the necessaries and discard the “won’t works” and “why won’t this works?” and “I should give up because I’m no good anyways” and especially the “I wonder what’s for dinners?”
To be calm yet focussed in any situation is not something people “know” how to do.
Simply because they don’t practice it.
How can you launch into Zone mode if you aren’t doing it, day in day out?
Add some pressure and flight or fight mode usually kicks in, just through habit.
So that’s what I got for you.
Be aware as you go about your day how much you are involved in unnecessary thinking.
In awareness you have choice.
Make the choice to stop thinking and be more present.
Simple.
Take it easy out there! Arjuna
PS.
I have something for thinking too much.
A practice, a tool, a technique that will bring you to a state of calm and focus.
It results in a type of mental fitness, one that means you don’t habitually engage micro manager mind mode.
Not only do you become more effective in what you want to do, it also means you will enjoy life to a much greater level than ever before.
Go here to get more info, and daily emails like this one: