Performing in The Zone by Jon Gorrie is a book to help ease and manipulate performance anxiety. It follows the lineage of Mental Toughness, The Inner Game of Music, and other books in the genre. I was impressed how he incorporated information from this rich history but still wrote a unique and very practical book. He refers and quotes such texts but doesn’t just reiterate their contents.
The book is divided into four sections:
The Theory – background information on performance anxiety
The Techniques – 20 tools to assist you
The Program – a 12 week mental ‘weight-training’ course
Digging Deeper – further sources and information
This is not just a book but a workbook, a true workbook. It has questions to answer, goals to set, journals to write and more with clear and easy directions for everything. The book really involves the reader which is an absolute necessity for authentic and lasting change.
The 20 techniques represented are quite diverse and although they may not all appeal to everyone there is bound to be many useful ideas for each person.
One of my favorite things about this book is how skills are presented with simple ‘baby steps’. He walks you through the actions with a simple and natural progression. He doesn’t make it feel like a dreaded task or assignment but rather something to look forward to in order to improve your performances and performance abilities. For example, rather than just telling the reader to visualize, he takes you step by step through the process. This adds concrete meaning and makes this important technique more user friendly and applicable.
Performing in the Zone is sectioned nicely with each page divided into easily understood and straightforward chunks or sections. This makes dense topics very palatable. He uses analogies which are always unique and appropriate yet meaningful for the reader.
Gorrie incorporates original algebraic formulas, extending and evolving those from other books. These are not just a re-iteration but a re-thinking and advancement of the material.
For example, The Inner Game of Music presents this:
P = p – i
or
Performance equals Potential minus Interference.
Gorrie posits:
RLP = (c + p – e) + a
or
Resulting Level of Performance equals Cognitive Attributes plus Physical Attributes minus External Interference plus Performance Arousal.
The techniques given are explained well and steps are given to build up to the ideal goals. Rather than just being a ‘do this’ step, he explains how to get there in simple and short explanations. This makes his concepts easier to understand and implement. Quizzes are given at the end of sections to reinforce the information.
Even his more existential, philosophical and eastern texts are well grounded, explained, and related to our western thought patterns. When Gorrie presents familiar concepts, he does so in a refreshing, simple, and useful manner. He understands that not all techniques work for everyone and presents many options for the reader.
He relates The Zone techniques to real life experiences and how to practice and use them in everyday life situations.
Gorrie includes a wonderful and extensive bibliography, references, and resources for future study.
The 12 week program is a well designed mental weight training regiment. It does require the reader / participant to set aside 30-180 minutes a day. However, if you are serious about making change then making the time is not an option. You can’t improve at something without putting forth the effort and these mental workouts are no exception. Fortunately, Gorrie has laid out the plan very systematically with clear directions.
What if the program doesn’t work or isn’t as effective as one hopes? Welcome to Part 4 of Performing in the Zone.
This is a great section with information on physical and mental well-being. He takes a very holistic approach to assist the reader in their wellness and success in achieving ‘the zone’.
Topics include diet and exercise as well as the Alexander technique of body mechanics.
This is one of those book I feel everyone should read. Books like Getting Things Done by David Allen and Alexander Techniques are manuals for living and this book is another one to help people live and prosper.
I look forward to reading and using this book over and over again as its pages and information has staying power as well as new meaning with each read.
Although Gorrie recommends this book for performers and those in the spotlight I feel it can benefit anyone looking to make a positive change in their life.
I really like this audition clip of 4tune on X-Factor.
Watch, and *listen* closely. You can hear that the guys are just a little nervous and cautious in the opening phrases, but after they sing the word “time”, they ‘live’ the song, live in ‘the now’, and give a great performance!
You have to LOVE this performance! It really is a FANTASTIC example of performing in The Zone! During this performance, for all of these musicians – especially the lead-singer/organist/flutist – nothing else exists in the entire universe except ‘the now’ and having a great time putting on an amazing show!
When I was researching Laughing Yoga, or Hasya Yoga as it is known in India, I came across this fantastic site, Laughter Yoga International.
Laughing Yoga might look weird, but don’t knock it ’til you try it!
This Indian health regime has scientifically proven health benefits, including stress reduction, relaxtion of muscles, regulation of blood pressure, and a cleansing of the respiratory system. All good effects for helping you to perform in The Zone!
Folks, trumpeter, Jon Gorrie has written a wonderful little book called “Performance in the Zone.” This is a book that deals with getting one’s mental house in order for performance.
There are many books that performers have used as a guide to get ready for a concert, recital or gig. Books that come to mind are Zen and the Art of Archery, and the Mental Game of Tennis. Gorrie’s book is specifically geared towards performers in the arts, though it could apply even to sports.
In reading this book, ideas that resonated with me are the following: 1.) You are what you think. 2.) Your performance should add value to your own life and the life of others. 3.) Avoid excessive talk about yourself. 4.) Keep a performance journal. These are only a few of the many salient points Gorrie addresses.
The book also has a work-book component. Gorrie wants you to develop a solid repeatable method for getting yourself into the zone.
This book is very well thought out. Like similar books (Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner comes to mind), there is reference to Eastern philosophies, though it is not a book on religion by any means. There is also considerable reference to the psychological underpinnings of Gorrie’s ideas. There are many fine references at the end of the book.
This is a very thorough treatise on performance preparation. I would recommend it to anyone working along these lines.
Respectfully,
Nick Drozdoff
(Internationally renowned trumpet performing artist, former trumpet player with the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra. More info at http://www.nickdrozdoff.com )
I recently received an email from Jessica Ford. She is a vocal coach based in the U.S. and has a pretty impressive bio at her site thesingingstudio.net
Worth a look for all U.S. based commercial vocalists!
I’ve recently had the privilege of corresponding with Warrior (formerly The Ultimate Warrior, from the world of professional wrestling and sports entertainment). Warrior is a man with strong, no nonsense views, and he’s allowed me to reproduce one of his blog posts here.
At first, this post might not seem like it is totally in line with the other posts on The Zone blog, but there are a lot of truths and wisdom in what Warrior is saying here. If you’ve read Performing in The Zone, you’ll remember the quotes I use to begin every week of The 12 Week Performance Success Programme. The quote for Week 11 (pg.166) is “Knowledge is everywhere – in every book, in every person, in every situation. All you have to do is be open enough to receive it”.
When you read Warrior’s post, or *any* text, if you have the attitude, “What can I learn from this?” you’ll always be on the road to progress and self-improvement, and that’s what Performing in The Zone is all about.
“The Greatest Good to the Greatest Number will obviously be reached when each individual of the greatest number is doing the greatest good to himself.”
“Individualism has the strength to resist all attacks.”
The subject of beta blockers can be a rather sensitive one amongst performers and doctors alike.
If you are considering taking beta blockers (with or without a prescription) to get ahead in your next audition, think twice. With possible side-effects such as dizziness, fatigue, diarrhea, impotence, and even anaphylactic shock (sudden death!), beta-blockers are far from a cure-all!
Well, we’ve been going through some pretty big subjects over the past couple of weeks – performance arousal, stress, and so on. So today, I thought I’d post this youtube video to lighten things up a bit. It is a world-record breaking performance! Watch closely, the basketball-trampoline athlete is definitely performing in The Zone
