Customer Reviews

Finding Your Zone: Ten Core Lessons for Achieving Peak Performance in Sports and Life

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

As an avid athlete and physician/psychiatrist myself, I found Dr. Lardon's book not only academically precise and professionally sound, but on a personal note, quite inspirational. The wealth of clinical experience he brings to his work with athletes lends a legitimacy that other so-called 'zone coaches' cannot claim. 'Finding Your Zone' is written in an easy, yet inspiring manner that will aid both the amateur and professional athlete alike, as well as anyone who cares about bringing to life their true best self. I have read much of the sport literature, and this book stands above the rest for its accessibility, its beautiful and relevant real-world examples, and Dr. Lardon's passion for his craft, which is evident from page one.

For years I have heard athletes, motivational speakers etc use the phrase, "in the zone" but never really understood the concept much less how to get there..all that changed when I read Dr. Lardon's book. I came across his book while looking for books on how to help my daughter improve her mental game in softball. She's a pitcher and while she is very well trained...knows all the different pitches and can execute them with ease; her outcome in games was not what she wanted or expected of herself. I was not too far into the book before I realized I had "gold" in my hands that could change her game performance. She doesn't care for reading (16 yrs old) but shortly after starting the book she realized that "finding her zone" would give her the edge and was the missing link between her near perfect practices and her actual performance. With highlighter in hand, she sat down to change her world and change her world she did! She is learning to embrace her anxiety and utilize it for her benefit rather than allowing it to control her game and her outcome. Her performance has improved dramatically, her accuracy, her speed, her focus...all aspects of her game, all because she is "finding her zone" . This book gives the reader a blueprint to take their sport to a higher level, but as with any blueprint, you can't just read it, you must act on it to get your desired results. Learning to internalize and implement Dr. Lardon's ten lessons is not an overnight fix, it is a growth process that impacts all areas of your life; it is a journey well worth taking. This is not just a book for athletes; this is a book for anyone looking to change their life. Parents, if you are looking to help you child with their sports performance or any area of their life, I highly recommend this book and when you get their copy get one for yourself...read it, act on it and find your own zone. Enjoy the journey!

An elite athlete himself, Dr.Lardon's interest in achieving peak performance was formulated as a teenager on the world table tennis circuit. Fast forward several years and we find Dr. Lardon has finished medical school and undertaken a residency in psychiatry. His special interest...studying elite athletes and what separates the great ones from the rest of the field. From his 20 years of working closely with top athletes, Dr. Lardon has put together a book of relevant and fascinating observations. I particularly like the concept of "instant amnesia".

This book is not the best on the subject. Of the four sports psychology books I have read all of them contain similar ideas. Readers respond differently to how those ideas are communicated. One style might work better than another. With that said, I did not find this book to be a good match for me. The perspective presented felt more academic and theoretical. Getting in the zone is a systematic process that can be applied over and over with a small amount of well focused effort. This book seemed to complicate that process. Obviously some people liked this book so it might work for you but I would recommend With Winning In Mind for its simplicity and razor sharp focus on the most critical elements of finding and maintaining peak performance.

I like the fact that Dr. Lardon is an MD who has spent his entire professional career studying the connection between brain chemistry and peak performance. His research findings along with his anecdotes about famous athletes makes me realize that the Zone is real and attainable by all of us. I was fascinated by how he described Tiger's practice of "instant amnesia" and have begun implementing this technique into my daily life as a businessperson, husband and father! This book is how to guide not just for athletes. I would recommend the book to everyone who want more out of life.

After 4 years of college, a Masters Degree, and a Doctorate, it's fair to say I have done a great deal of reading in Academia and have not stopped reading voraciously in the 30 years since finishing my formal education. I do not exaggerate when I say that this book turned out to be one of the most important I have EVER
read. Among other things, it inspired me to try something I have wanted to do for many years but not had the courage to begin (actually writing a novel). It also had many pragmatic suggestions and insights for the serious athlete (my son is such a person). It really is a must read for any intelligent person.

Stanley A. Landers

This book is the ideal graduation gift--imparting tools one can use the rest of their life. Most of us know the "zone" is out there, but don't really know what it is--Dr. Lardon helps us to understand and tap into that power in an easily understandable and entertaining way. I've read a lot of "self-help/motivational/discover the secret" books, and Finding Your Zone blows most of them away--it is a fun read and, most importantly, explains how one can look at things in a new and enlightened way. Highly recommended.

I survived cancer through positive thinking and a will to live. I read every book I could get my hands on with regards to having a positive influence on my life and those around me. Finding Your Zone is by far the best book I have come across for accomplishing just that. The great thing about this book is that Dr. Lardons ten core lessons can be applied in all aspects of life wether it is fighting a disease or winning your club championship.

By far the most practical and understandable explanation of a phenomenon that has always been described as magical and unexplainable. Dr. Lardon does a great job of explaining "The Zone" and gives all of us a handbook for achieving our own peak performance. This book is a must read for all athletes looking to take their game to the next level

This book is easy to read. It lays out what needs to be done to get into the optimal state of mind in which to do your best. Michael Lardon uses concise examples to illustrate his points, which seem to be:
* Trust and believe in your dreams;
* Prepare fully (practise a lot);
* Transform desire (expressed through dreams) into will (by harnessing direction and goals to desire);
* Keep everything as simple as possible;
* Focus on process not product goals (avoid "monkey mind" where there is a lot of distraction and not much directed effort);
* Approach emotions from different perspectives to keep things in context ("know-mind awareness);
* Be intrinsically motivated, with extrinsic (especially material) motivation only to supplement the 'pure' intrinsic motivation;
* Take action;
* Build self-confidence by a) looking to what you've done well before, b) seeing yourself do what others are doing, c) modelling behaviours of others, and d) accepting the faith others express in you.

I found the book enjoyable and intriguing, but to me it just hints at what to do to achieve the zone. This is a 162 page essay about what Lardon has observed is common to those who can get into the zone, not how to get there.

For a complemntary book that is essentially the equivalent of a gym programme for the mind, I recommend "10 Minute Toughness: The mental training programe for winning before the game begins" by Jason Selk.