15. Get in the Zone by Setting “Micro-Goals”

Also known as flow, the “zone” is a mental state in which a person is fully immersed in an activity. This state is associated with a feeling of energized focus, enjoyment of the activity, and a change in the sense of time. 45 Getting in the zone can make exercise feel less daunting, help the workout pass more quickly, and even turn it into something to look forward to.

So how do you get in the zone with exercise? First, it helps to know that you have a choice about where you place your thoughts during exercise and that your thought patterns can make exercise seem easier or harder. If your thoughts are in the future and focused on how much work you still have left to do, exercise will seem harder. On the other hand, if your thoughts are in the present and focused on the process of your workout as it unfolds, it will seem easier.

Once you know this choice exists, you can choose to keep your thoughts in the present by setting micro-goals. Micro-goals are exactly as they sound: smaller goals within bigger goals.

Endurance athletes, like marathon runners, use micro-goals all the time, whether they know it or not. Running a 26-mile marathon while thinking “I’ve still got 20 miles to go” can have a detrimental effect on performance because the mind is in the future. To stay in the present, marathon runners frequently set micro-goals by dividing the race into six smaller races that are each four miles long, with a two-mile bonus round at the end, for example. These smaller goals are much easier for the mind to digest, and they help the runner get in the zone during a race.

You may not be a marathon runner, but you can also set micro-goals to get in the zone during exercise. For example, the idea of performing 15 repetitions of an exercise would be harder for your mind to digest than performing 5 repetitions three times. You could break the 5 repetitions down even further by doing an “easy three” and a “quick two” and repeating that three times. How much easier does that sound than counting straight to 15 repetitions?

There’s no rule for how to break exercise down into smaller chunks. Find what works for you, and then focus solely on making it to that smaller goal. Then set another one. Then another.

Set micro-goals during exercise to keep your thoughts present and focused on the process of your workout as it unfolds. By doing this, you’ll get in the zone, and exercise will seem easier and go by quicker.

In the next chapter, I’ll show you how to overcome negative bias to stay motivated with exercise.

Key Takeaways

• The zone is a mental state in which a person is fully immersed in an activity. Getting in the zone can make exercise less daunting—even something to look forward to—and help it to pass more quickly.
• You can get in the zone during exercise by keeping your thoughts in the present and focusing on the process of your workout. Do this by setting micro-goals: smaller goals within bigger goals. For example, break down a 15-repetition workout into three sets of five, then the fives into an “easy three” and a “quick two.”
• There’s no rule for how to break exercise down into smaller chunks. Find what works for you, and focus solely on making it to that smaller goal. Then set another one.

Action Steps

• Experiment with micro-goals by performing a simple exercise, such as bending and straightening your elbows. Try performing 15 repetitions of this exercise by counting straight to 15. Next, try counting an “easy three” and a “quick two” and repeating that set three times. Although you performed a total of 15 repetitions both times, you may notice that setting micro-goals made exercise seem easier and go by faster.
• If you’re a family member or a caregiver for an older adult you’d like to help with exercise, assist them with the above action step and have them notice whether micro-goals make exercise seem easier and go by faster.