What Can the U.S. Open Teach Us about FOCUS & FLOW Even If We Don't Play Tennis?

What a joy it was experiencing the master-class put on by tennis player Sam Querrey at the U.S. Open on Sunday night. As he boomed one service ace after another, it was clear to everyone in the stands he was playing "lights out" tennis under the lights. 

I've had fun dissecting how he was able to attain this rare and welcome peak performance state of FOCUS and FLOW. Here are three observations you can use next time you're prepping for a high-stakes situation and want to be "in the zone."

1. Querrey talked a good game.  

In the pre-match interview in the tunnel leading to Arthur Ashe Stadium, a reporter asked Querry, "How do you feel?" The light went on in his eyes and Querrey said, "I'm excited." I thought, "We're in for a good match."

Think about it. Before a high-stakes match or meeting, people often talk about how nervous, stressed or tense they are. That becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that takes them out of the game. 

Rarely do people under pressure say they're excited. But when they do, it connotes an emotional readiness - a heightening of positive anticipation - that means "I've got this. I'm looking forward to this." This attitude bodes well because they already feel good about the match which is a precursor and prerequisite to flow. 

Try it. Next time you're preparing for an important presentation, pitch or negotiation, tell yourself (and anyone who asks,) "I'm EXCITED, I'm looking forward to this.

2.  Querry was pumping not slumping. 

I got to the tennis center early and went to some of the side courts to watch the juniors play. It's a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal to some of the up-and comers who will soon be on the pro tour.

However one prayer I watched was letting her body language defeat her. She'd hit a shot long and sigh and sag. She'd double fault or miss a volley and her shoulders would slump. Her slouching and grouching was setting up a "bad day" mindset that undermined her morale and reinforced her perception that nothing was going her way. 

Querrey on the other hand gave a little fist pump every time he hit one of his 136 (!) mph serves. He wasn't being a jerk about it. He was just appreciating what he was doing right instead of getting upset about what he was doing wrong. And every time he celebrated, his level of play was elevated.

Psychologists tell us that rewarded behavior gets repeated. What are you rewarding and reinforcing? If your power point deck freezes, if the speaker before you goes long or the program is running behind; do you allow your body language to show your frustration? If so, it's not just reflecting how you feel, it's directing how you feel.

Instead, create your own physical version of "fist pumps." Straighten your shoulders instead of letting them slump or sag. Replace a frown or pursed lips with a big smile. Offstage, adopt the "superman or superwoman" pose that Amy Cuddy talks about in her excellent TED talk to feel powerful instead of powerless. Now your body language is helping you instead of hurting you.

3, Querrey was moving and grooving instead of stopping and starting. 

Querrey got a high percentage of first serves in. And when you get your first serves in, you get in a groove. You establish a rhythm where you're not thinking about what you're doing, you're just doing it. There are no stops, starts, distractions. Just pace, rhythm and momentum. 

Folks, it's called flow for a reason. Flow depends on uninterrupted forward motion. That's why the game plan of many athletes is to get the other player "out of their rhythm." They know their key to success is to disrupt the other player's momentum. 

Last night, Querrey was on a roll. As he said in a post interview, "I came out of the chute hot and that was they key." Missing a lot of first serves takes a mental and physical toll. It introduces stops and starts that prevent pace and mess up momentum. By getting so many first serves in, Querrey was "dialed in," controlling the momentum of the match, and swept up in that inner rhythm where everything was going his way. 

When I work with speakers, one of our goals is to establish word rhythm and content momentum so they're in that peak performance state of flow.

One way we do this is to story-board their talk. (BTW - I never advise you script or memorize your talk word-for-word as that blocks and locks. It blocks flexibility and locks you in your head. Instead of being alive in the moment and adapting to what's happening (crucial element of flow), you're simply repeating something you've rehearsed to death.

We take index cards and storyboard their talk into into timed segments (e.g., 18 minute TED talks are often divided into three 5 minute buckets). Then we craft crystal clear opening lines and intriguing segment transitions so each segment flows into the next.

Having good openers/transitions for each story/point is the speaker's equivalent of getting your first serves in. You're able to move through your talk confidently instead of searching for what to say. You have a flexible game plan that gives you the freedom to respond to what's happening in the room. The blend of form AND freedom sets up a flowing forward pace that keeps everyone engaged from start to finish, including you. 

If there's anything I've learned after 30 years of researching, writing and speaking about the topic of concentration it's that "You can't force flow and focus; you can facilitate them." Concentration, focus and flow are skills, just like playing the piano or learning how to use a computer. You can get better at them - if you put your mind to it.

So, what's a high-stakes situation you're preparing for? If you want to walk in with confidence and facilitate focus and flow, do yourself a favor.

1. Talk a good game. Don't say, "I'm anxious." Say, "I'm excited."
2. Don't slump, pump. Tower vs. cower (more about that here). Adopt body language that creates confidence and that rewards/reinforces and directs peak performance.
3. Move and groove. Get your metaphorical "first serves in." Practice your openings and transitions to establish that all important rhythm, pace and forward momentum.

Side-Note:  I wrote most of this while watching Querrey's match at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center. These ideas are based on a section called ConZONEtration in my book ConZentrate which was endorsed by Billie Jean King. What a trill it was to receive a testimonial from this pioneer who's made such a positive difference for women athletes. And yes, I know a bit about tennis as I played on my high school/college teams and had the distinct privilege of working with two-time Grand Slam champion Rod Laver at his tennis facility on Hilton Head Island and was Program Manager at the Regency Racquet Club (America's first country club for racquet sports outside of Washington DC.)

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Sam Horn, Founder/CEO of the INTRIGUE Agency, is on a mission to help people improve their performance and productivity. Her TEDx talk and books - have been featured in NY Times, Forbes, INC and on NPR and MSNBC. Her presentations receive kudos from such clients as Boeing, NASA, Capital One, Cisco, Accenture, YPO and Intel. Want Sam to speak to your group? Contact [email protected]