Coaching Techniques

Getting into "The Zone" with Jim Fannin
by Ann Condon

I am delighted to share with you the words and practices of other coaches who work from a design similar to my own.

This story is about Jim Fannin, who is known as the "ZoneCoach." He works with many well known sports figures--MVP's, top golfers, Cy Young winners, tennis stars and coaches.

On his website, www.ZoneCoach.com he says,

"The Zone is the exact moment you perform with complete detachment from the possibility of failure. This present tense performance style sets aflame the physical faculties of your body. Your mind and body are fully alert and hungry for action. In this high-octane state of mind and body synergy, you are so well focused on attaining your goal that only when you step out of it do you realize that it felt like a vacuum. When in the Zone you perform with no feelings or sentiments of the past or future because you perform solely in the Now. Without a thought you concern yourself only with the task at hand. Nothing stands between you and your goal when you reach the Zone."

Jim Fannin and I have a lot in common in our approach to coaching. For example, prior to my introductory call with you as a new client, I ask you to answer the following questions:

  1. What field do you think you might like to be in?
  2. What obstacles, challenges and struggles do you currently come up against?
  3. What would you like to see happening 12 months from today?
From there I help you to visualize yourself being successful beyond your wildest dreams.
  • What does that look like?
  • What do you want this year?
Stan Grossfeld or the Boston Globe quotes Jim saying to his clients in this regard, "It's your movie, not my movie!" So let your imagination go!

One of the conversations that Jim addresses with his clients (according to Grossfeld) is: "What would you pay?"

Turns out that he is not talking about his fee! I ask the same questions:

  • How hard are you willing to work for the gold?
  • How many cocktail parties are you willing to pass on?
  • Are you willing to neglect your tan?
  • Are you willing to do the assignments I will give you?

Jim Fannin asks questions this way: "What will you sacrifice? When everybody's hanging out, you'll have to be thinking about your craft. Your friends may think you've changed. Your family may think you have changed. Would you pay that [price]?" (Boston Globe, 5/22/06)

In addition, I give my clients a psychological basis from which they can address their obstacles and challenges. I spoke with a client this morning at breakfast. His proposal for a website had been turned down by a company that he has worked successfully with for years. The "new hire" had chosen someone else. He was in shock and wanted to run down the street yelling and punching.

I asked him what it was like as a kid in elementary school. "Were you chosen for Red Rover and softball?" He shook his head sadly and said: "The other kids always made fun of me and said I was a jerk. They rarely chose me." I said, "So perhaps the feelings about not being chosen surfaced fifty years later when again you weren't chosen."

He digested this and agreed. We then agreed on a plan to restore his relationship with the company in question and especially the "new hire" that had turned his proposal down. It included visualizing himself striding into the company, being very gracious to the woman who had chosen the other proposal and a script that (although he wouldn't follow it directly, would give him a place to come from in generating new business with this company.

Basically, Jim and I both ask you to work hard and focus, visualize success frequently; and never, never doubt the possibility of your success - "be completely detached from the possibility of failure."

If you are an athlete you may want to contact Jim and even buy his book, S.C.O.R.E. for Life, published in 2006. See more on Jim Fannin's website www.ZoneCoach.com.

On the other hand, if sports is not your game! And you are looking for fulfillment in your personal, business and professional life, contact me at thejoyofsuccess@comcast.net.

The next coach I'll tell you about is Fabienne Frederickson, developer of The Client Attraction System. Fabienne (with whom I studied for three months this winter) is a renowned expert in marketing. No matter what your business or interest, you really need to have other people talking about it. Buying from you, or reading your book - they're all customers.