The ability to devote unswerving attention to a task can produce success in any field. On the other hand, being unable to stay in a zone can turn a sure winner into an also-ran. At the 1992 U.S. Olympic trials, decathlon star Dan O'Brien began by setting such a record pace in the contest's events that a place on the team seemed certain. That's when he relaxed and stumbled in the pole vault—failing to clear a height that he had reached hundreds of times before. Unable, as he admitted later, to "get his head together," he tried and failed twice more. Despite O'Brien's physical abilities, a mental lapse had dashed his Olympic hopes.

Most of us can sympathize with O'Brien. You've probably had those frustrating times when you couldn't seem to get your brain going. You've sat blankly in front of the computer screen, struggling to find the right words. You've stared at the budget figures, unable to get your mind around them. And yet you've also known states of high concentration—when you've gotten your best work done at a fast pace. How can you get yourself into your most productive state, your own personal zone?

Psychologists who have worked in the field of maximum performance, and neurologists who've studied what happens to the brain in such states, provide useful advice.

Practice, practice. Does mental focus develop the part of the brain used in the task, just as physical exercises build up the muscles? Psychology professor Michael Posner used PET scans and electroencephalograms to trace the brain activity of people focused on given tasks. Trying a task for the first time increased blood flow and electrical activity in the brain. But as the subjects became accomplished, brain blood flow and electrical discharges decreased. The more we practice concentration, Posner believes, the less brain activity is necessary. And mental skills perfected in one area can be transferred to others.

"The key," says Louis Csoka, who taught concentration to future battlefield commanders at the U.S. Military Academy, "is to learn to overcome noise and interference, whether internal or external." For example, if you're a jazz lover, you might practice by turning on some music and listening only to the alto saxophone, blocking out all the other instruments or vocals. If you're a football fan, practice by