Way back when I was a teenaged motocross junkie, one of my heroes was Ricky Johnson, a multiple Outdoor National and Supercross Champion.  On several occasions I got to see him race in person, and each time it was a treat.  I have always admired greatness, and seeing Ricky Johnson at the prime of his motorcycle career was an inspiration.

Today, Mr. Johnson is one of the country’s top dirt truck racers.  In a movie documenting the incredible Baja 1000 desert race, Ricky Johnson was interviewed.  I found his comments very prescient, and one of the best descriptions of "living in the zone" that I have ever heard.  Here is what he said:

"I’ve had what I consider a few moments where I felt greatness, when I raced.  A lot of people, if you ask them, will say, break it down, what was your best race?  And it might not be they won, but they had a moment.  You’re so present, and everything is happening effortlessly, flawlessly, while outside it’s utter chaos, it’s chaos all around ’em.  And they’re sitting in the middle of the tornado, the eye of the storm.  You make a correction before a reaction starts. 

They’re not scared, they’re not afraid, and they don’t think they can get hurt.  You don’t have time to be afraid.  Afraid comes afterwards!

It’s not because you’re crazy or you’ve got a death wish.  It’s competition.  Fighters dont’ fight to hurt people, they fight to win.  Races don’t race because they want to die, they want to go fast, and that’s my high.  That’s the way I manipulate my life, is through the mechanics of a machine." (emphasis added)

A big part of successful living is doing what you do to the fullest extent of your abilities.  Somewhere in that range lies "the zone;" the place where all the fulfillment of God’s promise in you comes into broad relief.  You are doing what you were built to do and in harmony with all that you’ve ever wanted to become. 

As Ricky Johnson described it, he manipulates race machinery to forge a life that keeps him in the zone, to keep himself alive and pushing to become great at what he was created to do.  Each of us has that kind of greatness deep inside.  We were built to accomplish and push and strive to utilize all the gifts God has given us.  Each of us was given our own arena in which to compete.  It may not be off-road racing (which is a shame), but there is a special calling within each person waiting to be fulfilled.  It’s inside of that calling that one feels what Mr. Johnson labors to explain in this fascinating quote.

So do what you do, while you can.  There will be a day when your chance has passed, when your "racing" days are done.  What would you give, in that time, to go back and have one more lap?  One more mile?  One more opportunity to live "in the zone?"

The key to a life that counts is seeing these truths in advance, realizing that there are doors that won’t stay open forever, and you’ve got to charge through them while you can!

And don’t worry; when you get there, when you operate fully and honestly in the center of your calling, you won’t even be scared.  You’ll be great!