From 1987 to 1994, Murphy was the sports psychologist at the U.S. Olympic Committee's training center in Colorado. Now a private corporate consultant, he applies the sports notion of being "in the Zone," when athletes feel everything is going perfectly, to all fields of human endeavor. Skills required to enter the Achievement Zone include short-term focus on the stepping-stones to the ultimate goal; visualization of a good performance; analysis of weaknesses in order to overcome them; calm and confidence to overcome nervousness; concentration; the capacity to recharge; and, above all, consistency in both preparation and performance. The text is filled with examples from the careers of successful athletes, plus exercises, which may help readers apply the book's principles to their daily and business lives. Murphy's slant on self-help distinguishes his book from the derivative pack of such guides. (text cited from Publisher Weekly)