Thought patterns ...
- By sparkle84
- Main Forum
- 196 Replies
Good stuff! I have been really trying to quiet my brain. It's starting to happen but there is a point at which no thinking is actually relenting too much control. Or is it?
Perhaps it's because I haven't yet done enough reps. For instance, I just got done with a short session. I was all over the place, missing shots. WTF? I realized that in trying to "not think about it", I was skipping a very major step in my shot execution: visualizing the ghost ball. Maybe I need to do more reps where this becomes automatic. But as soon as I got down on the shot focused on the ghost ball, all the shots (literally, all the shots) went. It's a fine line between thinking while planning, carrying that thinking into getting down on the shot, then turning off the thoughts. I think I will experiment with identifying a trigger, like, be hyper-focused on planning and visualizing the shot while standing, but the instant I place my front foot is the trigger for abandoning thought and trusting the process. I dunno. I'll see how that goes.
Last night I lost two 9-ball racks, one dogging the 9 and leaving it in the jaws of the pocket because I didn't deliver the cue ball to the ghost ball, the other dogging a really simple 7-ball (having run from the 2) that I should make in my sleep, a 15-degree shot just off the rail with shape on the 9 guaranteed - just make the 7. Same problem: didn't really commit to the ghost ball.
I have been proving to myself that the subconscious (or is it the unconscious?) controls things better than the conscious. Here's something you can try: I bet you take a shower daily, and have done so for years the same way. Next time, don't let it just happen. Think about how you get wet, then how you pick up the soap, then which body part you wash first, then which body part you wash next. I bet at some point you will hesitate trying to figure out what to do next. It's really revealing.
Another example: I taught myself how to shift a manual transmission, and heel-toe downshift decades ago. Next time you are driving a manual transmission, force yourself to think about the steps: determine the RPM at which to shift; push in the clutch while releasing the throttle; change gears; reengage the clutch and return to the throttle. I bet you're not nearly as smooth as when you aren't thinking about it. It's even more pronounced when executing a heel-toe downshift. The more you think about it the less smooth it becomes.
Learning to turn off the brain for pool is f-ing hard!!
Regarding the bolded sentences, yeah, if only I can be so good to have someone quit on me because I was stalking the table so efficiently that I was shooting too well!!! LOL
Couple caveats. I haven't thoroughly read all posts in this thread, especially the longer ones. Just not real interested in this particular subject. Find it somewhat tedious at times.
Secondly what I'll say is by no means meant to downplay this struggle you're having at the moment. I've followed your journey on here and commented when I thought I might help.
Couple things caught my attention in this post. Ghost ball and trigger. I've mentioned before that a trigger is essential. Thought it might have been in one of your threads but maybe not. What a lot of players use is the chalk. They keep the chalk in their hand from the time they make a shot until they get down on the next one. Walking around the table, looking at angles, viewing the shot from the object ball to the pocket and identifying the contact point, then dialing in on the shot line when centered behind the CB.
All the while they are also determining a CB path, etc. Once that is finished then the chalk goes down, followed by your body. Any uncertainty about anything they don't just stand up, they pick up the chalk while standing up. If you watch some videos you'll see that a ton of top players use the chalk in this manner.
You've chose placing your left foot as the trigger. In my opinion that's too late. Placing that foot in position should be done subconsciously.
One other thing, I have the feeling that you are consciously thinking way too much even while standing. Which leads us to the ghost ball.
and here's where I'm lacking information.
As far as I can recall, all your videos have been of you performing a particular drill or shot. None in an actual game situation. Even playing the ghost would be helpful.
I'd be really curious as to your thoughts during the time standing up. If you refer to what I highlighted above, that's pretty much the extent of what to think about, and some of it doesn't even require conscious thought, just observation. Take determining a CB path, etc. What path to take, where the CB stops and with what angle, what speed to use. All that is mostly visualization. If you're standing there thinking I need to hit this with a little draw and a tip of right at a slow to medium speed you're already lost. Allow instinct to guide this process. Here's where the power of repetition comes in. If the result is not what you want, set it up and go again. Still, don't consciously think about it (maybe a little). Let your subconscious make the adjustments.
It's probably been about 5 years you've been posting. I don't know what your average hours/week on the table are but IMO it's probably enough that it might be time to abandon the GB. Playing in leagues I'm sure you've seen people who put their tip where the GB center is then walk around behind the CB while holding the tip there. As people get better they stop doing it. It might be ok at first because it helps adjust for the curvature of the balls. If continued it may actually interfere with developing subconscious adjustments. It's detrimental in other ways as well.
This contradicts what you said above "But as soon as I got down on the shot focused on the ghost ball, all the shots (literally, all the shots) went.", so maybe I'm wrong.
But I'd still consider phasing out reliance on the GB. You might think you need it but I assure you that you don't. As far as using it as an aiming aid. Consider that when you were missing it might of been because you simply weren't focusing period, on the GB or anything else.
JMO, take it FWIW
