Confidence

9BallPaul

9BallPaul

Banned
I've been banging balls now for a half-century plus, so please give me some latitude for thinking I've got things figured out.

That said, the player who can approach a shot and expect to make it is the player who can win. The guy or gal who hopes to make the shot will inevitably lose -- not always -- but usually.

I think about this stuff while doing my practice routine, and the longer I do it the more it works for me.

I don't do driils, just throw out 15 balls and run 'em out. Obviously this isn't the way that any tournament player ever developed his skill, but it's worked for me.

I approach a pool table the way others approach a golf course: It's me against the table. I don't have to put up with obnoxious opponents who don't understand the rules -- ("Dude, the cue ball slid off the long-rail. That's a bank shot!") -- and I can approach pool as others approach golf: It's me against the table, and me against myself.

This has worked for me, and I've found that confidence more than any other factor has made me a better player.

Comments?
 
There's another confidence booster in stepping up to shoot when you've got fifty years playing time.....you can tell yourself there isn't a tough shot on the table that you haven't made a hundred times in the past!

Joe
 
ThePoliteSniper said:
Can you make the shot because you are confident? Or are you confident because you can make the shot?
Click to expand...

My you are a skeptic aren't you. Anybody that can play a little can make just about any shot the question is percentage and the confidence can be the difference. I have to say I agree with the OP. Approaching a shot with confidence will help your game a ton no matter your skills.

This is really obvious when you watch a strong A player, a run-out player who plays real well, watch that player when they match up with a stone cold champion and when the confidence erodes the A speed player will have a doubt and their game will go down. This happens when they loose heart and they can fall right off their game.

Watch out for a player who can recover after being broke down and recover that same confidence. With confidence comes possibilities and it can grow. This kind of player can grow into a champion.
 
9BallPaul said:
I've been banging balls now for a half-century plus, so please give me some latitude for thinking I've got things figured out.

That said, the player who can approach a shot and expect to make it is the player who can win. The guy or gal who hopes to make the shot will inevitably lose -- not always -- but usually.

I think about this stuff while doing my practice routine, and the longer I do it the more it works for me.

I don't do driils, just throw out 15 balls and run 'em out. Obviously this isn't the way that any tournament player ever developed his skill, but it's worked for me.

I approach a pool table the way others approach a golf course: It's me against the table. I don't have to put up with obnoxious opponents who don't understand the rules -- ("Dude, the cue ball slid off the long-rail. That's a bank shot!") -- and I can approach pool as others approach golf: It's me against the table, and me against myself.

This has worked for me, and I've found that confidence more than any other factor has made me a better player.

Comments?
Click to expand...

Yes, a quiet self-assurance and focusing on your game, is a key component for success. This helps immeasurably when the hall is noisy, crowded or your opponent is distracting in the myriad ways others can be distracting.
 
And furthermore....

Ask Tiger Woods about the importance of confidence in golf. You can see it in his face before the shot -- except, not anymore.

Come to think of it, confidence is the prerequisite for excellence in anything. Even picking up a dame at the bar.
 
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