Probably pool is not for me

I too before was persueded that I had good foundamentals, good stroke, etc... until i saw myself in video and thought "is that me playing all weird-looking ??! :eek: " . Other than that, I kept missing shots no matter how hard i was focusing on them. These two thing suggested to work on the basis, and it made me improve fast like anything before !

You may have a good stroke but you could aim badly, or you may aim correctly but could aim better if you line up the cue with your dominant eye, or you may be doing all these things fine and miss because you dont know the right amount of english for every shot, or cant compensate english deflection , and many many different things.... You dont have to give all those things for sure, because they arent ! this is a very complex game !

I dont think you play bad because you arent self confident, i think you arent self confident because you dont play well and this makes you play worst !
 
Black-Balled said:
Yeah, I have issue with going out and paying too much to play on inferior equipment, around people I'd rather not see, listening to things I'd rather not hear...so I play with myself at home.:o
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Yeah, I do that sometimes too. :o

Terribly bad for the eyesight, though.
 
Black-Balled said:
That is crazy that you 2 are conversing in English, over the internet!

Crazy, I tell ya.
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Lol, the conversation started here, what should we do? I think talking in Italian is against the rules, believe me
I'd prefer to write in Italian rather than in English. :D
 
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quit
find something you like

i never met a person who wasn't better off quiting
find something productive

pool is just a game

wish you the best
dean
 
so I play with myself at home.
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Try doing it in a dept store in the women's section.
Some of those mannequins are Hot.

I went in to one store in the mall. It had a sign out front: Women's Clothes, Half
Off. So I went in. Was I ever disappointed. False advertising it was.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Try doing it in a dept store in the women's section.
Some of those mannequins are Hot.

I went in to one store in the mall. It had a sign out front: Women's Clothes, Half
Off. So I went in. Was I ever disappointed. False advertising it was.
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:killingme::killingme: BHR... u funny
 
Slh said:
After another very poor performance I realized pool is probably not for me.
We know that you need great focus and confidence to play at a high level but I'm not a very confident person in the everyday life. When I'm at the table I don't feel focused and confident but I'm most of the time "scared" of missing shots. This obviously leads to missing sitters. I tried for a long time to focus and to think positevely when I'm at the table but without help. I'm tired and disappointed my game has not progressed, instead is stuck to a bad/mediocre level.
Because I'm a competitive person I can't stand playing badly and I reached the point where pool is not fun anymore instead is source of stress and disappointment. I decided to take an indefinite hiatus from the game... I still love the game and I'll probably play from time to time, but I'm not sure if I will play the game seriously again,almost surely I will but I'm not sure when.
Someone found himself in the same situation?
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SIh,
Pool is like life, you would not give up on life would you? There is a place for every type of pool player. Good, better, best, and bad! We all cannot be champions. Remember there is room for every type player. Enjoy the game even if you cannot beat Efren!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load
 
But in a general sense...unrelated to the goings-on in Sicily.

At what point do you just mentally slap yourself and put your big-boy britches on? You know, say to yourself, 'stfu and do it'?

I had a girlfriend whose family had deepression issues- to the point of multiple suicides- and when she'd get into a funk I'd tell to get over it and come have some fun. She'd say I just didn't understand her unability to do so...or she didn't have the possibility of happiness in her at the time.

Is pool like that? I don't think so, but I never understood that girl's head either.

she is still alive, btw.
 
Slh said:
After another very poor performance I realized pool is probably not for me.
We know that you need great focus and confidence to play at a high level but I'm not a very confident person in the everyday life. When I'm at the table I don't feel focused and confident but I'm most of the time "scared" of missing shots. This obviously leads to missing sitters. I tried for a long time to focus and to think positevely when I'm at the table but without help. I'm tired and disappointed my game has not progressed, instead is stuck to a bad/mediocre level.
Because I'm a competitive person I can't stand playing badly and I reached the point where pool is not fun anymore instead is source of stress and disappointment. I decided to take an indefinite hiatus from the game... I still love the game and I'll probably play from time to time, but I'm not sure if I will play the game seriously again,almost surely I will but I'm not sure when.
Someone found himself in the same situation?
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Best to get out of it now and keep your sanity.I'm like you and very competitive and hate
losing and find I enjoy myself most playing alone or tournaments.Bar pool
and Leagues will kill your game when it comes to switching gears when
your playing on 9footers with tighter pockets.I quit Leagues cause I just can't stand most of the people in them.I thought there is no way I'm going to pay week after week to spend time with people that I don't really like.
I'm a loner by nature and have found enjoyment in the game practicing alone and tournament play.Goodluck Scott
 
There is something we must control in order to compete. And the beauty of it is that we can control it without any special equipment, dvds, aiming apparatus, etc etc. In fact we are the only person who can control it. We MUST and CAN control is our attitude. You don't have to lie to yourself and say all is well but if you plan on succeeding, you have to put a smile on your face in spite of the adversity you face at the time.

Literally put a smile on your face as you play! It makes you feel a bit silly and helps keep things in perspective without interrupting concentration.

I thank you for helping me remember! My attitude has been poor lately as well. Time for me to put on that smile and suck it up!

I hope it helps you as well!

Ken
 
DoubleD said:
I've said it in other threads, but there is evidence that smiling (or simply massaging the muscles used during smiling) releases endorphins, which make you feel happy.

Plus, sometimes smiling at unusual times gets in an opponents head.

dld
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If I'm walking around the table all pissd off with this big giant
smile on my face,thre going to be wheeling me out of the poolroom
like Hannibal Lecter on a dolly wearing a stainless steel snuggie:eek:
 
DoubleD said:
I've said it in other threads, but there is evidence that smiling (or simply massaging the muscles used during smiling) releases endorphins, which make you feel happy.

Plus, sometimes smiling at unusual times gets in an opponents head.

dld
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I've known two players who smile on the shot, and I wanted to slap both of them.

Smug bastards.
 
Slim Limpy said:


The phenomenon of pool players investing themselves in the outcome of pool competition and then relying on that outcome to deturmine self worth, as expressed in the above quote, is, I think, one of the true oddities of billiard competition. Golfers, for instance, for the most part, don't judge themselves to be in lacking in essential human characteristics because they can't compete on a level with other golfers. Most golfers spend their entire life chasing par and are no less a "complete" person lacking "heart" as a result of it. Bowlers, too, for the most part spend their entire lives chasing 300, but don't feel incompetant as a human because they never bowl a perfect game.

Pool players, on the other hand, seem to think that they must be incomplete, incompetant, less than worthy, because they can't line up with a player who can, out of a nine game challenge, run three or so racks during that nine games. As if the loser is less better than that person in some way because he or she is a better pool player. Odd. Odd as heck, to me.

Clearly, if you're investing your sense of self-worth or dignity in any game or single activity which isn't a foundation for financial or social security for either you or those relying on you, you need to re-evaluate your attraction to the game.

Or, to put it in a cruder fashion than many posters have already stated, "Get a Life!!!" Find and persue pleasures which don't entrap you in the emotional and psychic trap that pool has on so many of its participants. For some people, pool is their life--good for them--it ain't for me. When it's your life (for whatever reason it is) then the connection between the game and your worthiness has value to that person, but obviously that connection has you worried.

I have no answer to this, I just find it oddly amusing to watch.

Myself, I came to the game in middle age, and don't even pretend to ever get good enough to compete at a tournament level. 98% of my playing is at home where I just plain enjoy watching the ball whack against each other and checking out what happens to them as a result.

When I do play against others (I never compete--don't have that curse) I consider myself a competitive loser. So only on occasion to do I play at a level that I would consider "unworthy" of my shooting talents.

Stop judging your personal value in relation to your talents as a pool player--that's no way to have fun.

Ok, don't know if you'd be up to this or not, but you really, really, really need to to read and think about the the ideas and subject matter presented in The Pleasures of Small Motions by Bob Fancher, Ph.D. It's slightly acedemic since he's a rather learned guy and a sports psychologist, but it goes into detail regarding many of the issues that this thread has raised.
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Because you came into pool at middle age from what I have seen(and I'm glad you did) people who come in late 75% of the time dont take pool as seriously as life long players. and thats Ok, I wish more people lke you would come into pool. I do know that life long players have a different perspective most of the time. I play to win, winning is fun, pool is ok but not as fun as winning is. i think it has to do with the level of dedication lifers have vs hobbiests. Sure there are exceptions to what i'm saying as there are in all walks of life.

I'm saying this to you respectfully, please dont take it wrong, and i hope you continure to play and have fun, we need more players like you in the sport.

kindest regards
eric:smile:
 
TheThaiger said:
I've known two players who smile on the shot, and I wanted to slap both of them.

Smug bastards.
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You oughta give it a go! Can't hurt ya. And you might just find a way about things you have never experienced before. I know I did the first time I tried it on the golf course. All of a sudden the 20-30 mph winds and challenge of playing Oaktree Golf Club against some of the best players in Oklahoma seemed trivial.

Good luck to you!

Ken
 
Look on the bright side, slh. This thread has gone on so long that by the time it's finished you'll have become a 10-speed. :smile:
 
I myself am a very competitive person by nature. However, my current situation in which I have a job, a wonderful wife, and 3 beautiful kids stops me from having the time needed to progress in pool to the competitve level that I would desire to play at. As a matter of fact, I often don't progress at all, and sometimes become so frustrated at my level of play that I almost can't stand playing anymore. When I feel that way, a few days off helps, and I am ready to get back at the table and do the best that I can. I really enjoy pool, but I'd rather have the other things in my life than be good at pool, so I just try to enjoy it as much as I can. Playing my neighboors that suck every once in a while does help a bit too.

Withthe above being said, I know that I could be progressing more than I am. Time and the fatigue of the day really limits my focused practice, but if I commit to spending my 20-30 minutes a day doing a specific progression of drills, then I do slowly improve. I would also say that your best bet is to get a lesson with a good instructor. having new things to try will reinvigorate your desire to play, and the progress you should make will also help.

Either way, good luck. If your anything like me, you won't be able to stay away for very long without the desire to play coming back.
 
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