CONFIDENCE & DELUSION in Pocket Billiards.

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Confidence is sometimes an innate thing that some of us are born with, but most of the time, confidence is EARNED. Confidence is earned by acquired knowledge, quality practice, quality competition, earned victories and a developed mental game.

Delusion is also something of an innate thing that some of us are born with but most of the time, like confidence, it too is EARNED. Delusion is earned by allowing yourself the ego to blame your losses on things other than your play, like the table conditions, the luck of the break and spread, the luck of the shape, the luck of the bank, the luck of the kick and the luck of the carom. Some of us even look at our opponent's game and underestimate their skill; that's delusion and a selfish way to analyze your opponent's game.

Many books are written on CONFIDENCE.
Few books are written on DELUSION.
It is easy enough to figure out which one is the easiest to acquire.

Each of us make our own choices. What will yours be?

JoeyA
 
I've been thinking about changing my screen name, but it's hard to choose one that is really appropriate. "Delusion" is definitely in the running :thumbup:
 
Nine ... corner said:
With all due respect you can have it both ways. I find that my confidence continues to grow as my delusion increases! ;)
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I don't think he was saying otherwise.

I am the opposite. The more I play, the less deluded I am about my ability, and my confidence goes down. That is why I can pick up a stick after a while of not playing, and run out a rack. The next day I am back to playing lousy. :)
 
Careyp74 said:
I don't think he was saying otherwise.

I am the opposite. The more I play, the less deluded I am about my ability, and my confidence goes down. That is why I can pick up a stick after a while of not playing, and run out a rack. The next day I am back to playing lousy. :)
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I believe my "failed" (in your case) attempt at humor sailed right over your head! I even emphasized it with a ;) at the end to help avoid any confusion but whatever!
 
I thought the smiley was for the second part......
Nine ... corner said:
I believe my "failed" (in your case) attempt at humor sailed right over your head! I even emphasized it with a ;) at the end to help avoid any confusion but whatever!
Click to expand...
Now my confidence is under the table
 
Come on Joey, how many would play tournaments if the majority of pool players were not delusional?

A very well known line from one of Norway's most famous writers - Henrik Ibsen - is:

"If you take the life lie from an average man, you take away his happiness as well."
 
They just can't lay off the shot can they !
They made the golf movie Tin Cup about that.
25 faces just flashed before my eyes of people who could be great 1 pocket players if they ever stopped shooting gopher shots .
 
There's a fine line between confidence and delusion & I ride that line like a bear on a unicycle.
 
Confidence & delusion
Genius & insanity
Knowledge & intelligence
Debate & argue
Detainor & detainee
Art & trash
Problem & opportunity
Cue & tomato stake

Sometimes there is a fine line, sometimes not.
Strive for the wisdom to know the difference.
 
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Mr. Bond said:
Confidence & delusion
Genius & insanity
Knowledge & intelligence
Debate & argue
Detainor & detainee
Art & trash
Problem & opportunity
Cue & tomato stake

Sometimes there is a fine line, sometimes not.
Strive for the wisdom the know the difference.
Click to expand...

Well said Mr. Bond
It says I must spread some around before I can give you Rep again,....
 
pooladdict said:
Come on Joey, how many would play tournaments if the majority of pool players were not delusional?

A very well known line from one of Norway's most famous writers - Henrik Ibsen - is:

"If you take the life lie from an average man, you take away his happiness as well."
Click to expand...

I can't speak for others but I will say why I play in tournaments. I do it as a form of entertainment and the entry fee is usually cheaper than paying 3+ hours of table time. There are a handful of guys who win the tournaments on a regular basis. I have won a couple times but more often than not, I finish one out of the money. It is nice to get the experience and play shortstops for much less than it would cost to gamble with them.
 
Over confidence and delusion

I am not a "basher of America" but a phenomenon
that has spread across America in the last twenty
years is the think positive plague. It has led Americans
to a place of such over confidence that we think we can
do anything. Rebuilding nations comes to mind.
Accurate assessment of one's ability leads
success. It also tells us what we need to work on.

I agree about the delusional ideas people have about
what did and didn't happen. It certainly occurs, but over
confidence plays just as big role. For those of you who
are interested in the mental side pool a little research
into over confidence may pay big dividends.

Joe
 
I have found in years of competing that FEAR is your friend.
People that look for confidence invariably find false confidence.
If you strive, and listen to the warning bells, real confidence might show up.....
...but even if it doesn't, you'll be hard to beat.

Confidence that is not earned can sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo.....
....but you can't bullshit inanimate objects.

There is a fine line between delusion and faith.....
.....sometimes I don't know the difference....:o
 
True confidence comes from achievement. Achievement can't be realized until one comes to grip with reality which allows them to understand their shortcomings and commits to the process or plan that will be required to overcome those shortcomings. Goals are useless if they aren't realistic, if they lack a plan to achieve them and the individual lacks the commitment to carry out the plan. Lack of any of the three results in delusion.

A good example would be Rhea. Her goal wasn't realistic and her plan was flawed. This made her commitment, or lack thereof, irrelevant.
 
pooladdict said:
Come on Joey, how many would play tournaments if the majority of pool players were not delusional?

A very well known line from one of Norway's most famous writers - Henrik Ibsen - is:

"If you take the life lie from an average man, you take away his happiness as well."
Click to expand...

Let everyone be happy. :dance::dance::dance:

JoeyA
 
nine_ball6970 said:
I can't speak for others but I will say why I play in tournaments. I do it as a form of entertainment and the entry fee is usually cheaper than paying 3+ hours of table time. There are a handful of guys who win the tournaments on a regular basis. I have won a couple times but more often than not, I finish one out of the money. It is nice to get the experience and play shortstops for much less than it would cost to gamble with them.
Click to expand...

More people should understand the things you do.

JoeyA
 
Confidence comes from different sources.

Delusion comes from only one source. Well, there was this one other time that this stranger said I could really play.

JoeyA
 
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