Frustration
- Thread starter medallio
- Start date
Nope, I harbor no such illusions. It might be true in your case, but I just want to become a solid B player. Age and physical limitations.
That could be said about anything. How many possible doctors lawyers, scientists never had the means to go to collage and pursue a dream.
I once read a book. "How to be your own best friend". To do a lot of things in life you have to be selfish.
You have to put yourself first. It can be a not so nice trait that is actually require for success. I had it. I didn't get married till I was 33 and up till then did pretty much what ever I wanted very successfully as both a pool player and businessman.
I actually retired at 45. It didn't last long though and I was back in business again. Work and accomplishment is the only thing of any real interest. I will probably work till I die. My wife is the same, there isn't enough hours in the day for us we are so busy.
Nope. I'm as good as I'm going to get, and that's fine by me. I play golf, shoot my AR 15s, and on occasion will go eight and out playing the other oldies but goodies. Life is good. :smile:
I'd like to be able to compete with g he really good players around here, or walk into any pool room in town and not embarrass myself.
I have no idea what A, AA, B, or C looks like, but I'd like to be able to play with anyone of them, but pro...... no pipe dreams here
I have no idea what A, AA, B, or C looks like, but I'd like to be able to play with anyone of them, but pro...... no pipe dreams here
Reality
It's important to have realistic goals.
I've loved pool for more than sixty years, but I never had illusions about becoming a professional player because I also played other sports, usually had a full-time job, got an education (classroom and reading a truckload of books) and wrote a few books myself.
I had a decent amateur career and studied enough to become a decent teacher, or so I'm told. Good enough for me.
It's important to have realistic goals.
I've loved pool for more than sixty years, but I never had illusions about becoming a professional player because I also played other sports, usually had a full-time job, got an education (classroom and reading a truckload of books) and wrote a few books myself.
I had a decent amateur career and studied enough to become a decent teacher, or so I'm told. Good enough for me.
Your post can be summed up with one word.
Commitment
If you are not willing to commit then don't sweat your inability to be great. If it were really that important to you then you would commit.
Commitment
If you are not willing to commit then don't sweat your inability to be great. If it were really that important to you then you would commit.
Yeah I think that happens to alot of people, and it extends well beyond pool into other professions.
For what it's worth, the people that I've encountered in life that seem to be the happiest/most content are the ones who make those important decisions about how to spend their time but in the same breath can make peace with those decisions.
I don't want to be pro. I just want to be able to run out consistently every time the table is wide open or only 1-2 problem balls. I think if I could get to that level I would be happy. Beyond that I feel it becomes overwhelming.
ElCorazonFrio
Banned
As you said, pool isn't as important as other things in your life.
Instead of being frustrated by pool, why not use it as the release in your life?
I'm not married, have no kids, but have many interests and a very demanding job. I rarely get frustrated playing pool simply because I play pool to escape the parts of my life from which I need to take breaks.
My job, for instance, I'm a mechanical engineer. I design, assemble, install and support large CNC machines. I've created a needed department in my company and now lead that department. I drive a 40 year-old car daily because I want to, but that requires hours of maintenance which I insist on doing myself. I help friends when they need it. I make things for myself and others. I cook most of my meals.
Pool is the one thing that has almost no reward for me other than playing well or learning something. I rarely play with people and stopped playing tourneys for quite a while (though I've won 5 of the 6 I've played recently). I get little joy from beating people, but immense joy from playing with a select few people.
I have taken several vacations from playing. I quit for a few years while I was playing tournament foosball. I've had to travel a lot for work and don't have time to play when I'm out of town, so I've taken two three-month breaks and many 3-6 week breaks.
I can imagine putting up my cues if something else replaces playing. I know this may happen, but I also know that pool will always be a base part of me.
I have no need to try to make money on pool and therefore I refuse to let it be anything but fun.
Instead of being frustrated by pool, why not use it as the release in your life?
I'm not married, have no kids, but have many interests and a very demanding job. I rarely get frustrated playing pool simply because I play pool to escape the parts of my life from which I need to take breaks.
My job, for instance, I'm a mechanical engineer. I design, assemble, install and support large CNC machines. I've created a needed department in my company and now lead that department. I drive a 40 year-old car daily because I want to, but that requires hours of maintenance which I insist on doing myself. I help friends when they need it. I make things for myself and others. I cook most of my meals.
Pool is the one thing that has almost no reward for me other than playing well or learning something. I rarely play with people and stopped playing tourneys for quite a while (though I've won 5 of the 6 I've played recently). I get little joy from beating people, but immense joy from playing with a select few people.
I have taken several vacations from playing. I quit for a few years while I was playing tournament foosball. I've had to travel a lot for work and don't have time to play when I'm out of town, so I've taken two three-month breaks and many 3-6 week breaks.
I can imagine putting up my cues if something else replaces playing. I know this may happen, but I also know that pool will always be a base part of me.
I have no need to try to make money on pool and therefore I refuse to let it be anything but fun.
I think what you're describing is a social player. You could essentially replace the slot of pool with any other enjoyable challenging past time. Whereas OP probably has the pool bug and is itching to play, but can't.
ElCorazonFrio
Banned
True enough, probably.
What I failed to explain was that it was a conscious decision to change from the ultra-competitive to the social because it suited my needs.
Set yourself a more near-term goal:
Your new goal is to enter at least one nearby barbox tournament a month with the specific intention of learning all you can extract from each event and improving from event to event.
You'll slowly finish higher and higher from month to month and even win a few simply because you've narrowed your focus and simplified the time demand question.
With your new laser focus on learning from others' style and techniques and learning about handling the relatively modest pressure of competing with local players you know, (and a few very skilled non-locals who enter) you'll definitely improve from the few quality hours you're now allowing yourself away from your family. And your wife will be happy for you.
"Great player" and "one of the best in WI" will happen eventually when you deserve that, if you systematically improve from month to month by using your monthly hours wisely and purposefully. This is more healthful and rewarding than having frustration unproductively gnawing at you, especially when you love and miss having the game in your life.
For now, and in months to come, extract something from every playing experience you do have the time for via local tournaments. The other players will respect you greatly for seeking, and achieving, regular progress.
Arnaldo
You have a lot of excuses. "I dont have time" "I have a wife and kids to support" just excuses.
Bottom line is you dont want to be elite bad enough to do the work it takes to get there. Nothing wrong with that just accept it and move on.
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Woah, take it easy on the guy... looking after the wife and kids is a priority, not an excuse.
The path to great pool is strewn with players who put the game ahead of everything else (they often later regret it) and still never get close to being elite.
The path to great pool is strewn with players who put the game ahead of everything else (they often later regret it) and still never get close to being elite.
